Photo: Joshua Zimmermann
From Bonn to Bogotá, Kiel and São Paulo to Zurich – this is the geographical description of Merlin Hebecker's journey. What connects these places is his interest in social inequalities.
Since 1 September 2025, Merlin Hebecker has been a doctoral researcher in Labour Geography at the University of Zurich and a member of the DIZH Public Data Lab (PDL). His PhD project on precarious work is one of the four flagship projects of the PDL. Over the next four years, he will explore emerging forms of precarious work, such as labour mediated through online platforms or short-term contracts that are not captured in official statistics. Merlin knew early on that he wanted to pursue an academic career, however, he only discovered labour geography relatively late.
Drawn to Science
During his undergraduate studies in Geography in Bonn, Merlin Hebecker realised that he was deeply fascinated by academic work and theoretical engagement with complex topics. “Thinking through a problem, diving deep to understand how something works, and being able to explain it – that’s something I really enjoy,” he says. In Bonn, he became active in the student council, attended his first academic conference – the 61st German Congress of Geography at the University of Kiel – and was elected to the board of Geodach, the association representing German-speaking geography students. His main interest lies in cities: How do they function? What dynamics shape urban life? How does local legislation influence social structures? During a semester abroad in Colombia, Merlin discovered another key area of interest: social inequality. “In Bogotá, I saw how much more extreme inequality can be compared to cities in the Global North. There’s a very wealthy elite in the north of the city, and very poor communities in the south,” he explains. He wrote his bachelor’s thesis on Medellín, Colombia’s second-largest city after Bogotá. “I explored how Comuna 13, once the most dangerous neighbourhood in the city, has transformed into a tourist hotspot,” he says, adding: “I conducted interviews with tour guides, asking where they take visitors and what stories they share.” Among other findings, Merlin discovered that this rebranding of Comuna 13 is emblematic of broader developments across the city.
“People living in marginalised urban areas often face precarious working conditions.”
Merlin Hebecker
From Urban Development to Labour Geography
Merlin Hebecker’s research interest in social inequality has stayed with him ever since his time in Colombia. During his Master’s in Urban and Regional Development in Kiel, he chose social inequality as his main focus. His Master’s thesis once again took him to South America. “During my Master’s, I spent a semester in São Paulo and decided to write my thesis on the city. I researched local identities in marginalised neighbourhoods and interviewed local journalists who were trying to shift the discourse about and within these neighbourhoods,” Merlin explains. He sees a clear link between urban geography and labour geography: “People living in marginalised urban areas often face precarious working conditions. They earn too little to live closer to the city centre. And because they live far from the centre, they often have to endure long commutes or face discrimination in the labour market based on where they live – it’s a spiral of precarity,” he says.
Qualitative Data for Decision-Makers
At the end of his Master’s degree, Merlin began looking for a job and applied for various PhD positions, including the one in labour geography that is part of the DIZH Public Data Lab and based in Karin Schwiter's research group. “I thought the position might suit me well, since I already had a background in social inequality and precarity. Labour geography, however, wasn’t really on my radar,” Merlin recalls, laughing: “Just going by the job description, it wasn’t exactly my dream position. But that changed quickly once I was invited for an interview and took a deeper look at the topic.” He was particularly drawn to the approach of Karin’s research group and realised he could connect with the work in several ways. Still, labour geography was something new to him, which added to the appeal of the role. Merlin also appreciates that the position is embedded within a larger project, the Public Data Lab. “That means my PhD is already partially structured, but I still have the freedom to shape it myself,” he says, adding: “What I find really exciting is that our work is passed on to public administration and policymakers, and hopefully used by political decision-makers.” He notes that data-driven decisions are often based on quantitative data. In his case, however, it will be qualitative data.
“I will try to work with the people, perhaps accompany them during their work and interview them in a way that doesn’t take up their valuable time.”
Merlin Hebecker
A Spatial Perspective
Merlin is still at the very beginning of his project. “At the moment, I’m compiling existing labour market data and examining how it’s structured and collected,” he explains. He’s also looking into what isn’t being captured and whether there are already known data gaps. As a next step, he plans to consult with the Cantonal Statistical Office of Zurich about labour market data and potential blind spots. “Later on, I’ll also exchange ideas with Karin Schwiter’s research group and other scholars in labour geography.” He hasn’t yet decided which sector or occupational group he’ll focus on. “I’m also considering how to define the concept of precarity: should I approach it from a geographical perspective or from the angle of working conditions?” As a geographer, Merlin wants to establish a link to space. “I have a few ideas about how to bring in the geographical dimension,” he says, “but the spatial focus will depend heavily on the forms of work and professions I end up studying – whether it’s short-term labour migration, transnationality, where people live and work across different countries, long commutes, or care chains, where people providing care work here are missing as care workers in their home countries.” At the moment, Merlin has many open questions that he will explore over the coming months.
Giving a Voice to Those Affected
The biggest challenge for Merlin is finding people who are willing to speak openly with him about their working conditions. “People in precarious employment situations are heavily dependent on their jobs. Speaking too openly with me could mean risking their employment,” he suspects. “That’s why I want to work with the people, perhaps accompany them during their work and interview them in a way that doesn’t take up their valuable time,” he adds. Regardless of the sector he eventually chooses to focus on, it’s important to Merlin to meet the people he interviews on equal footing and to give them a voice. And not just during the interviews, as he emphasises: “Alongside academic publications, I also want to produce materials that are accessible to those affected and help make the issue more visible. I’m hoping for input here from the Zurich University of the Arts, which is involved in the Public Data Lab.”
Merlin Hebecker holds a Bachelor's degree in Geography from the University of Bonn. He completed his Master's in Urban and Regional Development at the University of Kiel, with a focus on social inequalities. Afterwards, he worked as a research assistant at the University of Kiel before beginning his PhD on precarious work in the Labour Geography research group at the University of Zurich in September 2025.