Till Kössler

Professor Till Kössler holds the Chair of History of Education at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg since April 2018, affiliated with the Department of Education and Pedagogy within the Faculty of Philosophy III. Previously, he served as Professor of Social History of Growing Up and Education at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (2011-2018) and held academic positions at LMU Munich (2003-2011). His international research includes stints at Universidad Complutense Madrid, UC Berkeley, and NYU Shanghai.

Academic background:

• Doctorate (2003, Ruhr-Universität Bochum): History of communism in the Federal Republic of Germany
• Habilitation (2011, LMU Munich): Childhood and society in pre-Civil War Spain

Kössler's research critically examines educational systems under authoritarian regimes, historical perceptions of childhood violence, and the socio-political dimensions of the nature-nurture debate. His work bridges European educational history with global perspectives on child welfare, analyzing how state power shapes pedagogical practices and family structures. Current projects investigate violence against children through historical institutional responses and policy implications.

He actively supervises Master's students through regular thesis colloquia. Major research initiatives include:

• History of the nature-nurture debate
• Education and society in 20th-century authoritarian regimes
• Global historical analysis of child violence perceptions and interventions