Academic careers are highly dependent on one's position in academia. In this context, origin plays a central role, which has a lasting effect on career progression through path dependencies. Against this background, the event is dedicated to a critical examination of the extent to which East German origin - 35 years after reunification - is effective as a dimension of social inequality within the academic system.

In her lecture, Dr. Hanna Haag, sociologist at the gFFZ in Frankfurt, will present research findings on the biographies of East German professors. She will shed light on the specific challenges and opportunities that academics have faced in the context of their academic careers and how they relate these to a West German perspective. Gender references are considered as intersectional perspectives of analysis, which are additionally included in order to discuss the interdependencies of origin and gender within the academic system. The lecture will be followed by a joint discussion on the extent to which East German positioning continues to be important for individual career paths and institutional structures.

The event will take place on 15.05.2025 from 18:00-20:00. For all those on the move between the office and the event, we will offer some finger food and the opportunity to exchange ideas from 17:00.  We kindly ask you to register at .

More info and the link to the livestream can be found here.