Research Interests
Future Studies, degrowth and post-growth societies and politics, social movements, social-ecological transformations, transformation processes in science and higher education institutions
Research within the junior research group
Primary responsibility:
Qualitative case study on forest and timber industries in Finland (module A3)
In cooperation with other group members:
Qualitative Typology and analyses of relevant aspects across cases (module A5)
Theory and synthesis (module D)
Contact
Vita
April 2022-January 2023
Parental leave
Since 2019
Researcher position and PhD candidate at the Institute of Sociology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena
2016-2019
Project Coordinator at netzwerk n e.V., BMBF-funded project „Zukunftsfähige Hochschulen gestalten“ (Shaping sustainable HEI)
2016-2017
Project Assistant at Förderverein Wachstumswende e.V., BMU-funded project „Fokus Wachstumswende“ (A turn towards post-growth in focus)
2015-2016
Scientific Assistant at Berlin Office of Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie
2013-2016
Master of Arts „Zukunftsforschung“, Free University Berlin (GER)
2009-2012
Bachelor of Arts „European Studies“, University Maastricht (NL), study abroad at University of Loughborough (UK)
2008-2009
Studium Generale, Leibniz Kolleg Tübingen (GER)
Academic Teaching
Winter Se 2023/24: „Nachhaltigkeit und gesellschaftliche Transformation“, Research Colloquium at the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena. (with Dennis Eversberg, Martin Fritz, Philip Koch, Judith Kiss)
Summer Semester 2023: “Bioökonomien in Europa – Gesellschaftliche Naturverhältnisse und sozial-ökologische Mentalitäten“, block seminar at the FSU Jena [with Lilian Pungas, Philip Koch, Linda von Faber]
Winter Semester 2021/22: “Nachhaltigkeit und gesellschaftliche Transformation“, Colloquium at the FSU Jena, online [with Dennis Eversberg, Martin Fritz, Judith Kiss, Philip Koch, Lilian Pungas, Matthias Schmelzer]
Summer Semester 2021: “Kontroversen gesellschaftlicher Naturverhältnisse alter und neuer Bioökonomien” (Seminar for B.A.-students, online), Institut für Soziologie, FSU Jena. [with Lilian Pungas]
Summer Semester 2021: “Nachhaltigkeit und gesellschaftliche Transformation“, Colloquium at the FSU Jena, online. [with Dennis Eversberg, Martin Fritz, Judith Kiss, Philip Koch, Lilian Pungas, Matthias Schmelzer, Anne Stein]
Winter Semester 2019/20: “Bourdieu meets Greta Thunberg: Grundlagen der sozial-ökologischen Mentalitätsforschung”, Seminar for M.A.-students at the FSU Jena. [with Dennis Eversberg, Martin Fritz, Lilian Pungas, Matthias Schmelzer]
Winter Semester 2019/20: “Nachhaltigkeit und gesellschaftliche Transformation”, Colloquium at the FSU Jena. [with Dennis Eversberg, Martin Fritz, Philip Koch, Lilian Pungas, Matthias Schmelzer]
Publications
JOURNAL ARTICLES
2023. Rural bioeconomies in Europe: Socio-ecological conflicts, marginalized people and practices. In: GAIA 32/2, 219-224(6). https:/doi.org/10.14512/gaia.32.2.3 (open access) [with Dennis Eversberg, Philip Koch, Lilian Pungas, Jonathan Friedrich, Jana Zscheischler]
2023. The concept of the human-forest relationship (HFR) – Definition and potentials for forest policy research. In: Forest Policy and Economics 153, DOI (10.1016/j.forpol.2023.102995), URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934123000904?dgcid=author (open access) [with Tuulikki Halla, Reetta Karhunkorva, Jaana Laine]
2023. Threatened sustainability: extractivist tendencies in the forest-based bioeconomy in Finland. In: Sustainability Science 18, 645–659. DOI (10.1007/s11625-023-01300-9), URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11625-023-01300-9#citeas (open access)
2022. Social relationships with nature: elements of a framework for socio-ecological
structure analysis. In: Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research 35(3), 389–419. https://doi.org/10.1080/13511610.2022.2095989 (open access) [with Dennis Eversberg, Philip Koch, Lilian Pungas, Anne Stein]
2022. The bioeconomy and its untenable growth promises: reality checks from research. In: Sustainability Science 18, 569–582. DOI (10.1007/s11625-022-01237-5), URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11625-022-01237-5#citeas (open access) [with Dennis Eversberg und Lilian Pungas]
2021. Coaching for a sustainability transition: empowering student-led sustainability initiatives by developing skills, group identification, and efficacy beliefs. In: Frontiers in Psychology 12. DOI (10.3389/fpsyg.2021.623972), URL: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.623972/abstract [with Karen R. Hamann und Gerhard Reese]
BOOK CHAPTERS
2023. Bioeconomy: a solution to the challenges of a post-fossil future? In: Obeng-Odoom, Franklin (Ed.), Handbook on Alternative Global Development. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing, 334-351. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781839109959 [with Dennis Eversberg and Matthias Schmelzer]
2023. Wie die Bioökonomie versucht nachhaltig zu sein – eine Diskussion am Beispiel der europäischen Bioökonomiepolitik und der finnischen Forstwirtschaft. In: Prof. Dr. Anna Henkel et al. (Ed.), Dilemmata der Nachhaltigkeit. Baden-Baden: Nomos, 207-226. https://www.nomos-shop.de/nomos/titel/dilemmata-der-nachhaltigkeit-id-113669/ (open access) [with Philip Koch]
2017. Nachhaltige Hochschultransformation von unten denken. In: Markius Raueiser & Monika Kolb (Ed.), CSR und Hochschulmanagement. Sustainable Education als neues Paradigma in Forschung und Lehre. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Gabler, 343–356. (with Lukas Daubner, Jannis Eicker, Lisa Weinhold).
2016. Eine Zukunft für die Zukunftsforschung. Status quo, Herausforderungen und Zukunftsbilder der Zukunftsforschung in Lehre und Praxis. In: Reinhold Popp et al. (Ed.), Einblicke, Ausblicke, Weitblicke – Aktuelle Perspektiven in der Zukunftsforschung. LIT Verlag. [with Stefan Aengenheyster and Ina Krüger].
OTHER ARTICLES AND WORKING PAPER
2024. Forst(wirtschaft) und Degrowth. Blog Postwachstum. https://www.postwachstum.de/forstwirtschaft-und-degrowth-20240115 [last access 16 January, 2024] [with Anna Saave]
2021. Mentalities Matter. Sozial-ökologische Mentalitäten und ihre Bedeutung in post-fossilen Transformationen. Working Paper No. 5, Mentalitäten im Fluss (flumen), Jena. DOI (10.22032/dbt.49142) [with Eversberg, Dennis, Martin Fritz, Philip Koch, Lilian Pungas, Matthias Schmelzer]
2020. Empty Promises of Growth: the Bioeconomy and its multiple Reality Checks. Working Paper No. 2, Mentalitäten im Fluss (flumen), Jena. DOI (10.22032/dbt.49020) [with Dennis Eversberg]
2019. Postfossile Wirtschaft – Postfossile Gesellschaft?! Blog Postwachstum. URL: https://www.postwachstum.de/postfossile-wirtschaft-postfossile-gesellschaft-20191118 [with Sarah Godding, Rosa Lehmann, Louise Wagner].
2018. Postwachstum politisch und Wachstumskritik in der Politik. Ein kompliziertes Verhältnis mit Potenzial. In: Forschungsjournal Soziale Bewegungen, 31/4, 128-128. https://doi.org/10.1515/fjsb-2018-0098
REPORTS
2024. Erstes soziologisches Waldsymposium. Conference Report in the Schweizerischen Zeitschrift für Forstwesen 175/2, 98. [with Kathrin Böhling and Ronja Mikoleit]
2024. Soziologische Waldforschung im Aufbruch. Tagungsbericht zum ersten Soziologischen Waldsymposium am 01. Dezember 2023 an der Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, in: Soziologie und Nachhaltigkeit: Blog-Beiträge der SuN, https://doi.org/10.17879/sun-2024-5657 [mit Ronja Mikoleit, Anna Saave und Ronja Schröder]
2023. Mögliche, wahrscheinliche und wünschenswerte Zukünfte von Wald und Forstwirtschaft in (Zentral-)Finnland. Report about a science-transfer event in Finland in May 2023, https://www.flumen.uni-jena.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Transferbericht-Finnland_final.pdf
INTERVIEWS, MEDIA REPORTS
Gürgen, Malene (2023): „Alles eine Frage der Mentalität“, taz-Newsletter, 11 May 2023 (on the basis of an interview with Martin Fritz and Jana Holz).
Gürgen, Malene (2023): „Von Yuppies, Ökos, Egos und dem kleinen Mann“, taz from 13 May 2023, Interview with Martin Fritz and Jana Holz. https://taz.de/Sozial-oekologische-Transformation/!5932526/ (last access 03 June 2024)
LECTURES
2024. Taking care of the forest as a part of nature – conceptual thoughts and empirical insights. Lecture with Anna Saave and Ronja Schröder in the session “Epistemic patterns and concepts: Facilitating critical analysis on gender in forestry“ at the 5th International Forest Policy Meeting, University of Helsinki, 2024 April 11.
2023. Beyond fossil extractivism? Lecture at the 9th international Degrowth-Conference, 29 August-02 September 2023, Zagreb. (with Anna Saave)
2023. Paradox relationships with forests in Central Finland – a critical discussion from a qualitative, sociological perspective. Lecture within the public Colloquium of the „JYU.Wisdom − School of Resource Wisdom“ at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
2022. Vorstellungswelten in der Bioökonomie erforschen. Lecture at the interim conference „Das Konzept der Bioökonomie im Dialog“ of the project Convivis, WWU Münster, 2022 January 21.
2021. Widersprüchliche Naturverhältnisse in der Bioökonomie – Zwischen Nachhaltigkeitsansprüchen und Wachstumsversprechen. Lecture with Philip Koch at the 18th NGU-conference „Sozial- ökologische Transformation im Kapitalozän: Herausforderungen und Widersprüche“, Europa Universität Flensburg, 2021 November 13.
2021. Forest for Sale!? ‘Success’ of Extractivist Forestry in Estonia and Finland. Lecture with Lilian Pungas at the „EXALT“ conference, University Helsinki, 2021 October 25-27.
2021. Spannungsverhältnisse in der forstwirtschaftlichen Bioökonomie in Finnland – Gesellschaftliche und subjektive Naturverhältnisse im Wandel?. Lecture at “Promovierenden-Workshop zu Alltags- und Spannungsverhältnisse in ländlichen Räumen”, Thünen-Institut für Ländliche Räume, Braunschweig, 2021 September 10.
2021. Die Natur und wir – Wechselbeziehungen zwischen Mensch, Gesellschaft und Natur. Lecture and discussion at Grüner Salon Weimar, Klassik Stiftung Weimar, 2021 July 15.
2021. Empty Promises of Growth: The Bioeconomy and its Multiple Reality Checks. Lecture with Dennis Eversberg at the 7th International Degrowth and 16th ISEE Joint Conference: Building Alternative Livelihoods in times of ecological and political crisis, 2021 July 05-08.
2021. Widersprüchliche Bioökonomie(n) – Zwischen Nachhaltigkeit, Wachstum und post-fossiler Transformation. Lecture with Philip Koch at the conference Dilemmata der Nachhaltigkeit, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 2021 June 11.
2021. Leere Versprechen und selbsterfüllende Prophezeiungen? Wachstumskritische Perspektiven auf die Bioökonomie. Lecture and discussion at „Jutebeutel meets Biotech: Wie progressiv ist die Bioökonomie?“, Ökoprogressives Netzwerk, 2021 May 20.
2021. Leere Versprechen und selbsterfüllende Prophezeiungen. Bioökonomie (und Kreislaufwirtschaft) aus wachstumskritischer Perspektive. Keynote at the online workshop series „Degrowth: Zukunftspfad oder Illusion?“ hosted by Degrowth Vienna and Arbeiterkammer Wien, 2021 March 24.
2021. Forest-based Bioeconomy in Finland: An Extractivist Principle and Practice? Lecture in the Panel „Global Forest Bioeconomy: Continuity or a Pathway to Transformations?“ at the „Third International Forest Policy Meeting“ of the Professur für Forst- und Umweltpolitik of the University of Freiburg together with the IUFRO Division 9.05, 2021 March 17.
2021. Problematic roots and a fake crown of solutions threaten sustainability prospects of forest-based bioeconomy. Lecture within the „Three-Minute-Thesis-Competion (3MT)“ at the „Third International Forest Policy Meeting“ of the Professur für Forst- und Umweltpolitik of the University of Freiburg together with the IUFRO Division 9.05, 2021 March 17.
2020. The (Non-)Conflicts around Forest Bioeconomy in Finland. Locally Rooted ‘Green Extractivism’ under Revision. Lecture at the „Doctoral Students‘ Annual Conference: (De)Naturalising Extractivism: Investigating its Social Orders and Resistances”, EXALT Symposium, Helsinki, 2020 October 20.
2020. Broken Promises of Growth: The Bioeconomy and its multiple Reality Checks. Lecture and Discussion at the conference “It’s the (Bio)Economy, Stupid! The Future of Growth and the Promise of the Bioeconomy”, FSU Jena, 2020 October 7. (with Dennis Eversberg)
MODERATIONS
since 2021: Moderation of the series “Scientific Coffees on Human-Forest-Relationships”, online. URL: https://metsatiede.org/en/clubs/human-forest-relationship-research-club/scientific-coffees-on-human-forest-relationships/ [with Tuulikki Halla, Jaana Laine, Reetta Karhunkorva]
2024. Coffee Salon Human-Forest-Relationships (HFR) – Potentials and Challenges for Future-oriented Forest Policy and Research. Moderation of an interactive session with Tuulikki Halla at the 5th International Forest Policy Meeting, University of Helsinki, 2024 April 10.
2023. Human-Forest-Relationships as Part of Future Sustainability Solutions. Moderation of a Panel within the Sustainability Science Days 2023, University of Helsinki, 25.05.2023. URL: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/conferences/sustainability-science-days-2023/programme/session-descriptions#human-forest-relationships-as-part-of-future-sustainability-solutions–title
2023. Moderation and organisation of the Forest Symposium on 01 December 2023, Jena. URL: https://www.flumen.uni-jena.de/symposium-zur-soziologischen-waldforschung-am-01-dezember-2023-in-jena/ [with Anna Saave, Ronja Mikoleit, Ronja Schröder]
2023. (Bio)diversity in forests. Moderation and organisation of international and interdisciplinary workshops, The Finnish Society of Forest Science 16-17 May 2023, Jyväskylä. URL: https://metsatiede.org/en/uncategorized-en/biodiversity-in-forests-scientific-multidisciplinary-workshop-16-17-5-2023-jyvaskyla/ [with Tuulikki Halla]