Professor of Human Geography
Veronika Cummings is a human geographer with a key interest in socio-geographical urban and migration research. Her research focus is on global inequalities, concerns of justice, responsibility and ethics.
Before her appointment as Professor of Human Geography at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz in 2017, she was a Senior Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore (2015–2017) and an Assistant Professor at the German University of Technology in Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman (2013–2015). Before that, she was a postdoctoral assistant in the Cultural Geography working group at RWTH Aachen University, where she had been researching transformation processes, transnational relations, and identity in the Sultanate of Oman since 2009. This work included studying the migration regime in the Indian Ocean, particularly to the Arab Gulf states.
She obtained a doctorate (Dr. phil.) from the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Passau in 2009 with a doctoral dissertation in human geography on the production of social and spatial inequality in the favelas of Salvador da Bahia (Brazil). She completed her Diplom program of study in geography and sociology at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg and the Université de Caen in France.
Her current thematic fields of research & interest are:
1) The socio-political-spatial negotiations of power and belonging in the context of migration, including nation-building, international labour migration and migration regimes, and related planetary urban spaces.
2) Sustainability utopias, including urban transformations, the perception and communication of utopia/dystopia, degrowth and resilience, with a view to social and ressource-related transitions.
3) Geographies of ethics, including the interplay of unbounded responsibility and understandings of the values of resources, and their public negotiation, especially in the field of tension between open, participatory societies and authoritarian ones.
She has more than 15 years of empirical research experience in this area in the Sultanate of Oman and further GCC countries (UAE, Qatar), Singapore and Germany. Earlier regional research contexts include Brazil, Madagascar and Sri Lanka.
In terms of epistemology, her work focuses primarily on social theory (inequalities, justice, values and responsibilites (in further conceptual consideration of post-development), approaches from the field of environmental humanities, as well as praxeological theory. In her empirical work, she primarily uses qualitative methods of social science and ethnographic research.
Leibniz Science Campus: “Resiliencies: Comparing and Integrating Methodologies, Methods, Narratives, and Theories (RECOMENT)”, University Mainz/ LEIZA & University Trier
Research Group Indian Ocean Confluences
Book: Veronika Cummings, Kumari Issur, Marie Karner, Roukaya Kasenally, Elisabeth Sommerlad (eds.), Mapping Contemporary Place Making in the Indian Ocean, Routledge Series on the Indian Ocean and Trans-Asia (forthcoming, 2026).
Special Issue: Veronika Cummings, Jutta Kister, Miriam Wenner (eds.), Morality, ethics and values for Geographical Thinking, Die ERDE (forthcoming, 2026)
Book: Veronika Cummings, Aurel von Richthofen and Zahra Babar, (eds.), Arab Gulf Cities in Transition: Towards New Spatialities, ETH Zurich Research Collection, 2019. doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000339841
Special Issue: Sarah Albrecht, Tobias Boos, Veronika Deffner, Matthias Gebauer and Shadia Husseini de Araújo (eds.), Editorial: Conceptualizing ‘Muslim Diaspora’, Journal of Muslims in Europe, 5, 2016. DOI: 10.1163/22117954-12341316
Special Issue: Veronika Deffner, Christoph Haferburg and Patrick Sakdapolrak, (eds.), Relational denken, Ungleichheiten reflektieren ̶ Bourdieus Theorie der Praxis in der deutschsprachigen Geographischen Entwicklungsforschung, Geographica Helvetica, 69(1), 2014. DOI: 10.5194/gh-69-3-2014
Book: Veronika Deffner and Ulli Meisel (eds.), “StadtQuartiere” ̶ Sozialwissenschaftliche, ökonomische und städtebaulich-architektonische Perspektiven, Essen, Klartext, 2013.
Book: Veronika Deffner, Habitus of shame – the social grammar of unequal spatial production. A socio-geographical study of the everyday world of the favela in Salvador da Bahia (Brazil) , Passauer Schriften zur Geographie, 26, Passau, Universitätsverlag, 2010.
Book: Veronika Deffner, Städtische Wasserversorgung in Mahajanga, Madagascar ̶ Entwicklungszusammenarbeit in Theorie und Praxis, Würzburger Geographische Manuskripte 62, Würzburg, 2003.
Lange, Bastian & Veronika Cummings, Spatially differentiating perspectives on post-growth, in: Postwachstumsprozesse (Moderation: V. Cummings & B. Lange), Geographische Rundschau, 7/8, 2024, pp. 4-8.
Bousquet, D., Cummings, V. & J. M. Poersch, IncluKIT (Inclusive Intercultural Communication -KIT): A training program for the initial reception of migrant women. In: Wilhelmi, V. et al. (eds.): Geographies of violence: geographies of migration. Current conflicts and didactic impulses. Mainzer Kontaktstudium Geographie (23), 2024, pp. 62-69.
Veronika Cummings, Pathways into tomorrow// Thinking ahead [Societies of the future]: Megatrend Report M12, Robert Bosch Report, 2023, pp. 189-192.
Anjali Korala and Veronika Cummings, “Verticalized Slums, Governmentality and Pandemic Governance: A Critical Hermeneutical Analysis of Governance Practices in a Selected Urban High-Rise in Colombo, Sri Lanka”, in: Hamza, M., Amaratunga, D., Haigh, R. et al. (eds.), R ebuilding Communities After Displacement. Sustainable and Resilience Approaches , Springer Nature, 2023, pp. 313-340.
Veronika Cummings, Marie Karner & Elisabeth Sommerlad, “Die Idee Europas – zwischen utopischem Konstrukt und gelebter Praxis”, Geographische Rundschau (6) 2023, pp.4-8.
Veronika Cummings and Silas Kropf, ‘Antiziganismus entgegenwirken – Demokratie stärken, Geographische Rundschau (6) 2023, pp. 40-43.
Veronika Cummings and Carmella Pfaffenbach, “Social Space and Social Inequality”, in: Schneider-Sliwa, R., Braun, B., Helbrecht, I. & R. Wehrhahn (eds.), Humangeographie, Geographisches Seminar, Westermann, Braunschweig, 2021, pp.244-253.
Veronika Cummings and Lara Christmann, “International Labor Migration to the Arab Gulf States”, Geographische Rundschau, (4) 2020, pp. 28-32.
Veronika Cummings, “Challenges and aspirations of the” post-oil nation “in the Sultanate of Oman”, in: Lenze, N. & C. Schriwer (eds.), Participation Culture in The Gulf. Networks, Politics and Identity , Routledge, London/New York, 2019, pp.109-124.
Veronika Cummings, Aurel von Richthofen and Zahra Babar, “Arab Gulf Cities in Transition: Towards New Spatialities”, in: Cummings, V., A. von Richthofen and Z. Babar, (eds.), Arab Gulf Cities in Transition: Towards New Spatialities, ETH Zurich Research Collection, 2019, pp. 6-14. doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000339841
Veronika Cummings and Aurel von Richthofen, ‘Urban sustainability as a political instrument in the Gulf region exemplified by projects in Abu Dhabi’, DIE ERDE, Berlin, Gesellschaft für Erdkunde, 148(4), 2017, pp. 253-267. DOI:10.12854/erde-148-53
Veronika Cummings, “Economic Diversification and Empowerment of Local Human Resources: Could Singapore be a Template for the GCC Countries?”, in: Mishrif, A. & Y. Hamad (eds.), Economic Diversification in the Gulf Region. Comparing Global Challenges , London, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017, pp. 241-260.
Sarah Albrecht, Tobias Boos, Veronika Deffner, Matthias Gebauer and Shadia Husseini de Araújo, “Editorial: Conceptualizing ‘Muslim Diaspora’”, Journal of Muslims in Europe, 5, 2016, pp.1-9. DOI: 10.1163/22117954-12341316
Malte Steinbrink, Christoph Haferburg, Daniel Ehebrecht, and Veronika Deffner, “Megaevents und Favelas ̶ Strategische Interventionen und sozialräumliche Effekte in Rio de Janeiro”, sub\urban. Journal for Critical Urban Research, 3, 1, 2015, pp. 45-74.
Veronika Deffner, “Migrants from Asia and the Production of ‘Globalized Cities’ in the Arab Gulf Countries”, in: ASAN Institute for Policy Studies (ed.), Globalization and the Ties that Bind: Korea and the Gulf, ASAN Report, October 2015, pp. 51-67.
Veronika Deffner and Carmella Pfaffenbach, “Migration, modernization, and the urban immigration society in the Sultanate of Oman”, Middle East Insights, 128, 2015. DOI: 10.23976/INS.2015128
Marike Bontenbal and Veronika Deffner, “Place attachment and sense of belonging in oasis villages in the capital area of Muscat”, TRIALOG, 114/3, 2015, pp. 16-20.
Veronika Deffner and Carmella Pfaffenbach, “Urban Spatial Practice of a Heterogeneous Immigration Society in Muscat, Oman”, TRIALOG, 114/3, 2015, pp. 9-15.
Veronika Deffner, Christoph Haferburg and Patrick Sakdapolrak, ‘Thinking relationally, reflecting inequalities ̶ Bourdieu’s theory of practice in German-language geographical development research. Editorial’, Geographica Helvetica , 69(1), 2014, pp. 3-6. doi.org/10.5194/gh-69-3-2014
Veronika Deffner and Christoph Haferburg, “Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice as an Alternative Perspective for Geographical Development Research”, Geographica Helvetica, 69(1), 2014, pp. 13-25. doi:10.5194/gh-69-7-2014
Veronika Deffner and Christoph Haferburg, “Pierre Bourdieu: Habitus und Habitat als Verhältnis von Subjekt, Sozialem und Macht”, in: Oßenbrügge, J. & A. Vogelpohl (eds.), Theories in spatial and urban research. Introductions , Münster, Westfälisches Dampfboot, 2014, pp. 328-347.
Veronika Deffner, “Gelebte Translokalität von indischen Studierenden in Aachen”, Geographische Rundschau, 66(11), 2014, pp.18-23.
Veronika Deffner and Carmella Pfaffenbach, “Arbeidsmigratie vormt nu bedreiging: Oman investeert in nationaal human capital”, Geography, 2 (23), 2014, pp.12-14.
Veronika Deffner, “The Indian Diaspora in Muscat”, in: S. I. Rajan (ed.), India Migration Report 2013: Diaspora and Development, London/New York/New Delhi, Routledge, pp.181-192.
Veronika Deffner, “‘Favelas are not bad places to live’. New ways of expressing resistance”, In: Tschorn, L., T. Schmitt, & S. Husseini de Araújo (eds.), Widerständigkeiten im Land der Zukunft. A different Brazil book, Münster, Unrast, 2014, pp.231-244.
Veronika Deffner and Carmella Pfaffenbach, ‘Temporary Integration for a Life in Transition: Social and Political Dealing with the Challenges of a Segmented Urban Migration Society in Muscat (Oman)’, Raumforschung und Raumordnung, 71(3), 2013, pp.233-245. doi.org/10.1007/s13147-013-0224-0
Veronika Deffner and Christoph Haferburg, “Raum, Stadt und Machtverhältnisse. Human Geographical Confrontations with Bourdieu”, Geographische Zeitschrift, 2012, pp.164-180.
Veronika Deffner, “Experiencing and Understanding the ‘Other’”, in: Pfaffenbach, C., P. Reuber & A. Mattissek, (eds.), Methoden der Humangeographie, Braunschweig, Westermann, 2013, pp.155-157.
Veronika Deffner, “Neighborhoods as social spaces. Sozialgeographische Reflexionen”, in: Deffner, V. & U. Meisel, (eds.), Sozialwissenschaftliche, ökonomische und städtebaulich-architektonische Perspektiven, Essen, Klartext, 2013, pp.83-98.
Veronika Deffner and Ulli Meisel, “Quartiere in der Stadt: eine Einordnung theoretischer und praktischer Zugänge”, in: Deffner, V. & U. Meisel, (eds.), Sozialwissenschaftliche, ökonomische und städtebaulich-architektonische Perspektiven, Essen, Klartext. 2013, pp.7-16.
Veronika Deffner, “Second class citizens”, D+C Development and Cooperation. International Journal, Vol. 38(3), 2011, pp.110-112.
Veronika Deffner, “Henri Lefebvre”, in: Middell, M. & U. Engel, (eds.), Theoretiker zur Globalisierung, Leipzig, Universitätsverlag, 2010, pp. 307-322.
Veronika Deffner’ ‘Geografia da Desigualdade Social. Uma perspectiva de geografia urbana crítica apresentada a partir do exemplo da produção social da favela em Salvador-BA’, GeoTextos, Vol. 6(2), 2010. pp.115-137. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9771/1984-5537geo.v6i2.4833
Veronika Deffner, “Voices from the Favela. Naturalization of social inequality ‘from below’ in Brazil’s cities”, in: E. Rothfuss (ed.), Entwicklungskontraste in den Americas, Passauer Kontaktstudium Erdkunde, 9, Passau, 2008, pp.27-49.
Veronika Deffner and Eberhard Rothfuß, “Reservas naturais e desenvolvimento regional sustentável: o exemplo do parque nacional da Floresta da Baviera na Alemanha (‘Bavarian Forest’)”, GeoTextos, Vol. 3(2), 2007, pp.117-137. DOI: 10.9771/1984-5537geo.v.3i0.3048
Veronika Deffner, “Social Vulnerability in the ‘Risk Space Favela’. An analysis of social space based on Bourdieu’s ‘theory of practice’”, in: Wehrhahn, R., (ed.): Risiko und Vulnerabilität in Lateinamerika, Kieler geographische Schriften, 117. Kiel, 2007, pp. 207-232.
Eberhard Rothfuß and Veronika Deffner, “Informal Urban Sector: Unsecured Economy of the Majority in Latin America, Africa and Asia”, in: Rothfuß, E. & D. Böhn, (eds.), Handbook of Geography Education, Developing Countries, 8/1. Cologne, 2007, pp.210-218.
Veronika Deffner and Ernst Struck, “Lateinamerikas Städte im Wandel: Geographische Stadtforschung zu Lateinamerika im deutschsprachigen Raum seit 2000. Themen, Trends und kritische Analyse”, in: Rothfuß, E. & W. Gamerith (eds.), Stadtwelten in den Americas, Passauer Schriften zur Geographie, 23. Passau, 2007, pp.13-36.
Veronika Deffner, “Lifeworld of an inner-city marginal neighborhood in Salvador da Bahia (Brazil) ̶ Dealing with social and spatial exclusion from the perspective of poor population groups”, Geographica Helvetica, 61(1), 2006, pp.21-31. DOI: 10.5194/gh-61-21-2006
Veronika Deffner, “A theory-directed problem analysis in the sector of urban water management in developing countries. Results of a socio-geographical case study in the town of Mahajanga/Madagascar”, in: M. Schmitz (ed.), Water and Sustainable Development. Schriften zur Internationalen Entwicklungs- und Umweltforschung, 13, Gießen, 2005, pp.149-168. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3726/978-3-653-02074-8
Editorial Board Member“Die ERDE“, Journal of the Geographical Society of Berlin
Editor of the book series“Perspektiven der Humangeographie” (Springer Verlag)
Editor “Media Geography Mainz” (University of Mainz)
Managing Director of the Institute of Geography, JGU Mainz
Spokesperson of the FORTHEM Lab “Migration and Diversity”
Chairperson of the Ethics Committee (FB 09) of JGU Mainz
Member of the executive committee of the Gutenberg Graduate School of the Humanities and Social Sciences
Partner in the Mercator Science Fellowship Program
Elected member of the faculty council 09 of JGU Mainz
Chair of the Examination Board MA Human Geography: Globalization, Media and Culture.
Middle East Studies Association (MESA)
German-Omani Society (DOG)
German Working Group for the Middle East (DAVO)
Geographical Working Group on Development Theories (GAE) of the VGDH
AK Geography and Theory of Society (Co-Speaker)
Consultation hour:
By appointment via email
