Professional Career

Since 2022              Research Assistant at the Chair of Urban Climate Resilience – Center for Climate Resilience at the University of Augsburg

2020 – 2021         Research Assistant at the ISP – Institute for Urban Research, Planning, and Communication at the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt

2018 – 2023         Lead Coordinator and Production Manager of the African Book Festival Berlin

2016 – 2020         Studied at the University of Bayreuth, earning a Master of Science degree (Human Geography – Urban and Regional Studies)

2015–2016         Internship at the German Africa Foundation (Deutsche Afrika Stiftung e.V.) in Berlin

2013–2017         Studied at Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, earning a Bachelor of Science (Human Geography and Political & Social Studies)

Qualifications

Since 2023             Ph.D. candidate at the Chair of Urban Climate Resilience, University of Augsburg

2020                    Master of Science (Human Geography – Urban and Regional Studies), University of Bayreuth

2017                    Bachelor of Science (Human Geography and Political & Social Studies), University of Würzburg
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• Climate resilience, climate change adaptation, climate protection
• Transformative and sustainable development
• Urban spaces, social practices
• Serious games, game-based methods
• Africa, Europe (with a focus on Germany—Bavaria)

Hi, I’m Rouven Kaiser, a transformative researcher focusing on gaming in the context of cities and space. I’m currently conducting research on social practices and game-based methods. As part of this work, I’m writing a human geography dissertation that explores the connection between serious gaming and climate-resilient social structures.  I want to understand how playful practices can be harnessed to build a climate-resilient future.

As a critical (human) geographer, I observe current developments related to the multiple crises of the Anthropocene—above all, the climate and biodiversity crises—with great concern. Their impacts and consequences are already being felt on a massive scale and are of the utmost relevance to the global community. Addressing these crises must become the focus of our attention and be tackled consistently. There is no question that the associated challenges are enormous, yet they are of central importance and crucial significance.

My previous work has focused, on the one hand, on postcolonial and decolonial approaches and their impact on German-language human geography, and, on the other hand, on examining various critical approaches to the concept of resilience and its application in practical contexts. I am currently working to integrate the approaches of so-called gaming studies with those of urban studies, with the aim of generating substantial added value for future research and practical applications. The goal here is to build a bridge between social practices, affective action, and socio-ecological justice to promote contemporary urban resilience in our society.

At the Chair of Urban Climate Resilience, I am working to understand—through various approaches and methodologies—the implicit and explicit power structures and social relations associated with gaming and the climate crisis. Through this, I hope to better assess both the potential and opportunities as well as the risks and dangers of employing this social cultural technique. The focus here is on the concrete application of this method within a social context.

My work is transformative in nature from the outset and takes place in constant interaction with society. It is characterized by interactive collaboration with stakeholders from all sectors of society. Research, teaching, and publishing are transdisciplinarily interwoven and can be understood as an ongoing process. Through this approach, I hope to foster better (mutual) understanding and action. Game-based methods may play a crucial role in this regard.

If I’ve piqued your interest, please feel free to reach out to me or send me an email. I’m always interested in exchanging ideas.