Hadija Haruna-Oelker (she/her) is a prize-winning German author, journalist, essayist, moderator and lecturer. Haruna-Oelker writes and speaks regularly in print, broadcast, and electronic media about migration, race, racism, discrimination and the intersection of human identities.
Ms. Haruna-Oelker’s work draws upon literary, historical, cultural, political, and sociological methodologies. She is the author of Die Schönheit der Differenz—miteinander anders denken [The beauty of difference–think differently together] (btb-Verlag, 2022), which was nominated for the Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse in 2022.
Ms. Haruna-Oelker's primary work is at the public radio station, Hessischer Rundfunk, as an editor for radio-background shows like "Der Tag." Together with author Max Czollek, Hadija Haruna-Oelker hosts the S. Fischer-Verlag sponsored podcast, Trauer & Turnschuh. Conversations to explore “the emotional after-hour of the past.” The monthly podcasts address those aspects of history that have been repressed and forgotten, a critical examination of German culture of remembrance.
She anchors the online roundtable, “Feminist press round: we can do it differently,” organized by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and as well the debate platforms, “Die Streitbar” at the Anne Frank educational center and at the Frankfurt Römerberg Talks. Additionally, she is a columnist for the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper and has written articles for Die Zeit, Der Tagespiegel and other periodicals.