Prof. Dr. Anja Kerle was appointed professor of sustainable development in social work at the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences of Hochschule RheinMain (HSRM) on December 1, 2024. After training as a bank clerk, Anja Kerle completed a bachelor’s degree in social economics at the Lutheran University of Applied Sciences (EVHN) and then a master’s degree in social work at Esslingen University. She then worked in inpatient child and youth welfare, full-day care for children and youth and in outpatient assisted living at the central women’s counseling service in Stuttgart. In 2022, Anja Kerle completed her doctorate at the University of Hildesheim and founded a task force for climate justice and social work at the Austrian Society for Social Work (ogsa). From 2021 to 2023, Anja Kerle taught at the Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences (FHV) on climate justice and social work, theories and methods of social work and social work sciences.

What aspect of your research fascinates you the most?

In my current work on climate justice, I am most fascinated by the connection between social and ecological issues. Overcoming disciplinary boundaries in the analysis of socio-ecological crises and realizing that humans and non-human entities are interwoven in many ways is inspiring to me. And I am thrilled that social work can play an important role in shaping relationships in solidarity between people and nature.

What does “good teaching” mean to you?

For me, good teaching is when I succeed in getting students excited about topics and encouraging them to critically question their own relationships with the world. This requires a willingness to engage in mutual learning processes and try out new, innovative formats, especially when it comes to socio-ecological issues in social work. As part of a course on solidarity-based life in Vorarlberg, we spent a day in the mountains with the students. It allowed the students to experience how important and beautiful nature is for us and how we as a group can create solidarity. If I can develop creative teaching-learning formats, establish a relationship with my students, and inspire curiosity to explore issues together, then I feel I have achieved good teaching.

What did you want to be growing up?

As a child, I wanted to be an educator or a detective. With the social science research on childcare facilities, I did not stray far from my dreams. Research often reminds me of searching for clues.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

In my free time, I like to enter human-nature relationships, but in a more active way. For example, by going for a walk in the forest, enjoying Lake Constance or discovering new places while backpacking. However, my stances on climate justice and feminism are always with me; they are a part of me, and a large part of my social environment is involved in these issues. I also enjoy doing sports to balance my work.