Prof. Dr. Christoph Dittrich

Head of the Department of Human Geography (since 2011), Managing Director of the Institute of Geography (2013-2021), Dean of the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Geography (since April 2021), Dean's Spokesperson and Deputy Dean's Spokesperson (10/2023-10/2025).
My research and teaching activities focus on human geography topics related to development. My work is theory-led and practice-orientated on issues of sustainable resource use in megacities and metropolitan regions in developing and emerging countries. I also deal with conflict-prone human-environment relations in globalised contexts. My regional focus is on the countries of South and Southeast Asia, in particular India.
In my teaching, I place particular emphasis on teaching problem-orientated and application-oriented regional skills, taking into account the gender perspective and using contemporary forms of teaching and learning. The involvement of students in research and teaching is a m
My doctoral project (completed in 1995) took me to the high mountain region of northern Pakistan (DFG-funded), where I focussed on issues of smallholder food security. The habilitation project (completed in 2002) dealt with the effects of globalisation in the Indian computer metropolis of Bengaluru (DFG-funded). From 2006-2013, I was involved in a federally funded joint project that focussed on sustainability issues in the Indian metropolis of Hyderabad (BMBF-funded). From 2011 to 2015, I conducted research on land use conflicts in Sumatra/Indonesia as part of the Collaborative Research Centre SFB 990 (together with H. Faust). From 2016 to 2023 I was a project participant (PI) in the DFG research group FOR2432 "Social-Ecological Systems at the Indian Rural-Urban Interface: Functions, Scales, and Dynamics of Transition". Here I was interested in the changes in the food consumption behaviour of the urban middle classes of Bengaluru. I am currently conducting research as PI of the DFG research group FOR5903 "Sustainable Rurbanity: Resources, Society, and Regulatory Systems” on the topic of “ RurbanSpace: The Social Production of Rurban Spaces” (together with U. Altrock, Univ. Kassel) (duration: 10/2025-09/2029)

I also supervise student projects on the topics of social welfare and well-being, health, housing, resource conflicts, sustainability and socio-spatial transformation.
In my role as a scientific advisor to the journal "Geographische Rundschau", I am committed to a high-quality and contemporary external presentation of the subject and attach great importance to the transfer of knowledge between university and school.

Other activities:
- Review activities for the DFG, DAAD, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Minerva Foundation and various scientific journal