Serhat Karakayali

Prof. Serhat Karakayali holds the Professorship of Migration and Mobility Studies at Leuphana University's School of Cultural Studies. Previously, he led the Migration department at the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) and directed the Einstein Research Group on 'Migration and Diaspora.' His expertise spans migration regimes, civil society engagement, refugee integration, and racism analysis.

Education: PhD in Sociology from Goethe University Frankfurt (dissertation on illegal migration genealogy). Postdoctoral roles included Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and Berlin Institute for Empirical Integration and Migration Research.

Research Interests: Combines ethnographic regime analysis with socio-political dynamics. Focus areas include migration diversity management, diaspora networks, and anti-racism initiatives. Key projects: Racism Monitor (government-commissioned), MERGE network, and studies on migrant participation in unions like IG Metall.

Grants & Collaborations: Funded by BMBF (ZoMiDi project), Hans Böckler Foundation, and Max Planck Institute. Co-developed the TRANSIT Migration project linking migration theory to practice.

Labs/Networks: Active in Leuphana's Institute of Sociology and Cultural Organisation (ISCO), Sociology of the Arts team, and Berlin-based critical migration research networks.