Susanne Birnkammer is a Scientific Associate (Researcher) and doctoral student at the Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and Psychotherapy within the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the Free University of Berlin, holding this position since February 2022. Her educational background includes: Master of Science in Clinical Psychology and Health Psychology from the Free University of Berlin (2020) Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Ulm (2018) Her research focuses on digital interventions in childhood and adolescence, cross-cultural psychology, children of mentally ill parents, and creative therapy forms in psychotherapeutic contexts. She actively develops resource-oriented digital tools for youth mental health through her non-profit YIN YOUNG & YOU gUG. Recent publications reveal interdisciplinary trends combining clinical psychology with digital health solutions, examining victimization dynamics through intersectional frameworks and evaluating novel therapeutic approaches including psychedelic-assisted therapy. Her methodological approach frequently employs mixed-methods feasibility trials for intervention development. There is no publicly available information regarding Susanne Birnkammer's supervision of students or grant funding. Birnkammer contributes to the department's research ecosystem including gender identity projects (DEXTRA, GenderJourney) and university outpatient clinic initiatives. She previously held research roles at Charité Berlin's Sexual Science department and the University of Ulm's International Office.
Shirin Assa is a Research Fellow at the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS) at the University of Bayreuth. Her work focuses on English and Anglophone literatures, with a specialization in the cultural positionalities of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) women in diaspora. Research Interests Intersectional resistance in diasporic identity formation Transnational feminism and its complementarity with intersectionality theory Colonial/Orientalist representation of MENA women Migration studies (post-2015 MENA diasporas) Gender and sexuality in postcolonial literature Methodological innovation in literary analysis Current Project Her dissertation project, MENA Women in Diaspora: Poetics of Intersectional Resistance Versus Geometry of Appropriation , examines resistance paradigms in contemporary literature through Leila Aboulela's Ostrich (2018) and Kamila Shamsie's Home Fire (2017).
Prof. Dr. Jens Wissel is a Professor at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences , College of Social Work and Health. His work focuses on materialist state theory, social policy, and critical analyses of European integration, welfare state transformation, and neoliberal crisis dynamics. Current research projects include the Staatsprojekt Europa initiative. Affiliated with the Frankfurt Institute for Social Research ( Institut für Sozialforschung ) and various academic associations like the Association for Critical Social Research (AkG) and German Sociological Association (DGS) . Research Interests Materialist State Theory: Analyzing the European Union as a state project, neoliberal transformations, and authoritarian governance. Welfare State Critique: Addressing precarious social situations, care work crisis, and alternative welfare concepts. Migration and Borders: Investigating the EU's border regime, Frontex, and geopolitical implications. His recent publications focus on European crisis and disintegration, with keywords spanning Political Economy , Migration Policy , and Critical State Theory . He is also engaged in practical activism and editorial work for www.links-netz.de .
Prof. Dr. Anelis Kaiser Trujillo is a Professor for Gender Studies in MINT (Mathematics, Informatics, Natural Sciences, and Technology) at the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering, University of Freiburg since 2017. She holds affiliations with the NeuroGenderings network and has held visiting roles at institutions including Uppsala University and the Technical University of Berlin. Her research focuses on sex/gender in neuroscience, intersectionality, and feminist critiques of neuroscientific practices, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches that bridge natural sciences and social sciences. Educational Background: PhD in Gender Studies (Postgraduate Programme Science “Gender” – Symbolic Order, University of Basel, 2005) Visiting PhD studies at the London School of Economics (2005) Research Interests: Neurogender studies, feminist neuroscience, intersectionality, language processing in multilingualism, and critical analyses of race and gender bias in science. She critiques neuroscientific methodologies that essentialize sex/gender differences and advocates for more inclusive interdisciplinary frameworks. Awards: Recipient of the Emma Goldman Award 2021 for contributions to feminist and inequality studies. Active in international networks like NeuroGenderings, emphasizing global collaborations. Grants & Projects: Marie Heim-Voegtlin fellowship (2013–2016) for research on language processing and brain plasticity. Collaborations on NIH policy critiques and feminist STS responses to societal challenges like the pandemic. Labs/Teams: Leads interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of computer science, neuroscience, and gender studies, fostering critical dialogues in STEM fields.
Christoph Gille is a Professor of Social Work in Contexts of Poverty and Exclusion at the University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf since 2022. He holds leadership roles as co-leader of the FNuST Research Centre and study program director for the Bachelor's in Social Work. His work focuses on poverty research, civil society engagement, and transnational social policy. Research Interests : Poverty and social exclusion, civil society engagement, international social work, housing and drug policy, participatory research methods, far-right influence on social services. Recent Projects : Open Drug Scene Survey NRW 2024 , Engagement Against Exclusion (ESA) , and Discrimination in Housing Markets (DiWo) . Publications : Co-author of Offene Drogenszenen in NRW (2025) and Selbstvertretung in der Armutsbekämpfung (2024), among others in open-access formats. Teaching : Courses on unemployment, social policy theories, and transnational social work, including international collaborations with Antwerp and The Hague universities. Advocacy : Regular speaker on far-right challenges to social work, poverty participation structures, and housing rights at national and international conferences.
Gwinyai Machona serves as a Researcher at the Chair for Public Law and Comparative Law within the Faculty of Law at Humboldt University of Berlin, a position held continuously since July 2020 following prior service as a Student Assistant (2018-2020) at the same institution. Educational qualifications include: Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from King's College London (2014-2016) Law Studies at Humboldt University Berlin culminating in the First Legal State Examination (2016-2020) Postgraduate Certificate in Historical Studies from the University of Oxford (2021-2022, completed part-time) Research concentrates on colonial legal history, critical legal theories, and international administrative law, with particular emphasis on decolonial perspectives in legal epistemology. Current work interrogates the intersections of law, power, and historical justice, especially regarding cultural restitution, legal definitions of discrimination, and the legacy of colonial dispossession. Methodologically, this involves archival analysis of colonial treaties, critical examination of legal canons, and interdisciplinary approaches bridging law with historical and cultural studies. Publications from 2022-2024 reveal consistent thematic focus on postcolonial legal accountability, with recurring analysis of German colonial practices in Africa, restitution of cultural property, and critiques of antisemitism/racism in legal frameworks. The body of work demonstrates methodological innovation through museum archive analysis and diachronic responsibility models, while maintaining practical relevance for contemporary legal debates on historical injustice. Scientific recognition includes: Helmut Coing Scholarship (2023) supporting Visiting Research at the Max-Planck-Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory Mentorship activities feature (Co-)Coaching of Humboldt University's Jessup International Law Moot Court team (2020-2022), guiding students through complex public international law competitions. While no external research grants are documented in the provided materials, institutional affiliation provides research infrastructure through the Chair for Public Law and Comparative Law. Collaborative work includes joint publications with scholars like Yann LeGall and Richard Tsogang Fossi. As core faculty within Humboldt's legal research ecosystem, Machona contributes to the Chair's expertise in public law while maintaining connections to the International Rule of Law research group where earlier work was conducted. Current projects appear focused on expanding the 'Atlas der Abwesenheit' restitution framework through critical legal theory applications.
Lisa Brünig is a researcher at the Göttingen Diversity Research Institute (University of Göttingen) within the SMARTUP project. She concurrently serves as coordinator of the Competence Center for Gender-Sensitive Medicine at Hannover Medical School (MHH) and holds a research associate position at the Institute for Ethics, History, and Philosophy of Medicine. Her academic background includes a BA in Political Science (Public Administration) from Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster and Universiteit Twente Enschede, and an MA in Social Science Diversity Research from the University of Göttingen with a semester abroad at the University of Vienna. Her research focuses on intersectional approaches to reproductive rights, particularly analyzing abortion access in Germany through power-critical and discourse-analytical frameworks. She also engages in political education through workshops addressing anti-feminism, sexism, and conspiracy narratives. Methodologically, she emphasizes qualitative methods and discourse analysis in medical and bioethical contexts. Professional activities include prior roles as student assistant and Lecturer at the Göttingen Diversity Research Institute, alongside her current multidisciplinary academic coordination roles. She is based at the University of Göttingen's Faculty of Social Sciences, reachable via email at lisa.bruenig@uni-goettingen.de.
Prof. Dr. Joanna Pfaff-Czarnecka is a Full Professor of Social Anthropology at the Faculty of Sociology, Bielefeld University , holding this position since 2001. She has served in multiple leadership roles including Dean of the Faculty of Sociology (2018-2019), Scientific Member of the DFG Senate (2011-present), and Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZIF) (2011-2019). Her work spans Arbeitsbereich 6 - Sociology of Transnationalization and Social Anthropology , the Institute for World Society , and the Center for InterAmerican Studies . Research Interests: Pfaff-Czarnecka specializes in globalization processes , political anthropology (ethnicity and democratization), legal anthropology (human/minority rights), and the anthropology of home and belonging . Her work explores ethnic boundary-making , religious diversity , and transnational identity politics , particularly in Nepal and Switzerland. She investigates how vernacularization of global norms (e.g., indigenous rights) interacts with local practices. Scientific Awards & Collaborations: Multiple Visiting Fellowships at the University of Oxford (2007, 1997-1998, 1992) Visiting Professor at Tokyo University (1999) Professional Staff at ICIMOD, Kathmandu (1990-1991) Cross-Cutting Themes: She connects Swiss minority rights with Nepalese democratization , analyzing ritual communication , cultural boundary dynamics , and transnational kinship across South Asia and Europe.
Dr. Beatriz Carbone is a Research Associate at Saarland University's Department of European Social Sciences, Political Science, specializing in postcolonial, feminist, and critical race theory applications to political discourse. Her career spans multiple German universities, including TU Kaiserslautern, University of Augsburg, and Philipps-Marburg University, where she held roles in research and teaching. Her research interests include Whiteness and gender in Brazilian policy Eurocentrism's global consequences Intersectionality in health/sexual violence Urban resilience and participatory cultures Her selected publications analyze materiality in social programs, authoritarianism in Latin America, and diaspora subjectivities in migrant cinema. She co-edited the 'Political Ethnography' series and earned a 'Magna Cum Laude' PhD in 2021. Scientific awards include Rosa Luxemburg Foundation doctoral scholarship (2012-2015) DAAD STIBET scholarship (2015-2016) She has taught interdisciplinary courses at Saarland University, TU Kaiserslautern, and University of Augsburg, covering topics like right-wing populism, feminist theory, and postcolonial approaches to conflict-related violence.
Marion Müller is a Full Professor (W3) of Sociology with focus on Gender Studies at the University of Tübingen, affiliated with the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences and the Department of Sociology. She has held this position since 2016 after serving as Junior Professor at the University of Trier (2013-2016). Her academic background includes a dissertation from Bielefeld University (2008) and sociology degree from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (2002), with studies spanning sociology, political science, and cultural anthropology. Her research program examines complex social differentiation mechanisms through multiple lenses: Theoretical frameworks: General sociology, interaction theory, globalization studies Human differentiation: Gender, ethnicity, disability, and categorical boundary formation Embodied practices: Sociology of the body, sports sociology, pregnancy/childbirth Global systems: World society theory, institutional categorization, human rights Publication analysis reveals consistent focus on deconstructing social categorization in bodily practices—particularly in sports contexts—with evolving attention to global governance mechanisms. Recent works examine institutional categorization of indigenous peoples and disability, building on earlier sports-related gender/ethnicity research. Major recognitions include: Fritz Thyssen Foundation Prize (2014) for racial category analysis German Sociological Association dissertation award (2010) Bielefeld University dissertation prize (2009) DGS qualification thesis award (2002) Teaching responsibilities span bachelor/master programs in sociological theory, gender studies, and qualitative methods. Student advising occurs through scheduled office hours and thesis colloquia, though no specific grant or lab information is documented.
Dr. Isabel Díaz Reviriego is a researcher at Leuphana University Lüneburg's Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI), where she investigates sustainability transformations through biocultural approaches. Her work bridges sustainability science, gender studies, and indigenous knowledge systems, with particular emphasis on equity and justice dimensions. Research Focus: Her interdisciplinary research examines: Gender and social differences in biocultural sustainability frameworks Epistemological diversity in Spanish-language sustainability literature Traditional ecological knowledge integration in conservation More-than-human economic assemblages Food sovereignty and agroecological transitions Publication Trends: Recent works demonstrate strong focus on decolonial perspectives in sustainability science, with critical analyses of economic paradigms and gender-power dynamics in environmental governance. Articles frequently employ systematic reviews and cross-cultural comparative approaches spanning European, Latin American, and indigenous contexts.
Prof. Dr. Ulrike Lindner is affiliated with the University of Cologne , where she works at the Historical Institute, Department of Modern History . Her research focuses on colonial history, labor exploitation, and global inequalities. Current Research: The Production and Reproduction of Social Inequalities TRR 228 Future Rural Africa Colonialism without colonies – Rhenish colonial revisionism Completed Research: MIGKNOW: Migrating Knowledge (Marie-Curie Action) Forms of bonded labor Her recent work explores labor regulation in colonial contexts, postcolonial planning in Tanzania, and gendered imperial formations. Publications span journals like Zanj and Journal of Global History . Contact: ulrike.lindner@uni-koeln.de | Web Profile
Ulrike Schultz is Professor of Development Sociology and Economics at the School of Social Sciences, Friedensau Adventist University, where she also serves as Vice Dean and Program Director for the M.A. International Social Sciences (Development Studies). She has a distinguished academic career spanning over three decades, with extensive research experience in Africa, particularly focusing on Sudan and South Sudan. Her educational background includes: 1981-1989: Studies of Economics and Sociology in Dublin, Marburg and Berlin 1989: Diploma in Economics 1995: Doctorate at the Faculty of Economics of FU Berlin on "Nomad Women in the City: The Survival Economy of Turkan Women in Lodwar/North Kenya" 2006: Habilitation in Sociology at FU Berlin Professor Schultz's research primarily focuses on development sociology, gender studies, and migration studies, with a regional specialization in Africa, particularly Sudan and South Sudan. Her work examines the intersection of ethnicity, gender, and nation-building in post-conflict contexts, with particular attention to return migration programs and translocal livelihoods. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Kenya's Turkana region and throughout Sudan, exploring themes of urbanization, gender relations, and economic strategies in challenging contexts. Her methodological approach often employs grounded theory and qualitative methods, emphasizing the importance of local perspectives in development research. Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent engagement with themes of displacement, return migration, and translocal livelihoods in the Sudans. Her work demonstrates a strong commitment to understanding how people navigate complex political transitions and build new forms of belonging in post-conflict settings. She has increasingly focused on the gendered dimensions of these processes, examining how women negotiate economic security and social status in rapidly changing environments. Her more recent work has also addressed the impact of global crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, on vulnerable communities in East Africa. Her notable contributions include: ASA-Stipendium der Carl Duisburg Gesellschaft for research on "Promotion of Women Groups in Turkana, Kenya" Frauenförderungsprogramm des Senats für Frauen und Arbeit, Berlin Professor Schultz has supervised numerous doctoral students, demonstrating her commitment to mentoring the next generation of scholars in development studies and related fields. Her research projects have often involved international collaboration, including partnerships with African universities and participation in Volkswagenstiftung-funded summer schools focusing on gender-sensitive research. She has also been actively involved in curriculum development for international development studies programs, reflecting her interest in how development expertise is produced and transmitted. Her current research focuses on "Ethnizität, Geschlecht und Nation Building im Kontext von Rückkehrprogrammen im Südsudan" (Ethnicity, Gender and Nation Building in the Context of Return Programs in South Sudan), continuing her long-term engagement with post-conflict reconstruction and social transformation in the region.
Prof. Bettina Heinrich is a Professor at Evangelical University Ludwigsburg since 2014, specializing in Social Work, Cultural Work, and related fields. Her teaching encompasses Theories of Social Work, Politics and Social Work, and Cultural Work across multiple Bachelor's and Master's programs including Social Work, International Social Work, and Inclusive Pedagogy & Special Education. She maintains an office in Building C, Room 1.06 at the Ludwigsburg campus with contact information publicly listed. Her educational background includes: 1988: Diploma in Pedagogy from the University of Tübingen Prof. Heinrich's research explores the intersection of Social Work and Cultural Work, with particular emphasis on gender studies, diversity, participation, and urban development. Her work investigates how cultural spaces can foster inclusion, especially for girls and young women, and examines the political dimensions of social work within European contexts. She analyzes how cultural education can create resonant spaces in what she describes as 'resonance-poor times,' addressing contemporary societal challenges through interdisciplinary approaches that bridge social work theory and cultural practice. Her research consistently highlights the importance of creating gender-specific spaces and addressing diversity complexities through intersectional frameworks. Her publication history reveals a clear trajectory from urban cultural policy to increasingly focused work on gender, participation, and cultural education. Recent articles show deepening engagement with creating inclusive spaces for marginalized groups, particularly girls, while maintaining connections to broader social work theory. Her work spans both theoretical explorations and practical applications within German and European contexts, demonstrating how cultural work serves as a bridge between social work theory and community practice. The consistent themes across her publications include diversity, inclusion, resonance, and the creation of meaningful social spaces. Prof. Heinrich has held significant leadership positions throughout her career: 1988-1991: Research group on cultural history and material culture, participant in the consulting firm FOKUS 1992-1995: Foundation for Cultural Further Education and Cultural Consulting, Berlin - Scientific staff member and head of Information/Documentation department 1995-2000: University of Applied Sciences Potsdam - Head of Scientific Further Education (1995-1998), Coordinating Head of Rectorate's Staff Units (1998-2000) 2000-2007: German Association of Cities - Cultural Policy Advisor in Berlin (2000-2003), Advisor at European Office in Brussels (2003-2004), Cultural and Educational Policy Advisor in Berlin and Cologne (2004-2007) 2007-2009: Governing Mayor of Berlin, Chancellery - Head of Department for Fundamental Issues and Deputy Head of Cultural Affairs Department 2010-2014: Stiftung wannseeFORUM, Berlin - Director She has served as a lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences Reutlingen and Potsdam since 1990 and as an expert/consultant for the European Executive Agency for Education, Audiovisual and Culture (EACEA) for the Culture Program 2007-2013. Prof. Heinrich regularly presents at national and international conferences and institutions including Centro Cultural ITAU (São Paulo/Brazil), Goethe-Institute, EUROCITIES, German UNESCO Commission, Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (IfA), and German Society of the United Nations.
Prof. Dr. Christine M. Klapeer is Professor of Political Science with a focus on Gender Studies at Justus Liebig University Giessen, where she has been employed since 2024. She is affiliated with the Department of Social and Cultural Sciences and the Institute of Political Science. Prior to her current position, she served as Head of the Department of International Gender Politics and Qualitative Methods in Political Science at the University of Kassel (2021-2024), and held various academic positions including Visiting Professor at the Center for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies Innsbruck and research roles at Georg-August-University Göttingen. Her educational background includes a doctorate in Political Theory from Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck (2011) with a dissertation titled 'Die Tribade im Leviathan. Erzählungen über gute Staatsbürger und sexuelle Devianz,' and undergraduate studies in Political Science with an interdisciplinary focus on Philosophy/Political Theory, Gender Studies, Media Research and Contemporary History at the same institution (1998-2003). Prof. Klapeer's research centers on political science gender studies with particular emphasis on feminist, queer and intersectional perspectives. Her work explores the complex relationships between gender politics, heteronormativity, and democratic citizenship, examining how these dynamics manifest in social movements, particularly LGBTIQ movements. She investigates the intersections of coloniality and intersectionality in contemporary gender and sexual politics, and analyzes the potential of queer and feminist theoretical frameworks to challenge and transform existing political structures. Her research also addresses political and social science approaches to anti-discrimination, examining how power operates through seemingly neutral institutional frameworks. She has developed distinctive approaches to understanding knowledge production within social movements and the relationship between academic scholarship and activist practice. Her recent publications reveal a consistent focus on the political dimensions of gender and sexuality, with increasing attention to the rise of anti-gender politics and right-wing populism across Europe. Her work demonstrates how academic scholarship can engage with activist movements while maintaining critical distance, particularly through her examination of knowledge production within social movements. She has developed a distinctive approach that combines postcolonial, queer, and feminist perspectives to analyze the global dimensions of gender politics and LGBTIQ rights, with particular attention to the German context. Visiting Fellow of the Academic Year 2017/2018, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies & Centre for Feminist Research, York University, Toronto Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation Scholarship for the XIX Cortona Colloquium – Gender and Citizenship: New and Old Dilemmas, Between Equality and Difference Promotionsstipendium from the University of Innsbruck Forschungspreis der Austrian Gay Professionals (agpro) Johanna Dohnal Förderpreis for women's and gender research Preis für 'Frauenspezifische Forschung' from Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck Nachwuchspreis of the Austrian Political Science Association Prof. Klapeer is actively involved in research funding, most notably as a principal investigator for the Volkswagen Foundation-funded project 'LGBTIQ* Movements as Agents of Democratization: Historical, Contemporary, and Future Resources for Imagining Inclusive and Diverse Democracies,' which will receive 1.4 million euros over 3.25 years starting in spring 2025. She regularly organizes academic events that bridge theory and practice, such as the upcoming workshop 'Making Diversity Real?: Navigating Between Academia and Activism in German and International Context,' which examines how activist practices influence academic methodologies and knowledge production. Her teaching focuses on the intersections of gender, politics, and democracy, with courses addressing contemporary challenges to democratic institutions through the lens of anti-gender politics and queerphobia. She leads a research team including scientific staff member Tarek Shukrallah and administrative support from Julia Just, with additional assistance from student workers. Her research group actively engages with both academic and activist communities across Germany and internationally, reflecting her commitment to making knowledge production accountable to social movements and the communities they represent.
