Prof. Dr. Christoph Dittrich

Head of the Department of Human Geography (since 2011), Director of the Institute of Geography (2013–2021), Dean of the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Geography (April 2021–March 2027), Dean’s Spokesperson and Deputy Dean’s Spokesperson (October 2023–September 2026).

My research and teaching focus on human geographical topics with a development dimension. I work on issues relating to socio-ecological and political transformations and on the sustainable resource use in megacities of the Global South. In addition, I examine conflict-prone human–environment relationships in globalizing contexts. My regional focus is on Germany and South Asia, particularly India.

In teaching, I place particular emphasis on problem-oriented and practice-based regional expertise, whilst taking a gender perspective into account and utilizing contemporary teaching and learning methods. Involving students in research and teaching is a matter of course for me.

My doctoral research (completed in 1995) took me to the high-altitude mountain region of northern Pakistan (funded by the DFG), where I examined issues relating to food security amongst smallholder farmers. My habilitation project (completed in 2002) examined the effects of globalisation in the Indian IT hub of Bengaluru (funded by the DFG). From 2006 to 2013, I participated in a collaborative project funded by the German federal government that was dedicated to sustainability issues in the Indian metropolis of Hyderabad (funded by the BMBF). From 2011 to 2015, I conducted research in Sumatra, Indonesia, as part of Collaborative Research Centre 990 (together with H. Faust) on land-use conflicts.

From 2016 to 2023, I served as Principal Investigator (PI) in the DFG Research Group FOR2432, “Social-Ecological Systems at the Indian Rural-Urban Interface: Functions, Scales, and Dynamics of Transition”. My research here focused on changes in the food consumption patterns of the urban middle classes in Bengaluru.

Since 2025, I have been conducting research as part of the DFG Research Group FOR5903 “Sustainable Rurbanity: Resources, Society, and Regulatory Systems” on ‘RurbanSpace: The social production of rurban spaces’ (in collaboration with U. Altrock, University of Kassel) (Duration: 10/2025–09/2029).

In addition, I supervise student projects on the topics of regional development, health, housing, socio-ecological transformation and sustainability.

Other activities:

• Review work for DFG, DAAD, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Minerva Foundation and various academic journals.