Dr. Albert Denk

Researcher
Room 3.11
14195 Berlin
Office hours
by appointment
Albert Denk is a research associate in the field of environmental and climate policy. Mr. Denk's previous research interests include anti-discrimination, development and environmental policy, global social inequalities, sustainable development, postcolonial theories, transformation studies, and the United Nations.
Previously, Mr. Denk completed his PhD in political sociology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich. In his dissertation, he reconstructed the negotiations on the UN Agenda 2030 with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and developed transformative elements for reforming the United Nations based on this. In addition, as a research assistant at the Technical University of Munich, he was responsible for the Erasmus+ project "HAND in HAND: Social and emotional skills for tolerant and non-discriminatory societies". Mr. Denk studied at FLACSO Buenos Aires, Munich University of Applied Sciences, Humboldt University Berlin, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi and Universitat de Barcelona. He has previously been a visiting researcher at KU Leuven, New York University, and Venice International University.
Past Courses at FU Berlin:
Theories of Globalization
Room: Room 55/A, Garystraße 55
Wednesdays from 10:00 to 12:00
This course examines basic theories and contemporary debates on processes of globalization. Since World War 2, fundamental changes in global relations of interaction can be observed, which have led to a variety of globalizations (cf. Rehbein & Schwengel 2012). Using an interdisciplinary approach, perspectives from different world regions will be discussed.
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State Borders: A Research Seminar on the German-Polish Border
Thursday 20.04.2023: Introduction & Preparation at the FU Berlin (10-12.)
Thursday 11.05.2023: Excursion to the research field Kostrzyn nad Odrᶏ/ Küstrin (10-18).
Thursday 01.06.2023: Excursion to the research field Gubin/Guben (10-18)
Thursday 22.06.2023: Excursion to the research field Słubice/Frankfurt on the Oder (10-18)
Thursday 06.07.2023: Follow-up at the FU Berlin (10-12)
In the words of Georg Simmel, state borders are social facts that are formed spatially. The functioning of these complex structures has been described by Steffen Mau, for example, as sorting machines through which people's mobility is regulated and group-specific inequalities are generated and reproduced. A state border is the prime example of a monopolization of opportunities by a group based on the nation-state. These are forms of inclusion/exclusion or prior inclusions as a precondition of subsequent expansions. Through regional EU integration, in particular the Schengen area, new entities are emerging, but at the same time they are based on already existing border demarcations.
In this seminar, a research-practical approach to the field of state borders will take place. Together we will reflect on ethical aspects of research and develop sociological questions as well as research designs, which will be tested at three German-Polish border locations. These are Kostrzyn nad Odrᶏ/ Küstrin, Gubin/Guben as well as Słubice/Frankfurt an der Oder. The seminar includes a preparatory as well as a follow-up session in Berlin and three day excursions into the research field to the German-Polish border.
The individual research projects can be guided by a methodological as well as a content-related epistemological interest. Research guiding questions include, for example: Which social science approaches can be used to research state borders? What research ethical challenges arise from this? What logics, interrelationships, and functions can be captured at state borders? How do state borders form or constitute themselves? How are they embodied and represented?
Current projects:
TRANSENS – DIPRO (Dialogues and Process Design in Interaction of Law, Justice and Governance); Main project content: Citizen participation, transdisciplinary research and learning process.
Umweltpolitik im Dialog – Umwelt / Populismus / Demokratie; Populism research in the field of climate, sustainability and environmental policy with a focus on communication formats.
Umweltpolitik und die populistische Herausforderung; Populism research in the field of climate, sustainability and environmental policy, with a focus on strategy development.
Books
Denk, Albert (2023): Nachhaltige Entwicklung und globale Ungleichheit. Eine wissenspolitologische Studie über die Entwicklungsagenda der Vereinten Nationen. Baden-Baden: Nomos.
Articles
Denk, Albert (2023): Lebenslügen. In: IPG Journal - Internationale Politik und Gesellschaft. English Version: The masters of greenwashing.
Brunnengräber, Achim; Denk, Albert; Schwarz, Lucas und Themann, Dörte (2023): (Nicht) Mein Endlager. Explorative Forschung zum gesellschaftlichen Umgang mit hochradioaktiven Abfällen – ein partizipativer und transdisziplinärer Ansatz. In: Forschungsjournal Soziale Bewegungen JG. 36 Heft 4 FJSB Plus.
Denk. Albert (2023): Der globale Wald Yasuní. Auf: amerika21.
Denk, Albert (2023): Gerechtigkeit und die UN-Agenda für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Auf: WerteJahre. Bonn: Pressenetzwerk für Jugendthemen.
Suh, Hanna; Kato, Jotaro; Afeworki Abay, Robel & Denk, Albert (2023): Global ideas against racism. From a journey of ideas to a digital future workshop. In: Momentum Quarterly - Journal for Societal Progress 11(4), S. 246-258.
Brunnengräber, Achim; Denk, Albert; Schwarz, Lucas & Themann, Dörte (2023): Monumentale Verdrängung. Die neue Pro-Atom-Troika. In: Blätter für deutsche und internationale Politik 2/23.
Hernandez, Gian-Louis & Denk, Albert (2022): Absent, Obscured, and Hidden: An interdisciplinary analysis of visual race, ethnicity, and gender in UNDP representations of inequality. In: Transcience Journal 13(2). Berlin. Humboldt-Universität.
Brunnengräber, Achim; Denk, Albert & Schwarz, Lucas (2022): Abschalten, jetzt erst recht! Auf: Spiegel Online, 07.08.2022.
Denk, Albert (2021): Ein internationales Ziel zur Reduzierung von Ungleichheit. In: Vereinte Nationen 6/2021. Berlin: Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag.
Denk, Albert (2021): Dekolonialität – Eine Leerstelle in den Nachhaltigkeitszielen der Vereinten Nationen. In: J. Schöneberg & A. Ziai (Hrsg.) Dekolonisierung der Entwicklungspolitik und Post-Development Alternativen. Baden-Baden: Nomos.
Denk, Albert (2021): SDG 10: Ungleichheit verringern. In: Eine-Welt-Presse 38(2). Berlin: Deutschen Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen.
Denk, Albert (2021): Ungleichheiten erkennen, Ungerechtigkeiten reduzieren. Auf: Debattenblog der Deutschen Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen, 03.05.2021.
Denk, Albert (2021): The Normality of Letting Refugees Die. In: Journal for Regional Integration in East Asia and Europe Vol. 3. Berlin: Korea-Verband.
Sälzer, Christine; Denk, Albert; Müller, Fabian & Grosche, Michael (2020): Spezifische Herausforderungen des Einbezugs von Schüler* innen mit sonderpädagogischem Förderbedarf in internationale Large-Scale-Assessments. Wiesbaden: Springer VS.
Vieluf, Svenja; Denk, Albert; Rožman, Mojca & Roczen, Nina (2020): How Do the Participants Evaluate the HAND in HAND Programme? Results of Semi-Structured Focus Group Interviews. In: A. Kozina (Ed.) Social, Emotional and Intercultural Competencies for Inclusive School Environments across Europe. Relationships Matter. Berlin: Verlag Dr. Kovač.
Denk, Albert (2019): Globale Städte und nachhaltige Entwicklungsziele – Wie werden aus Orten der Entkoppelung und der Ausbeutung, Orte der sozialen Inklusion? In: Momentum Quarterly 8(1).
Müller, Fabian; Denk, Albert; Lubaway, Emily; Sälzer, Christine; Kozina, Ana; Vrsnik Perse, Tina; Lund Nielsen, Birgitte; Jugović, Ivana J.; Ojsteršek, Aleš; Rozman, Mojca; Rasmusson, Maria; Jurko, Svetlana (2019): Assessing Social, Emotional, and Intercultural Competences of Students and School Staff. A Systematic Literature Review. In: Educational Research Review 29. Elsevier.
Denk, Albert (2019): Globale Städte und die Nachhaltigkeitsziele der Vereinten Nationen. In: WeltTrends 148(27), p. 50–54. Potsdamer Wissenschaftsverlag.
Denk, Albert (2019): Globale Städte und die Nachhaltigkeitsziele. In: nd, 13.02.2019.
Denk, Albert (2018): Global City Tokyo. In: Journal for Regional Integration in East Asia and Europe Vol. 1. Berlin: Korea Verband.
Denk, Albert; Müller, Fabian; Lubaway, Emily; Sälzer, Christine; Kozina, Ana; Vidmar, Masa; Rasmusson, Maria; Marusic, Iris; Jensen, Helle; Nielsen, Birgitte; Vieluf, Svenja; Ojsteršek, Aleš & Jurko, Svetlana. (2017): Catalogue for the Assessment of Social, Emotional, and Intercultural Competencies. München: Technische Universität München.
Denk, Albert (2016): Das Ende des Boy’s Club? Auf: Junge UN-Forschung. Berlin: Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen.
Denk, Albert (2016): Der SDG-Index reproduziert das Bild einer europäischen Vormachtstellung. Auf: Junge UN-Forschung. Berlin: Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen.
Denk, Albert (2016): Sustainable Development Goals - An (Alternative) Future Scenario. In: Transcience Journal. 7(1). Berlin: Humboldt-Universität.
Denk, Albert (2016) Beyond Integration. Toward Social Cohesion in Times of Global Migration Flows. In: KOREA forum SPEZIAL Nr. 4. Berlin: Robert Bosch Stiftung.
Policy Reports
Štremfel, Urška; Kozina, Ana; Marušić, Iris; Oskarsson, Magnus; Gøtzsche, Katinka; Denk, Albert; Jurko, Svetlana; Rožman, Mojca & Ojsteršek, Aleš (2020): HAND in HAND recommendations for mainstreaming social, emotional, intercultural/transcultural learning in European national educational policies and practices. Ljubljana: Educational Research Institute.
Book Reviews
Denk, Albert (2022): Review “Deconstructing Human Development: From the Washington Consensus to the 2030 Agenda” by Juan Telleria. In: Transcience Journal 13(2). Berlin. Humboldt-Universität.
Denk, Albert (2021): „Entwicklung“ wohin? In: German Review on the United Nations 6/2021. Berlin: Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag.
Media, Podcasts & Videos
21.09.2023: Warum es für die Uno nun um Reform oder Zerbrechen geht. In: Der Standard.
12.09.2023: Endlagerstandortauswahl als partizipative Herausforderung. Auf: 77. Sitzung des Nationalen Begleitgremiums.
10.08.2023: Lokale Wetterphänomene sprechen nicht gegen Klimawandel. Auf: ARD-Tagesschau Faktenfinder.
03.06.2023: 25 Jahre Attac. Der Name ist Programm. Auf: Deutschlandfunk Kalenderblatt.
08.04.2023: SDG10. Auf: Podcast der Deutschen Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen.
16.06.2021: SDG10: Ungleichheiten erkennen, Ungerechtigkeiten reduzieren. Vortrag zur Veranstaltung Leaving No One Behind?
04.03.2021: Impact of COVID-19 on Sustainable Development Goals. Klinikum der Universität München (KUM), One Health Knowledge Café, Center for International Health.
23.04.2020: Ungleichheit innerhalb von und zwischen Staaten verringern - Vorstellung und Einordnung des SDG10. Auf: Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen.