Tobias Berger

Prof. Dr. Tobias Berger is Junior Professor of Political Science with a focus on Transnational Politics of the Global South at the Otto Suhr Institute for Political Science, Freie Universität Berlin. He is also a Principal Investigator in the Excellence Cluster 'Contestations of the Liberal Script' (SCRIPTS). His work bridges international relations, political sociology, and legal anthropology, with a strong emphasis on the Global South.

• University: Free University of Berlin
• School: Otto Suhr Institute for Political Science
• Department: Department of Politics and Social Sciences
• Position: Junior Professor

Education:

• PhD, Berlin Graduate School for Transnational Studies
• MPhil in Political Theory, University of Oxford
• BA in Politics & Development Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London

His research interests center on international political sociology, human rights beyond liberalism, legal pluralism, and transnational politics of South Asia. He employs ethnographic and interpretative methods to explore how global norms are translated in local contexts, particularly in Bangladesh and across the Global South.

The recent articles reflect a strong trend toward critical approaches to human rights, translation theory, non-Western security practices, and post-liberal political orders. His work interrogates the liberal script in global governance, especially in education, security, and constitutionalism, often from a decolonial and relational perspective.

Scientific Awards:

• No specific awards mentioned in the text.

As a Principal Investigator in the SCRIPTS excellence cluster, he leads major research initiatives such as 'De-Centering Human Rights', 'Negotiating the Future of Education', and 'Security Doctrines in a Changing World'. He has collaborated with institutions like UNESCO and the OECD and has secured funding for interdisciplinary, transregional research. He has advised on development and humanitarian projects in Cambodia and worked with indigenous communities in Ecuador.

He has edited influential volumes like World Politics in Translation (2018) and special issues on transnational non-state actors. He is affiliated with research networks across Europe and the Global South and contributes to debates on global governance, norm contestation, and epistemic justice.