Lotta Mayer | Data Science | Innovative Research Award

Innovative Research Award

Lotta Mayer
University of Heidelberg, Germany

Lotta Mayer
Affiliation University of Heidelberg
Country Germany
Google Scholar ID 56992279500
Documents 25
Citations 75
h-index 4
Subject Area Data Science
Event Math Scientist Awards

Lotta Mayer is a researcher whose documented work addresses conflict research, social dynamics, political violence and processes of escalation. Her research profile combines theoretical inquiry with the analysis of social and political conflicts. Available publication records include a substantial monograph on conflict and war dynamics as well as scholarly contributions concerning structural violence and the conflict structure underlying the war in Ukraine. [1] [2]

Abstract

Lotta Mayer’s research examines conflicts as dynamic social processes and investigates how interactions, interpretations and changing actor constellations can contribute to escalation. Her 2019 book Konfliktdynamiken – Kriegsdynamiken develops a conflict-theoretical reformulation of symbolic interactionism and considers the contingency and self-dynamics of conflict trajectories. [1] Related publications extend this perspective to structural violence and the Ukraine conflict. [2] [3]

Keywords

  • Conflict research
  • Conflict dynamics
  • Symbolic interactionism
  • Political violence
  • Escalation processes

Introduction

Mayer’s scholarly work is situated within the interdisciplinary study of conflict and peace. Her research treats conflicts not simply as fixed conditions but as processes shaped by interaction, interpretation and unintended consequences. The 2019 volume published by transcript Verlag presents this approach through a systematic examination of the transition from social conflict to increasingly confrontational and potentially war-like forms. [1]

Research Profile

A central element of Mayer’s research is the application of symbolic-interactionist thinking to conflict theory. Her book includes dedicated discussions of situation definitions, forms of confrontation, war-related conflicts, conflict termination and conflicts as dynamic processes. [4] This framework provides a basis for examining how actors interpret situations and how interaction between opposing parties can alter the subsequent trajectory of a conflict.

Research Contributions

Mayer’s publications contribute to debates on the social construction and escalation of conflict. Her 2021 article with Peter Imbusch responds to Andreas Braun’s critique of Johan Galtung’s concept of structural violence, engaging with questions concerning analytical precision and contemporary violence sociology. [2] Her later work on Ukraine examines the conflict structure and the escalation process rather than treating war as an isolated event. [3]

Publications

  • Konfliktdynamiken–Kriegsdynamiken: Zur Konstitution und Eskalation innergesellschaftlicher Konflikte. transcript Verlag, 2019. [1]
  • Imbusch, P.; Mayer, L. “Analytisch unbrauchbar? Eine Replik auf Andreas Brauns Kritik am Konzept der ‚strukturellen Gewalt‘.” Zeitschrift für Friedens- und Konfliktforschung, 10(1), 37–43, 2021. [2]
  • Mayer, L. “Nicht einfach ‚Kalter Krieg 2.0‘: die Konfliktstruktur hinter dem Krieg in der Ukraine.” FEST, 2022. [3]

Research Impact

The supplied research profile records 25 Scopus documents, 75 citations and an h-index of 4. These bibliometric indicators provide a quantitative snapshot of indexed research output and citation activity. The publication record additionally demonstrates engagement with peer-reviewed conflict research and open-access scholarly publishing. [5]

Award Suitability

For the Innovative Research Award, the documented profile provides evidence of sustained scholarly engagement with conflict theory, escalation dynamics and contemporary conflict analysis. The combination of a dedicated theoretical framework, peer-reviewed research and applied analysis of major conflict processes offers identifiable research outputs for consideration under an innovation-oriented academic recognition framework. [1] [2]

Conclusion

Lotta Mayer’s research profile is characterized by work on conflict dynamics, symbolic interactionism, structural violence and escalation. Her publications provide a coherent scholarly record connecting theoretical development with analysis of contemporary conflicts. The documented bibliometric information and publication record together provide relevant evidence for academic recognition within the stated award context.

References

  1. Mayer, Lotta. (2019). Konfliktdynamiken – Kriegsdynamiken: Zur Konstitution und Eskalation innergesellschaftlicher Konflikte. Bielefeld: transcript Verlag.
  2. Imbusch, Peter; Mayer, Lotta. (2021). “Analytisch unbrauchbar? Eine Replik auf Andreas Brauns Kritik am Konzept der ‚strukturellen Gewalt‘.” Zeitschrift für Friedens- und Konfliktforschung, 10(1), 37–43.
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s42597-021-00061-5
  3. Mayer, Lotta. (2022). “Nicht einfach ‚Kalter Krieg 2.0‘: die Konfliktstruktur hinter dem Krieg in der Ukraine.” FEST Frieden.
  4. Mayer, Lotta. (2019). “2.1 Ansätze zur Entwicklung eines symbolisch-interaktionistischen Konfliktverständnisses.” In Konfliktdynamiken – Kriegsdynamiken, pp. 133–159. transcript Verlag.
  5. Elsevier. (n.d.). Google Scholar author details: Lotta Mayer.
    https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=0kgaZqYAAAAJ
  6. Mayer, Lotta. (2019). “2.8 Zwischenfazit: Konflikte als dynamische Prozesse.” In Konfliktdynamiken – Kriegsdynamiken, pp. 272–276. transcript Verlag.
    https://doi.org/10.14361/9783839446461-018