Verena Stern

Verena Stern is a doctoral researcher at the Faculty of Sociology, University of Bielefeld, where she has been employed since 2018 on a DFG-funded project examining reactions to refugees in Germany. She previously held research roles at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (2017-2018) and the University of Vienna (2015-2018), including lecturing duties. Her work lies at the intersection of migration studies, social movements, and right-wing extremism, with a focus on asylum policy, deportation protests, and gender politics.

• Key Fellowships:
  • 2017: Wirth Institute for Austrian and Central European Studies (University of Alberta)
  • 2013-2014: Center for Austrian Studies (University of Minnesota)

Research Trends: Stern’s recent publications analyze polarized responses to refugee crises, comparative deportation protest strategies, and gendered political ideologies. She employs qualitative and mixed-method approaches, including case studies and comparative analysis of German-speaking countries.

Awards:

• BMWFW Research Fellowships (2017, 2013-2014)