Stefan Plaß

Dr. Stefan Plaß is a Researcher at the Institute of Political Science within the Faculty of Philosophy at Leibniz University Hannover. He serves as Recognition Officer, BAföG representative, and provides academic advice for Bachelor's and Master's degree programs. His office is located in Building 3109, Room 121 at Schneiderberg 50, 30167 Hanover, with regular office hours on Wednesdays from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM during lecture periods.

Dr. Plaß earned his doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Hanover in 1999 after studying political science and German studies from 1988-1994. His professional trajectory includes research associate positions since 1995 (with interruptions), followed by service as Lecturer for special tasks from 2007-2018, and returning to research associate status since April 2018.

His research focuses on comparative political systems analysis, particularly examining democracies versus autocracies, alongside media policy and political communication frameworks. His teaching portfolio includes specialized courses on Autocracies in comparison and Democratic deconsolidation, reflecting his expertise in regime transitions and political stability. His methodological approach combines policy process analysis with institutional evaluation, particularly evident in his regional governance studies of Lower Saxony.

Dr. Plaß' publication record demonstrates consistent scholarly output since the late 1990s, with significant contributions to understanding state modernization processes, media policy implementation, and regional environmental governance. His work frequently addresses practical policy challenges through collaborative research projects, often involving regional government entities and policy implementation analysis.

Administratively, he fulfills multiple critical roles including serving as Representative for professional internships in BA/MA degree programs, Module leader for Introduction to Political Science and Key Competencies, Room Officer, Capacity Officer, and Institute's safety officer. His professional commitment extends to evaluating political education initiatives and supporting student academic development through structured consultation processes.