From 2019 to 2024, Ralf Mahlich was a PhD candidate in the Graduate College “Professionalisation of Health and Social Care Professions in the Context of Societal Transformation Processes” at the Brandenburg University of Technology. As part of his doctoral thesis, he is researching the approaches taken by community workers in neighbourhoods challenged by (far-)right influence.

Since May 2026, he has been a Staff Member at the Centre for Structural Change and Regional Development. He examines belonging, participation and democratic culture in Lusatia in the context of migration, social exclusion and far-right mobilisation.  

Ralf Mahlich studied Social Work (BA) at Alice Salomon University and Gender Studies (MA) at Humboldt University. He has worked in political and cultural education, in the field of social work, and as a lecturer at various universities of social work.