“Although I was active in the field of social work parallel to my studies, I was always particularly interested in an analytical view on topics from this field”, says Karin Scherschel, who studied sociology in Saarbrücken and Bielefeld. She successfully completed her doctoral degree in 2003 with a dissertation on racist argumentation patterns and qualified as a professor in 2014 with a Habilitation on the topic of precarious positions in asylum and forced migration. She carried out studies on the relevance of state regulations for social inequality. Afterwards, she conducted research and taught at different universities in Wiesbaden, Duisburg-Essen, Linz, Magdeburg, Jena and Vienna. At the University of Jena, Professor Scherschel was deputy director of the sub-project “A new emerging underclass?” implemented in the context of a special DFG funded program. Before her appointment to the KU, she worked as a visiting professor in the Peter Ustinov program at the institute of contemporary history at the University of Vienna.
“In the past years, flight and migration research has seen increased institutionalization processes. The need and demand for scientific expertise have risen considerably. However, this also entails a balancing act between scientific and political interests.”, says Scherschel. She continues to say that in the past decades and particularly since 2015, we could witness the emergence of large-scale voluntary commitment that addressed practical challenges connected to flight and migration and was also taken into account in the research carried out in the field. Now, the center of attention shifted from problems and failures to successful integration – like this it has become easier for refugee migrants to access the labor market compared to earlier times. “However, I am a great supporter of an awareness for integration that goes well beyond the labor market. Furthermore, the idea of integration is not confined to migration alone, but also incorporates the general question of different opportunities of participation for members within a society. The question of integration is also important in the context of right-wing populist groups”, emphasizes Professor Scherschel.
In her function as head of the KU Center for Flight and Migration, she wants to advance research at the center and also strengthen the idea of transfer into society, as the center has its roots in the intention to offer practical help for refugees. Scherschel explains: “This strong practical connection is characteristic of the center and distinguishes it from other institutions in the field.” She is looking forward to working with the “great team” at the Center for Flight and Migration. In her teaching practice, she wants to offer her students comprehensive and scientifically substantiated preparation for a broad range of career options in the field of flight and migration and foster their curiosity for scientific work.