Prof. Philipps has been working for many years at the intersection of political sociology, sociology of knowledge, youth studies and African studies. During his doctoral studies at the University of Basel, he researched urban youth protests, political violence and various forms of insecurity in West and East Africa. International research stays, including in the USA, Uganda, Guinea, France and Burkina Faso, as well as diverse collaborations with partners in Africa, have shaped his scientific approach.
Since 2021, Philipps has lead the Junior Research Group "Politics of the Unknown" at the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence, where he and his team have conducted transdisciplinary research on conspiracy theories, information flows, and political dynamics in West Africa. "The University of Bayreuth has a special potential for interdisciplinary research, which I was able to exploit very broadly within the framework of my Junior Research Group 'Politics of the Unknown'," says Philipps.
The close links between sociology and African studies have been a defining feature of Philipps' work in recent years. He emphasises: "African studies in Bayreuth are very innovative on many levels: the critical and self-critical perspective on the production of knowledge about 'Africa' and the willingness to contribute to structural changes within the academic world have been key aspects for me here."
At the University of Bayreuth, he has already served as a substitute professor in the Department of Sociology in Africa and taught courses on global sociology, qualitative methodology, and African studies. At the same time, he coordinated and led an international research project on social media in protest movements, as well as an exchange project at the master's level on the role of African studies in the social sciences.
With his new professorship, Philipps is now expanding a field of research that fits perfectly with the focus of sociology at Bayreuth: "Within my discipline of sociology, I am fascinated by the combination of sociology of knowledge, social practice, microsociology and qualitative methodology at Bayreuth, which ties in very well with my professorship in 'Sociology of Uncertainty'."
Philipps has a clear goal for the coming years: to further expand the network between sociology and African studies and to strengthen interdisciplinary research in Bayreuth. With his international network, his experience in third-party funded projects, and his focus on social uncertainties, he brings a profile to the University of Bayreuth that will give new impetus to both students and research.
