Bastian Becker

Bastian Becker is a Research Fellow in Political Science at the Department of Social Sciences, Humboldt-University of Berlin. He holds a PhD from Central European University and has held postdoctoral positions at the University of Bremen and Bard College Berlin. Currently, he works under Prof. Dr. Hanna Schwander at the Chair of Political Sociology and Social Policy. His research focuses on the political economy of inequality, colonial legacies, and development, employing comparative and behavioral approaches. He has contributed to journals like Political Science Research and Methods and World Development. His work also involves collaborations with institutions such as the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) and the German International Cooperation (GIZ).

Becker’s educational background includes a PhD in Political Science from Central European University, followed by postdoctoral research at institutions in Germany and the U.S. His expertise spans colonial policy analysis, social redistribution dynamics, and the historical roots of contemporary political systems. He has served as an Interim Chair (visiting professor) of Comparative Politics at Humboldt-University, reflecting his engagement with teaching and institutional leadership.

His research interests bridge historical political economy and contemporary policy, examining topics such as wealth origins’ impact on redistribution attitudes, colonial labor policies in Africa, and gender equality legacies of Christian missions. He has developed datasets like COLDAT to study African colonial history, emphasizing empirical rigor and interdisciplinary methods.

Becker’s current projects include the DYNAMICS initiative and participation in the Progressive Politics Research Network. He actively engages with public discourse through media contributions and policy consultations, aiming to bridge academic research and societal challenges.