Interview with Dr. Hannah-Lena Hagemann

Dr. Hannah-Lena Hagemann heads the Emmy Noether Research Group 'Social Contexts of Rebellion in the Early Islamic Period (SCORE)'. Below she explains what her work means to her.

Position:

Junior research group leader (Emmy Noether), Social Contexts of Rebellion in the Early Islamic Period

Research field:

Islamic studies

What motivates you in your work as a junior research group leader at Universität Hamburg?

As a junior research group leader, I have the wonderful and—at such an early career stage—almost one-of-a-kind opportunity to conduct research as I see fit on a topic dear to me. Because it’s a group project, and I have a terrific team alongside me, I am assured of ongoing fruitful exchange. I also gain a lot of valuable experience leading the group and supervising doctoral researchers. The possibility of teaching regularly and sharing my enthusiasm for early Islamic history and culture with our students perfectly round off my work as a junior research group leader.

What is special about the work at Universität Hamburg?

I find the broad spectrum of subjects especially attractive as well as the diverse working environment, which makes it possible to collaborate productively with colleagues in the most varied academic traditions. That is especially important for a field as international as Islamic studies. The multitude of disciplines (above all within the Asien-Afrika-Institut) and the countless research projects on topics that are highly relevant to our study of early Islamic history and late antiquity are almost Universität Hamburg’s unique selling point in Germany. Furthermore, internationally, Universität Hamburg has become an academic hot spot in this area—a rarity that offers my team an immensely exciting working environment.