“Global supply chains illustrate how closely economic processes are intertwined with societal responsibility.”
Dr. Katherine Christ is Senior Lecturer in Accounting at the University of South Australia / Adelaide University. Her research focuses on sustainability reporting and the risk assessment of modern slavery in global supply chains. In particular, she examines how companies identify, assess, and manage risks of forced labour within business operations. She works closely with academic, business, and civil society stakeholders and is actively involved in the South Australian Modern Slavery Network.
During her stay at the Graduate School, Dr. Christ introduced interdisciplinary perspectives on contemporary forms of forced labour and their integration into global value chains. In her teaching, she addressed not only theoretical foundations but also methodological and ethical challenges of conducting research in sensitive societal contexts.
Her contribution strengthened the connection between sustainability research, governance approaches, and societal responsibility within the doctoral program.
- Stay: Summer Semester 2025
- Teaching Format: Interdisciplinary doctoral seminar
- Thematic Focus: Modern slavery, sustainability management, risk analysis in global supply chains
- Cooperation: Centre for Sustainability Management and doctoral programs in the field of sustainability
“Research on modern slavery requires the integration of rigorous academic analysis with societal responsibility.”
Prof. Tobia Fattore is Professor of Sociology at Macquarie University. His research focuses on the sociology of childhood as well as on the analysis of work, social integration, and societal change. A particular emphasis of his work lies on the well-being of children and young people and the social conditions that shape it. Prof. Fattore coordinates the international comparative study “Children’s Understandings of Well-being – Global and Local Contexts,” which examines how different social and political environments influence conceptions of well-being.
During his stay at the Graduate School, Prof. Fattore introduced interdisciplinary perspectives on policy analysis. In his seminar, he explored the interrelations between academic research, political decision-making, and societal development. Dialogical teaching formats and critical reflection on the societal relevance of research were central components of his approach.
His contribution particularly strengthened exchange across disciplines and underscored the importance of interdisciplinary research in addressing complex societal challenges.
- Stay: Winter Semester 2025/26
- Teaching Format: Interdisciplinary doctoral seminar
- Thematic Focus: Policy analysis, societal change, child well-being
- Cooperation: Doctoral programs in the social sciences
“Interdisciplinary exchange is essential for adequately analyzing complex societal challenges.”
Prof. Yoram Haftel is Professor of International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His research focuses on international organizations, global governance structures, and economic cooperation between states. In particular, he examines how institutional overlap among international organizations shapes political decision-making processes and authority structures.
As the first Visiting Fellow of the program, Prof. Haftel taught courses on international trade policy. His seminars addressed both historical developments and current challenges in global economic cooperation. He analyzed the role of national interests, international institutions, and political power structures in foreign policy decision-making processes.
His stay contributed to the international visibility of the Fellow program and strengthened the integration of political science research with interdisciplinary perspectives within the doctoral program.
- Stay: Summer Semester 2025
- Teaching Format: Seminar within the doctoral program and the complementary Master’s program
- Thematic Focus: International organizations, trade policy, global governance
- Cooperation: Institute of Political Science / Doctoral programs in political and public affairs
“International organizations often shape political decisions more profoundly than is apparent at first glance.”
Dr. Nora Lohmeyer is Assistant Professor of Organizational Design and Development at Radboud University Nijmegen. Her research is situated at the intersection of business and society and examines governance structures of corporate responsibility as well as human and labour rights in global supply chains. She conceptualizes corporate responsibility as a multi-level phenomenon linking state regulation, corporate actors, and international governance structures.
During her Visiting Fellow stay, Dr. Lohmeyer provided doctoral researchers with insights into current transformation processes in global supply chains, particularly in the context of mandatory corporate due diligence legislation. Her teaching combined theoretical analysis with practice-oriented reflections on regulation, governance, and the societal responsibilities of economic actors.
In addition, Dr. Lohmeyer contributed international perspectives on structured doctoral programs and fostered academic exchange on sustainable corporate governance and global transformation processes.
- Stay: Winter Semester 2025/26
- Teaching Format: Doctoral seminar and research dialogues
- Thematic Focus: Corporate responsibility, human rights, global supply chains
- Cooperation: Doctoral programs with a focus on economics and social sciences