Prof Dr Vera Denzer

Career

• 1985: Completion of Studies
  Geography, Evangelic Theology, Pedagogy, Teaching Degree Programme
  Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
  Thesis: “Strukturelle, funktionale und sozialräumliche Veränderungen von
  Rundlingen im Hannoverschen Wendland”
• 1995: Doctorate
  Dr rer nat, Geography
  Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
  Topic: “Relikte und persistente Elemente im Südwest-Spessart”
• 1995–2000: Research Assistant
  Universität Leipzig, Institute for Geography
• 2000–2004: Research Assistant
  Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Institute for Didactics of Geography
• 2004–2005: Substitute Professorship Human Geography
  Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
• 2005: Habilitation
  Dr rer nat habil, Geography
  Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
  Topic: “Zur Produktion des Symbolischen Ortes. Untersucht an Beispielen sächsischer Großstädte”
• 2005–2007: Substitute Professorship Anthropogeography
  Universität Leipzig, Institute for Geography
• since 2007: Professor for Anthropogeography
  Universität Leipzig, Institute for Geography

Research

My research group deals with topics of critical social and cultural geographic urban and regional research. In the context of social conflicts and upheavals in a globalised world, questions of dissent and contradictions, practices of spatial appropriation and displacement as well as processes of negotiation and participation in everyday life are the focus of research.

For example, (arbitrary) appropriations of public spaces, everyday assignments of meaning to places, but also (global) mechanisms of commodification and financialisation of spaces are examined. Several theoretical approaches and empirical methods are used to research conditions, processes and practices that contribute to the construction of places and the (re)constitution of the urban, including approaches based on representation, practice and discourse theory as well as those of new materiality, expert interviews, walking interviews or online ethnography.

Teaching

• Lecture “Urban and Settlement Geography”, BSc Geography
• Lecture “Social and Cultural Geography”, BSc Geography
• Lecture Series “Concepts and Structures of Urban Spaces” (with several colleagues), MSc Economic and Social Geography
• “Anthropogeographic Research Project with Field Practical Course” (with changing topics), BSc Geography
• Project Seminar (with changing topics), MSc Economic and Social Geography
• Special Methods of Regional Research I, MSc Economic and Social Geography
• Advanced Seminar on special research fields of Economic and Ssocial Geography (with changing topics), MSc Economic and Social Geography