Research

In its research, the professorship is concerned with the comparison of central institutions and organizations in Western democracies. Particular attention is paid to the role of parliaments and ministerial bureaucracies and their interaction, different aspects of democratic electoral processes and the behavior of voters, as well as the strategies of candidates. In addition, we research questions of political participation in general and the support of direct-democratic procedures by political elites as well as the participation of minorities in particular. The professorship focuses on the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany, but also on the political systems of Central and Eastern European countries and Scandinavia. Research questions from the field of methods of political science are dealt with in relation to all the above-mentioned areas.

This professorship attaches great importance to enabling students to gain initial research experience. The Project Office for Applied Social Research was founded with this aim.