Markus Lambracht

Markus Lambracht

Institute of Geography

Research associates

Address

Wetterkreuz 15 91058 Erlangen
Room: 02.167, Floor: 02

Contact

Social Media and Websites

Research Associate and Projectmanager in the Research Group Regional Development led by Prof. Dr. Tobias Chilla.

Newsroom: www.spatial-development.eu

ResearchGate and Google Scholar

My research focus is on Mountain research in the Alps, Border Studies, and Regional Economic Geography, in particular quantitative analyses and data visualisation.

PhD project:

‘Relief matters?’ The role of relief in socioeconomic development based on the example of the Alpine region.

Due to their geographical location, mountain regions are often perceived as socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. From the perspective of traditional geography, regions are seen as physically-spatially given and thus have long been subject to a deterministic understanding of space. In constructivist social geography, spaces were then seen as the results of social (negotiation) processes, which tends to reject the explanatory significance of the relief.

With the ‘material turn’ in the spatial sciences, concepts with a post-discursive orientation have increasingly come to prominence in recent times, emphasizing not only relational perspectives but also the importance of non-discursive ways of considering space. Materiality, i.e. the physical nature of spaces, has regained relevance after being broadly absent from constructivist approaches. In the context of these debates, functional arguments now assume a new significance.

This is where my research on the Alpine region in terms of socioeconomic development comes in. In my research, I focus on the role of relief - in the sense of topography and surface structure - in relation to the development of socio-economic trends in mountain regions. In a narrow sense, spatial patterns with comparable initial situations in terms of relief and location and their development paths are of particular interest. Through a combination of statistical calculations with remote sensing data, spatial patterns in the Alpine region are first identified and relations are explored. These spatial patterns are then assessed and contextualized by case studies.

The work highlights the role of surface structure as a material spatial aspect for the socioeconomic development of mountain regions. To overcome geo-deterministic simplifications, specifics are elaborated at the smallest possible spatial level (share of settlement area in the total area, differences in altitude, accessibility, etc.) and combined and scrutinised in a multi-faceted way.

Scientific publications

Book chapters

Reports and working paper

  • Lambracht, M., Sommer, C. & Chilla, T. (2026). Mapping Circular & Textile Actors in the Alps. Mapping the state of Alpine solutions for circular products, Part 1. Research report with in the Interreg Alpine Space project ASTER. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25621.08165
  • Sommer, C., Lambracht, M. & Chilla, T. (2026). Mapping economic flows & gaps in the Alps. Mapping the state of Alpine solutions for circular products, Part 2. Research report with in the Interreg Alpine Space project ASTER. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18910.19520
  • Lambracht, M., Sommer, C. & Chilla, T. (2026). Mapping Institutional dynamics in the Alps. Mapping the state of Alpine solutions for circular products, Part 4. Research report with in the Interreg Alpine Space project ASTER. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.15554.75202
  • Lambracht, M., Wehner, M. & Manian, A. (2025). R-Strategies and their use in ASTER: Definitions and Understanding. Mapping the state of Alpine solutions for circular products, Part 0. Research report with in the Interreg Alpine Space project ASTER. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.22431.21920
  • Chilla, T. & Lambracht, M. (2025). Arge Alp: a strong region despite or because of the mountains? Working Papers FAU Regional Development No. 7, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32859.84007
  • Chilla, T., Paul, H., Bertram, D. & Lambracht, M. (2024). Towards an Alpine Spatial Development Perspective - Synthesis Report: Compilation of three input papers. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.20527.24482
  • Lambracht, M. & Chilla, T. (2024). Mapping Alpine Textile. Economy, institutions and labels. Research report with in the Interreg Alpine Space project AlpTextyles. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35321.12649
  • Lambracht, M. & Chilla, T. (2024). Mapping Alpine Wool. Production network, value creation and footprint. Research report with in the Interreg Alpine Space project AlpTextyles. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.24415.93602
  • Chilla, T., Bertram, D. & Lambracht, M. (2023). Mapping the Scene: Cartographic sketches linked to the EUSALP cross-cutting priorities – EUSALP Annual Forum organised by the Swiss Presidency. Working Papers FAU Regional Development No. 5, 1-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16988.16007
  • Chilla, T. & Lambracht, M. (2023). Regionalräte: Bestandsaufnahme und Potentialanalyse im Bereich der grenzüberschreitenden Zusammenarbeit. Studie im Auftrag des Auswärtigen Amts, 1-41. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35119.82089
  • Chilla, T., D. Bertram & Lambracht, M. (2022). “Alpine Towns – Key to Sustainable Development in the Alpine region. Part 1: Facts, Maps and Scientific Debates.” In: 9th Report on the State of the Alps. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.36022.98880/1
  • Chilla, T., Bertram, D., Lambracht, M. & Wilhelm, C. (2022). Innerdeutsche Vernetzung von Grenzregionen. Dokumentation des Workshops von 16./17. Mai 2022 im Auftrag des Bundesministeriums des Innern und für Heimat, 1-17. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25321.16484
  • Chilla, T., S. Hippe & Lambracht, M. (2022). Evaluation des Bayerischen Zentrums für Tourismus (BZT); im Rahmen des Vorhabens BZT — Evaluierung der Förderung und der Entwicklungsoptionen; im Auftrag des Bayerischen Staatsministeriums für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie (StMWi)
  • Chilla, T., S. Hippe & Lambracht, M. (2022). Kontextinformationen zur Evaluation des Bayerischen Zentrums für Tourismus - Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft, Vernetzung; im Rahmen des Vorhabens BZT — Evaluierung der Förderung und der Entwicklungsoptionen; im Auftrag des Bayerischen Staatsministeriums für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie (StMWi)
  • Chilla, T., Gold, A., Lintzmeyer, F. & Lambracht, M. (2022). Assessment study on cross-border spatial development in the Alpine Convention area. Online unter: https://www.alpconv.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Organisation/TWB/SPSD/Assessment_study_Cross-border_Cooperation.pdf
  • Chilla, T. & Lambracht, M. (2022). Land take in the Alpine region: the data perspective. Contribution to IP_S2, Step 1 of the Alpine Climate Target System. Online unter: https://www.alpconv.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Organisation/TWB/SPSD/CDR_ACTS_IP_S3_1a_Land_Take_Data.pdf
  • Lambracht, M. & Chilla, T. (2022). ESPON tool for mapping soft territorial cooperationareas and initiatives — Experience from Alpine Region. Annex 7. Online unter: https://www.espon.eu/sites/default/files/attachments/Annex%207%20-%20Experience%20from%20the%20Alpine%20region.pdf.
  • Bertram, D., Garkisch, J., Geiger, W., Haack, A., Hellwagner, T., Hippe, S., Lambracht, M., Müller, C. & Reizlein, J. (2019). Räumliche Integration: Das Beispiel der bayerischen Grenzregionen zu Österreich und Tschechien. Working Papers FAU Regional Development No. 3, 1-52. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21585.25440

Presentations and moderations

Press

Current projects

Finished projects

  • AlpTextyles (2022-2025): Collaborative solutions ​for a heritage & consumer sensitive ​relocalization ​ of sustainable, circular, and innovative ​Alpine textile value chains; Projektpartner and Working Package Leader (Classic Project in the Interreg Alpine Space programme 2021-2027)
  • Als Unterauftragnehmer gemeinsam mit ifuplan: Fachliche Unterstützung des BMI in der Alpenkonvention (2021-2024)
  • Studie im Auftrag des Auswärtigen Amts (2022-2023): Regionalräte - Bestandsaufnahme und Potentialanalyse im Bereich der grenzüberschreitenden Zusammenarbeit. Hier gibt es weitere Informationen rund um die Studie.
  • Erstellung eines Regionalmonitoring-Tools für den Landkreis Kitzingen (2022-2023)
  • Alpenzustandsbericht zum Thema Alpine Städte (2020-2022) (i.A. des Schweizer Amtes für Räumliche Entwicklung, gemeinsam mit Climonomics). Hier gibt es weitere Informationen rund um den RSA9.
  • ESPON ACTAREA (2020-2022): Thinking and planning in areas of territorial cooperation – web app (mit Spatial Foresight und University of Geneva)
  • Evaluation des Bayerischen Zentrums für Tourismus (BZT) (2022): Im Rahmen des Vorhabens Bayerisches Zentrum für Tourismus — Evaluierung der Förderung und der Entwicklungsoptionen; im Auftrag des Bayerischen Staatsministeriums für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie (StMWi). Hier gibt es weitere Informationen rund um die Evaluation.
  • Studie im Auftrag des BMI (2020): Innerstaatliche Vernetzung von Grenzregionen. Hier gibt es weitere Informationen rund um die Studie.
  • Als Unterauftragnehmer: Evs46 Grundlagenermittlung und Prozessbegleitung (2020): Integrierte Grenzraumentwicklung in den Euregios via salina und ZWK in Zusammenarbeit mit Euregio Inntal und Regionalmanagement Schwaz

  • Since 2021: Research Associate and Projectmanager in the Research Group Regional Development led by Prof. Dr. Tobias Chilla at the Institute of Geography
  • 2018 to 2021: Master’s degree in Human Geography (FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg), specialising in regional development; Master’s thesis on the topic: “Cross-border governance – the intensity of cooperation and the degree of institutionalisation of regional cross-border cooperation in German border regions”
  • 2017 to 2020: Worked as a student assistant at the Institute of Geography, including in the Research Group Regional Development led by Prof. Dr. Tobias Chilla
  • 2015 to 2019: Studied Human Geography, BA (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg)