Chair of Human Geography with a focus on European Migration Studies

The Chair of Human Geography with a focus on European Migration Studies concentrates its research and teaching on migration, integration and social participation as well as urban and regional development on the basis of critical and reflexive approaches of migration studies, postcolonial theory and social geography. In this regard, regions that belonged to the "socialist bloc" until 1989 are examined in particular. Research projects have addressed, among other issues, the reception of refugees in rural regions of Germany, return migration processes of university graduates using the example of Bulgaria, or more recent developments in post-socialist cities. Current research topics are regularly integrated into courses, and students are encouraged to conduct their own research. In order to strengthen the methodological competence of the students, the professorship conducts courses on socio-empirical research methods. Excursions take place mainly to post-socialist states, in recent years e.g. to Poland, Lithuania, Kosovo and Albania, but also to Norway. The ERASMUS partnerships of the professorship also focus on post-socialist states. Currently we maintain partnerships with Vilnius (Lithuania), Poznan (Poland) and Joensuu (Finland).