Nikolas Dietze

Nikolas Dietze is a doctoral candidate and Lecturer at the Institute of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of Leipzig. He is also a Research Associate at the Institute for Democratic Culture, Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, working on the project "Integrative Democracy Research in the State of Saxony-Anhalt" under Prof. Matthias Quent and Prof. Reimer-Gordinskaya. His academic work is centered on empirical social research with a focus on democracy and right-wing extremism.

His research interests include:

• Qualitative Social Research
• Democracy Research
• Right-Wing Extremism and the New Right
• Fascism in History and the Present
• Anti-Democratic and Authoritarian Attitudes
• Spatial and Digital Dimensions of Extremism

Dietze's recent publications explore the normalization of the AfD in local politics, digital platforms like Telegram in radicalization, and spatial appropriation strategies by right-wing groups in Saxony. His work combines qualitative field research with media and policy analysis, contributing to scholarly and practical understanding of democratic challenges in Germany.

He has been teaching B.A. seminars at the University of Leipzig since 2022 on topics such as the AfD's development, democratic shadows, and extreme-right alliances. His academic trajectory includes prior research roles at the Else-Frenkel-Brunswik Institute for Democracy Research.