Thomas Geier

Dr. Thomas Geier is an Academic Councilor (Akademischer Rat) at the Institute for General Didactics and School Pedagogy (IADS) at the Technical University of Dortmund, where he has been working since the Winter Semester of 2019/20. He completed his habilitation in General Educational Science at Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg in 2019, earning the title of Privatdozent (PD). His academic journey includes significant positions at Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, and Pädagogische Hochschule Karlsruhe.

Dr. Geier earned his doctorate (Dr. phil.) with highest honors ('summa cum laude') in 2010. His academic progression shows a clear trajectory from research assistant positions to his current role as a habilitated academic with teaching privileges at the university level.

His research critically examines how educational institutions perpetuate or challenge racism and social inequality in migration societies. He has conducted groundbreaking empirical research on Muslim educational practices, particularly within the Gülen Movement through a major DFG-funded project (2016-2020). His methodological expertise in qualitative research has led him to direct the Qualitative Research and Interpretation Workshop (QFIW), where he develops innovative approaches to understanding educational phenomena.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong theoretical and empirical focus on the intersection of migration, racism, and education. Through discourse analysis and biographical research, he investigates how symbolic orders of belonging are constructed in educational contexts, with particular attention to how Muslim students and educators navigate these spaces. His work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks with practical educational implications, especially in teacher education.

• Member of the Network for Anti-Racist School Pedagogy since 2019
• Member of the Council for Migration since 2015
• Member of the German Sociological Association's sections on Migration and Ethnic Minorities (since 2014) and Education and Upbringing (since 2013)

Dr. Geier has successfully supervised multiple doctoral students to completion and has received significant research funding, including the DFG project on the Gülen Movement and a prestigious fellowship from Goethe-University Frankfurt. His organizational work includes numerous lecture series and conferences that have shaped academic discourse on migration, religion, and education in Germany.

As director of the Qualitative Research and Interpretation Workshop, he has established a methodological hub for qualitative educational research that connects critical migration theory with practical pedagogical approaches, particularly influencing how teacher education programs address racism and diversity.