Julia-Lena Reinermann, Dr.- phil.

Julia-Lena Reinermann Foto: julia-lena reinermann

E-Mail: julia.reinermann

Telefon: +49 2331 987-4816

Sprechzeiten: n.V.

Raum: C.0013

Academic Profile

I am currently working in the department of Environmental Sciences at FernUniversität in Hagen (since 2020) and as a Senior Researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT in Oberhausen (since 2021). Additionally, I hold a visiting researcher position at Humboldt University in Berlin.
I also teach at the Freie Universität Berlin (Master's program Futures Studies, since 2022) and the Fernuniversität Hagen (Master's program in Environmental Studies - infernum, since 2023 and postgraduate program DYNERGY, since 2023).
I held research associate positions at the Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities (KWI) Essen (2018-2020), the University of Duisburg-Essen (Center for Logistics and Transport/Urban Systems, 2011-2018; Center for Nanointegration, 2018), and the Institute of Geography/Sustainability team at the University of Duisburg-Essen (2010-2011).
I earned my PhD in Communication Science from the University of Duisburg-Essen in 2019. Prior to that, i completed a Master's degree in Communication Science and Social Sciences at the same university (2003-2010).
Research Foci

Socio-ecological transformation and communiation

Communication about and from climate change significantly influences our emotions, understanding, and actions. Not only is communication ubiquitous in shaping our world and ourselves within it, but it also standardizes how we perceive and respond. Research indicates that individuals in industrialized societies often experience feelings of overwhelm, powerlessness, and guilt when exposed to media coverage of climate change, leading to a tendency to disregard the issue. In response to these challenges, media strategies have emerged, including constructive and positive journalism or entertainment-education. What influence do these types of reporting have on media users? How do they function in the established logics of the media organizations themselves and how does the communication between the actors - of scientific knowledge and media narratives - take place? I pursue these questions in my projects.

Ethics of Care in Technology

I am deeply interested in exploring the ethical implications of environmental and sustainability technologies, particularly focusing on concepts of care within society. Through qualitative research, I seek to understand the conditions that give rise to conflicts, resistance, and protest surrounding these technologies. I am particularly curious about how diverse actors can meaningfully participate in the development and deployment of such technologies, and how we can effectively assess their potential consequences for both individuals and the environment.

Science Activism

Can science be political? This question has been debated since the rise of the social sciences, with Max Weber's foundational work in sociology over a century ago sparking early discussions. The controversy has recently resurged with the emergence of groups like Scientists4Future and Scientist Rebellion. Should science take a political stance in the face of global crises such as climate change? Man-made climate change and its far-reaching consequences are undeniable. But how far can this political stance go? My experiences during my studies—including stays in Bolivia, Argentina, and New York—and my participation in the 2006 climate conference in Montreal significantly shaped my interest in scientific activism. Upon returning to Germany, I became involved in various local sustainability and environmental groups. These organizations shared a common goal: raising awareness of socio-ecological cultures and experimenting with sustainable practices. This led me to explore approaches to interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, as well as the emerging field of transformative research in Germany. How do these forms of research work? What challenges do they bring to academic work, but also what opportunities? Part of my research interest is to deal with this tension by asking these questions, to track it down, to pursue it and to strive for answers.

Publications

peer-reviewed
  • Hackfort, S.K.; Reinermann, J.-L.; Gottschlich, D. (2025). Special Issue “Practices and concepts of 'care' in sustainbility transformations. Critical perspectives in technology assessment“. TATuP-Special topic in issue 34/1.
  • Herberg, Jeremias; Drewing, Emily; Reinermann, Julia-Lena; Radtke, Jörg; LaBelle, Michael ; Stojilovska, Ana & Konrad Gürtler (2023). Energy spaces: bridging scales and standpoints of just energy transitions, Special topic in Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 25:2, 135-141, DOI: 10.1080/1523908X.2023.2193024
  • Fischer, Daniel; Reinermann, Julia-Lena; Guillen M., Georgina; DesRoches, C. Tyler; Diddi, Sonali; Vergragt, Philip J.(2021). Sustainable Consumption Communication: A Systematic Literature Review. In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 300. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126880.
  • Kamlage, Jan-Hendrik; Drewing, Emily; Reinermann, Julia-Lena; de Vries, Nicole; Flores, Marissa (2020). Fighting fruitfully? Participation and conflict in the context of electricity grid extension in Germany. In: Utilies Policy 64. DOI: 10.1016/j.jup.2020.10102.
  • Reinermann, Julia-Lena; Lubjuhn, Sarah; Bouman, Martine; Singhal, Arvind (2014). Entertainment-Education for Sustainable Lifestyles: Storytelling for the Greater, Greener Good. In: International Journal of Sustainable Development, 17(2). DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2014.061781.
  • Reinermann, Julia-Lena; Lubjuhn, Sarah (2011). Let me sustain you. Die Entertainment- Education- Strategie als Werkzeug der Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation. In: Medien Journal: Zeitschrift für Kommunikationskultur. Vierteljahreszeitschrift der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Kommunikationswissenschaft (ÖGK), 1, S. 43–56.
editor
  • Reinermann, Julia-Lena; Kamlage, Jan-Hendrik; de Vries, Nicole; Schrey, Silvia; Oertel, Britta; Goerke, Ute (Hrsg.) (2022): Kommunikation & Partizipation in der Bioökonomie. Beiträge aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Bielefeld: transcript.
    (review: openTA, portal of the TA network (NTA). Schneider, R. (2024). The future - uncertain and full of potential.online. https://www.openta.net/blog/189)
  • Reinermann, Julia-Lena (2019): Wirkendes Vertrauen-Schenken – Die Thematisierung von Gefühlen auf politischen Nachhaltigkeitsfestivals. Eine Grounded-Theory Studie (2019). Dissertationsschrift. DOI: 10.17185/duepublico/70715.
  • Reinermann, Julia-Lena; Behr, Friederike (Hrsg.) (2017): Die Experimentalstadt. Kreativität und die kulturelle Dimension der Nachhaltigen Entwicklung.Wiesbaden: VS Springer Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. Reinermann, Julia-Lena (2010). Große Helden, kleine Taten - Nachhaltigkeit im Alltag. Die Kommunikationsstrategie Entertainment-Education (E-E) in der deutschen Medienlandschaft. unpublished master's thesis.
chapters
  • Reinermann, J.-L. (2025, under review). Storytelling. In: Cohen, M. et al. (Eds.). Handbook of Research on Sustainable Lifestyles. Edward Elgar.
  • Kamlage , Jan-Hendrik, Warode, Jan, Reinermann, Julia-Lena, De Vries, Nicole, Trost, Esther (2020). Von Konflikt und Dialog: Manifestationen der Energiewende in den Transformationsfeldern Netzausbau, Biogas und Windkraft. In: Duttmann, R.; Knitter, D.; Kühne, Olaf, Weber, Florian (Hrsg.): Landschaft als Prozess. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden. DOI:10.1007/978-3-658- 30934-3_29.
  • Kamlage, Jan-Hendrik; Reinermann, Julia-Lena (2020): Die doppelte Normativität der partizipativen Technikfolgenabschätzung – Entwicklungen, Funktionen und Herausforderungen. In: Linda Nierling, Helge Torgersen (Hrsg.): Die neutrale Normativität der Technikfolgenabschätzung. Konzeptionelle Auseinandersetzung und praktischer Umgang. Nomos, Baden-Baden, S. 39–56. DOI: 10.5771/9783748907275-39.
  • Ute Goerke, Jan-Hendrik Kamlage, Sonja Knobbe, Julia-Lena Reinermann und Jana Wegener (2020): Realexperiment: Entwicklung und Erprobung einer Partizipativen Governance im Rheinischen Braunkohlerevier – Das Projekt BioökonomieRevier Rheinland 209 -219. In: Frank, Simone; Fuchs, Ralf-Peter; Krumm, Christian (Hrsg.): Natur und Umwelt an Maas, Rhein und Ruhr. Band 10.
  • Reinermann, Julia-Lena; Behr, Friederike (2017): Die Experimentalstadt. Kreativität und die kulturelle Dimension der Nachhaltigen Entwicklung. Wiesbaden, VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, S. 1–17.
  • Reinermann, Julia-Lena; Hackfort, Sarah K. (2015): Formen partizipativer Kommunikation für die Energiewende – Das Festivalformat. In: Wagner, Hermann-Josef; Sager, Christina (Hrsg.): Wettbewerb Energieeffiziente Stadt. Band 5: Kommunikation und Partizipation. Berlin, Münster, Wien, Zürich, London, LIT Verlag. Energie und Nachhaltigkeit, 19, S. 109–118.
working papers & reports
  • Jeremias Herberg, Jan-Hendrik Kamlage, Julia Gabler, Ute Goerke, Konrad Gürtler, Tobias Haas, David Löw Beer, Victoria Luh, Sonja Knobbe, Johannes Staemmler, Julia-Lena Reinermann und Sandra Venghaus (2020): Partizipative Governance und nachhaltiger Strulturwandel. Zwischenstand und Handlungsmöglichkeiten in der Lausitz und im Rheinischen Revier. Working Paper. DOI: 10.2312/iass.2020.037 .
  • Reinermann, Julia-Lena; de Vries, Nicole und Kamlage, Jan-Hendrik (2020): Mais → Manns Nicht-Akzeptanz und Akzeptanz in einer bioökonomisch geprägten Region in NRW. ethnografische Studie. unveröffentlicht.
  • Krumme, Klaus; Albert, Hölzle; Reinermann, Julia-Lena; Hanke, Tom; Schneider, Christin; Jochum, Astrid (2017): Das Klimaschutzkonzept Duisburg.
  • Reinermann, Julia-Lena; Wölfle, Stefanie; Bosnjak, Katrin; Baghistani, Derya (2011): Nachhaltige Entwicklung an der Universität Duisburg-Essen, 1. Jahresbericht Reinermann, Julia-Lena; Baghistani, Derya; Bosnjak, Katrin; Wölfle, Stefanie (2011): SustLabs. Nachhaltigkeitslabore. Lernorte Nachhaltiger Entwicklung, Universität Duisburg- Essen.
reviews
  • Reinermann, Julia-Lena (2023). Das problematische Nachhaltigkeitsversprechen. In: Forschungsjournal Soziale Bewegungen 4, S. 557-562.
  • Reinermann, Julia-Lena (2020): Kovacic, Zora; Strand; Roger; Völker, Thomas (2020): The Circular Economy in Europe. Critical Perspectives on Policies and Imaginaries. In: Ökologisches Wirtschaften 15(2), S. 53.
media