Dr. Jutta Kister

Jutta Kister
Dr. Jutta Kister
Research associate
Building Osten 18
Postal Address
Ostenstraße 18
85072 Eichstätt

About

Jutta Kister studied geography (diploma) with minors in political science and empirical cultural studies at the Eberhard Karls University and the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) between 1997 and 2004. Further stays abroad led her to the Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul and the PUC Porto Alegre (Brazil) as a visiting scholar. After her studies she worked in the field of development policy consulting and education in Baden-Württemberg.

In her dissertation, she dealt with questions of alternative, value-based value chains as well as social-ecological standards and certifications and their spatial effectiveness. From an economic geography perspective and using qualitative methodology, she explored the question of how global value chains in the fair trade segment (re)configure themselves as a result of market expansions. She paid special attention to the changes in power and governance relations in the chains, which are influenced by globalization processes in the context of conventionalization and empowerment goals of production cooperatives. 

Since her PhD, she has been working on issues related to sustainable natural resource provision and innovative governance of regional value chain processes in the context of forest use. In addition, research projects address dynamic socio-ecological transformation processes at the regional level, such as the development of a monitoring system for the sustainable management of alpine club huts and sustainable food provision in urban-rural agro-food systems.

Education and career

  • Since 10/2021: research associate in the Human Geography Research Group, Department of Geography, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt.
  • 2/2018-6/2022: research project assistant (post-doc) in the Working Group on Development and Sustainability Research (AGEF) at the Department of Geography, University of Innsbruck (Austria)
  • 4/2014-9/2022 Teaching activities in the bachelor and master program Geography "Global Change - Regional Sustainability" at the Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck (Austria).
  • 2017: Completion of the PhD program in Geography at the University of Innsbruck. Doctorate in Geography (Doctor of Philosophy/ PhD), assessed with Very Good [best possible assessment in Austria].
  • Dissertation title: "Of Growth and Values. Global Value Chains in Fair Trade" (Supervisor: Prof. Martina Neuburger, University of Hamburg, Co-Supervisor: Prof. Martin Coy, University of Innsbruck).
  • 2014 and 2016/17: Lecturer at the Institute of Geography, University of Hamburg.
  • 5/2016-9/2017: research project assistant (Doc) at the Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck.
  • 7/2012-8/2014: Scholarship holder at the University of Innsbruck (PhD scholarship from the Junior Research Fellowship).
  • 2/2014: Research stay in Nicaragua
  • 10/2011-3/2012: scientific project assistant (Doc) at the Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck
  • 3/2005-1/2009: Subject Specialist for Global Learning and Asia, Foundation for Development Cooperation Baden-Württemberg (SEZ), Stuttgart
  • 11/2004-2/2005: project assistant, Baden-Württemberg International GmbH, Stuttgart
  • 9/2004-10/2004: Research Assistant, Institute of Geography, University of Tübingen
  • 9/1997-8/2004: Studies of Geography (Diploma), Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, assessed "with distinction
  • 2003: Visiting scholar at the Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul and the PUC Porto Alegre, Brazil
  • 2/2000- 4/2001 Study abroad at the Universidade Federal de Rio de Janeiro (Brazil, DAAD scholarship)

Awards, grants and scholarships

  • 11/2013: Hypo Tirol Bank Research Promotion Award at the Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck "Inclusion of Smallholder Cooperatives in Central America in Global Value Chains. The influence of private standards on the bargaining power of Nicaraguan coffee producers."
  • 7/2012-8/2014: Scholarship holder at the University of Innsbruck (PhD scholarship from the Junior Researcher Support Program).
  • 10/2011: Junior Researcher Grant from the Tyrolean Science Fund (TWF) for the dissertation project "Fairer Handel - globale Vernetzung. Power shifts in global value chains".
  • 2/2000: DAAD scholarship

Research interests – topics

  • Social economic geography (dynamics and inequalities in value chains, sustainable economies)
  • Human-environment relations in rural areas (Global North and Global South)
  • Sustainability research, socio-ecological transformation
  • Agro-food geographies (short food supply chains, alternative food networks, producer-consumer relationships, family farming and cooperatives)

Research interests – regions

  • Europe (esp. Austria, Italy, Germany / Alpine region)
  • South America (esp. Brazil)
  • Central America (esp. Nicaragua)

Selected publications

Artikel

Buch

Aufsatz in einem Buch

Veranstaltungsbeitrag (unveröffentlicht)