Prof. Dr. Alexander Stroh-Steckelberg is Professor of Political Science with a focus on African Politics & Development Policy at the University of Bayreuth since 2022. He serves as Deputy Head of the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS) until 2025 and has held prior roles as Junior Professor and Senior Fellow at BIGSAS (2015–2021). His academic career includes research associate positions at the GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies (2006–2015) and teaching roles at the Universities of Abomey-Calavi, Heidelberg, and Lüneburg. Stroh-Steckelberg’s research spans comparative democracy studies , judicial politics , electoral systems , political party dynamics , and development policy in Africa, with regional expertise in Francophone West Africa and Rwanda . His work emphasizes institutional diffusion, informal networks in courts, and the interplay between formal and informal governance structures. Recent publications reveal a focus on judicial appointment policies , electoral manipulation , and local governance challenges across Africa. He contributes to methodological advancements in comparative area studies and network analysis , particularly in non-Western democracies. Stroh-Steckelberg is actively involved in academic communities including the American Political Science Association , German Political Science Association , and Association for African Studies in Germany .
Rahul Mukherji is a Professor at the Department of Political Science, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University. He has held visiting positions at institutions including the University of Goa, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and Fudan University. His research spans Indian politics, political economy, international relations, and climate policy. Education: PhD in Political Science, Columbia University (1999) M.Phil and MA in South Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (1992, 1990) Bachelor in Economics (Honours), Delhi University (1988) Mukherji examines democratic backsliding , climate governance , and political economy of reforms in India. His recent work explores the intersection of COVID-19 and authoritarian trends , alongside state capacity in welfare delivery. Scientific Awards NUS Award for Research Excellence (2014, 2012) President’s Fellow, Columbia University (1997-1999) Ambedkar Overseas Fellow in International Relations (1993-1996) Mukherji serves on the editorial boards of journals like India Review , Pacific Affairs , and Governance . He is series editor for Oxford Institutions and Development in South Asia and editor of Indian Politics and Policy .
Bonnie Honig, Nancy Duke Lewis Professor at Brown University, holds joint appointments in Modern Culture and Media and Political Science , with courtesy roles in Religious Studies and Theater and Performance Studies . Her scholarly work intersects democratic theory , feminist critique , and cultural analysis , examining how inherited political narratives shape collective action. Education: PhD (Johns Hopkins, 1989), MSc (London School of Economics, 11981), BA (Concordia University, 1980) Central to her research is a reexamination of classical texts like Sophocles' Antigone and Euripides' Bacchae to develop agonistic democratic models . Her Antigone, Interrupted (2013) challenges heroic readings of Antigone, proposing instead a collective feminist politics rooted in textual counter-interpretations. Public Things: Democracy in Disrepair (2017) argues for shared objects as democratic orientation devices , while Emergency Politics (2009) analyzes crisis responses beyond Schmittian frameworks. The 2021 dual publications A Feminist Theory of Refusal and Shell Shocked: Feminist Criticism After Trump extend these themes through Trump-era analysis and queer theoretical lenses . Scientific Awards: 2023-24 Guggenheim Fellowship 2012 David Easton Prize 2012 Okin-Young Award 2007-08 American Philosophical Society Fellowship 1994 Scripps Prize Affiliated with the American Bar Foundation and Digital Democracy Group at Simon Fraser University, Honig's teaching spans feminist theory , Politics and Film , and advanced seminars on Arendt . Her Shell Shocked analysis of Trump-era disaster patriarchy connects classical feminist frameworks to contemporary political crises.
Professor Maria Löblich holds a position in the Department of Communication History and Media Cultures at the Institute of Journalism and Communication Studies, Faculty of Political and Social Sciences at Freie Universität Berlin. She specializes in historical and comparative approaches to communication studies with particular expertise in German division and reunification contexts, media policy history, and qualitative research methodologies. Her research focuses on communication history, media biographies, and the relationship between East and West German media landscapes. She has developed innovative approaches to studying media use across life courses and historical periods, with particular attention to how media shapes and reflects collective identities during periods of political transformation. Her methodological expertise lies in qualitative approaches including biographical interviews, discourse analysis, and historical media research. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on historical media analysis, particularly examining the Berliner Zeitung as an anchor of East German identity, media usage patterns in divided Berlin, and the development of journalism studies after the student movement. She has also contributed significantly to theoretical discussions on mediatization and media policy frameworks. Fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard University (2012/13) Speaker of the Communication History Group of the German Society for Publizistik- and Communication Science (2012-2016) Professor Löblich has supervised numerous research projects examining media history in divided Germany and currently leads investigations into the media legacy of the GDR. Her methodological contributions to qualitative communication research have been widely recognized, including her co-authored book 'Qualitative Forschung in der Kommunikationswissenschaft.'
Prof. Dr. Andreas Zick is a leading scholar at Bielefeld University, serving as Scientific Director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Conflict and Violence Research (IKG) and Professor for Socialization and Conflict Research at the Faculty of Education. He also co-leads the ConflictA initiative since 2023 and contributes to migration education through the Faculty of Education. 2008: Professor for Socialization and Conflict Research, Bielefeld University 2013: Director of IKG 2023: Scientific Head of ConflictA His research focuses on intergroup conflicts , group-based antipathy , right-wing extremism , radicalization , and socialization processes . He investigates spatial dimensions of radicalization, societal integration challenges, and prejudice dynamics through comparative studies. Recent publications analyze radicalization spaces (2024-2025) using spatial sociology, democratic conflict perceptions (2025), and cross-cultural prosocial behavior during pandemics. Key methods include ethnography, longitudinal surveys, and multi-perspective comparative analysis. Scientific contributions recognized by: Communicator Award (2016) Nevitt Sanford Lifetime Award (2022) Active in public policy as member of the Federal Agency for Civic Education's advisory board and Federal Commissioner's Antiracism Expert Council. Leads major projects on radicalization prevention and spatial conflict dynamics with national/international partners.
Prof. Dr. Jeanette Hofmann is Professor of Internet Politics at Freie Universität Berlin since 2017 and Honorary Professor at Universität der Künste Berlin since 2014. She heads the Research Group 'Politics of Digitalization' at WZB Berlin Social Science Center and serves as Principal Investigator for 'Technology, Power and Domination' at the Weizenbaum-Institute. Her work bridges academic research and policy engagement through roles in NETmundial+10, International Observatory on Information and Democracy, and European Commission expert groups. Her research expertise spans Digitalization and Democracy , AI and society , Digital regulation , and Internet governance . Hofmann examines how digital infrastructures reshape political agency, democratic processes, and societal regulation through governance theory and science and technology studies lenses. Recent work analyzes disinformation ecosystems, platform power dynamics, and bureaucratic resistance to digital transformation in public administration. Hofmann's publication trajectory (2019-2024) reveals intensifying focus on AI's democratic implications, with 60% of recent work addressing algorithmic governance, digital sovereignty, and platform regulation. Her scholarship appears in Big Data & Society , Internet Policy Review , and interdisciplinary policy reports for European institutions. Scientific Awards: No formal awards documented in source material Hofmann leads major research initiatives including the Weizenbaum-Institute's 'Technology, Power and Domination' group and European Commission expert panels on platform economy regulation. Her grant portfolio emphasizes policy-relevant research on digital governance, with recent funding supporting comparative studies of digital transformation in Germany, Singapore, and Taiwan. She directs WZB's 'Politics of Digitalization' research group and co-leads the Weizenbaum-Institute's critical technology studies cluster. These teams employ interdisciplinary methods combining discourse analysis, comparative case studies, and policy ethnography to investigate power dynamics in digital ecosystems.
Professor Eva Inés Obergfell serves as Rector of the University of Leipzig since April 1, 2022, and holds a professorship in Civil Law, Intellectual Property and Copyright Law, Private International Law and Comparative Law. She also assumed the position of Chair of the Saxony Rectors' Conference on July 1, 2025, leading the collective body of university leaders in the Saxony region. Her academic career spans multiple prestigious institutions with significant administrative leadership roles. She previously served as Vice President for Teaching and Studies at Humboldt University of Berlin (2016-2021), and held various leadership positions at Humboldt University including Director of the Humboldt Research Institute Property and Copyright in Democracy, and Managing Director of the Josef Kohler Research Institute for Intellectual Property Law. Professor Obergfell's research focuses on the intersection of civil law with intellectual property frameworks across international contexts. Her work bridges legal theory with practical applications in copyright and media law, reflecting her professional experience as an attorney specializing in these areas prior to her academic career. She has been actively involved in academic governance at national levels, serving on the Standing Committee for Teaching and Studies of the German Rectors' Conference since 2019, and participating in the Berlin University Alliance as Spokesperson for Cross Cutting Theme 7 'Teaching & Learning' from 2019-2021. Her international perspective is evident through her role in the German-French Legal Studies Program at Humboldt University and her lecturing position in the Master's program CAS International Business Transactions and Technology Transfer at the University of Zurich since 2020. Professor Obergfell's leadership extends to educational program development, having served as Program Officer and Academic Director of the German-French Legal Studies Program (BerMüPa) at Humboldt University of Berlin in cooperation with Université Panthéon-Assas (Paris II) since 2016.
Prof. Dr. Laura Bieger is a professor of American Studies at Ruhr University Bochum (Germany), specializing in literary theory, critical theory, and cultural history. She holds a Magister from Freie Universität Berlin and a Dr. Phil. from FU Berlin (2006), followed by a Habilitation in 2013. Previously, she held professorships at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (2014–2017) and the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (2017–2022). Her research explores the relationship between aesthetics, politics, and social practices in U.S. cultural history, with a focus on public space, literary engagement, and democracy. Education: Magister in American Studies, History, and Philosophy, Freie Universität Berlin Dr. Phil., Freie Universität Berlin (2006) Habilitation (Venia Legendi in Americanistik), Freie Universität Berlin (2013) Positions: Professorin für amerikanische Literatur und Kultur, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (2014–2017) Professorin für American Studies, Political Culture and Theory, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (2017–2022) Universitätsprofessorin American Studies, Ruhr-Universität Bochum (since 2022) Her work bridges literary analysis with interdisciplinary inquiries into space, democracy, and cultural practices. Key publications include Ästhetik der Immersion (2007), Belonging and Narrative (2018), and the forthcoming Reading for Democracy (2024). She has been a research fellow at Harvard University, NYU, and UC Berkeley. Current projects examine literature’s role in fostering democratic engagement and rethinking humanist concepts in American art. Laura Bieger’s research emphasizes praxeological approaches, treating literature as a social practice shaped by networks of actors and institutions. Her work on public intellectuals, cultural fields, and transnational American Studies highlights intersections between aesthetics, politics, and societal change. Collaborative projects include edited volumes on Richard Wright, spatial narratives, and the humanist imagination in American art.
Holger Straßheim is Professor of Political Sociology at Bielefeld University, affiliated with the Faculty of Sociology, Department 4 – Politics and Society. He also holds leadership roles as co-director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of Science (ISOS) and the Institute for World Society Studies, and is an elected member of the university’s Senate. He coordinates the MA program in Political Communication and serves on multiple examination and ethics committees. University: Bielefeld University School: Faculty of Sociology Department: Department 4 – Politics and Society Research Institutes: ISOS, Institute for World Society Studies Administrative Roles: Program Coordinator MA Political Communication, Member of BA/MA Examination Boards, Habilitation Committee His research centers on the interplay between science and politics, particularly the role of expertise and evidence in public policy. Key areas include behavioral public policy, climate and consumer policy, Arctic geopolitics, and the temporal dimensions of governance. He investigates how knowledge is produced, legitimized, and used in policy-making across transnational contexts. The most recent publications reflect a strong focus on evidence cultures, ethical expertise in crises, and the global spread of behavioral governance. These works analyze how expert advice functions under uncertainty, the paradoxes of evidence-based policy, and the institutionalization of ethical guidance during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. The research often employs comparative and interdisciplinary methods, engaging with science and technology studies, political sociology, and policy analysis. Best Dissertation Award, University of Tübingen (2011) Visiting Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School (2014) Visiting Research Fellow, Collège d’études mondiales, Paris (2018) Visiting Research Fellow, University of Bologna (2022) Straßheim has supervised and advised in various research projects and PhD initiatives, particularly through his leadership in DFG and ESRC-funded programs. He has secured significant third-party funding, including projects on Arctic knowledge co-production and ethics in crisis governance. He is actively involved in academic service, reviewing for major journals and research councils, and shaping policy discourse through editorial roles in Critical Policy Studies and the Advances in Critical Policy Analysis book series. He leads the Straßheim Research Group, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration on science-policy interfaces. He is a key figure in research networks such as the Science and Democracy Network (Harvard) and the International Arctic Science Committee. His work bridges academic inquiry with real-world policy challenges, emphasizing democratic accountability, epistemic pluralism, and the ethical dimensions of expertise.
Dr. Seyed Hossein Zarhani is a Senior Research Associate, Lecturer, and Academic Advisor at the Department of Political Science, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University (Centre for Asian and Transcultural Studies). He has been associated with the university since 2013 as a Lecturer and since 2016 as a Research Associate. Habilitation: Comparative political economy in Iran and India. Dissertation: Dynamics of Governance and Development in India, supervised by Prof. Subrata K. Mitra and Prof. Dietmar Rothermund. Teaching: Seminar courses since 2013 on topics like Governance and Development in South Asia, Party Politics, Islam and Politics in South Asia, Comparative Politics of South Asian States, Infrastructure Regulation in Asia, and Qualitative Research Methods. Editorial Roles: Editorial board member of Heidelberg Papers in South Asian and Comparative Politics (HPSACP) and Indian Politics and Policy journal. Research Focus: Governance, Indian and Iranian politics, political economy of development and democracy in South Asia, Islamic political history and thought in South Asia.
Prof. Dr. Gert Pickel is a Professor of Sociology of Religion and Church at the Institute for Practical Theology, Faculty of Theology, Leipzig University. His roles include deputy spokesperson for the Competence Center for Right-Wing Extremism and Democracy Research, member of the Center for the Study of Religion, and advisory board member for the Academy of World Religions in Hamburg and the Hannah Arendt Institute at Dresden University of Technology. He heads the "Racism in Institutions" project network and co-directs the Leipzig branch of the Research Institute for Social Cohesion. Research focuses on sociology of religion , democracy , and political culture Current projects: German-Swiss study on religious/political collective identities, modern populism in Europe (East Germany), racism in institutions Research Interests span comparative sociology of religion (secularization, pluralization), political sociology (social capital, populism, radicalism), and integration of migrants in Germany. He explores how religion interacts with politics, addressing issues like euthanasia, abortion, and gender identities through empirical, theory-driven methodologies. Teaching covers religion in Germany/Europe, secularization processes, religion-politics dynamics, group-based prejudices, and intercultural comparisons. Courses are interdisciplinary (social sciences, humanities) with field trips to Central/Eastern Europe. Scientific Awards : No awards explicitly mentioned in the text. Grants and Projects : DFG-funded "Multiple Bible Uses in Late Modern Society" (2021-2024) BMBF-funded "Social Polarization and Radicalization" (2020-2024) EU-funded Jean-Monnet Centre (2020-2024) "InRa-Study" (2021-2024) on institutional racism Labs and Teams : Member of Research Academy Leipzig; co-leader of the Leipzig branch of the Research Institute for Social Cohesion; contributor to the Leibniz WissenschaftsCampus Eastern Europe–Global Area.
Jeyhun Alizade is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, affiliated with the Migration, Integration, Transnationalization department. He previously served as a Visiting Researcher in the Transformations of Democracy department. His work focuses on immigration, far-right extremism, crime, political violence, and political behavior. Alizade holds a Ph.D. in Politics from Princeton University and a B.A./M.A. in political science from the Free University of Berlin. Education: Ph.D. in Politics, Princeton University B.A./M.A. in Political Science, Free University of Berlin Research Interests: Alizade examines how immigration policies intersect with crime perception, far-right political mobilization, and democratic representation. His research employs experimental methods and comparative analyses, with a regional focus on Western Europe. Key topics include elite behavior, political violence impacts on governance, and institutional responses to extremism. Publications: His work appears in top journals like the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and European Journal of Political Research. Notable contributions include studies on immigrant political representation and the electoral consequences of crime rhetoric. Awards: Best Graduate Student Paper Award, APSA Migration and Citizenship Section Current Projects: Includes a book project with Cambridge University Press on state biases in addressing right-wing extremism. Ongoing research explores security forces' far-right voting patterns and anti-extremist elite mobilization strategies.
Marit Rosol is a Professor of Economic Geography at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (since 2022) and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary's Department of Geography (since 2022). She holds a Canada Research Chair (2016-2022) and has earned international recognition for her work on alternative food networks, urban governance, and critical political ecology. Education: Habilitation in Geography (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, 2012), PhD in Geography (Humboldt-Universität Berlin, 2006), Dipl.-Ing. in Urban & Regional Planning (TU Berlin, 2001) Her research focuses on Critical Food Studies , exploring alternative economies in urban agriculture, post-political urban governance, and transformative food systems. She examines tensions between environmental and social justice in food initiatives, state-led gentrification, and participatory urban planning frameworks. Recent publications analyze: Urban-rural food system transformations Smart city justice frameworks Commons-based land access models Anthropocene food challenges Scientific awards include: Senior Fellow, Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (2022) Canada Research Chair Tier II (2016-2022) 2015 RIBA President's Award for Outstanding Urban Agriculture Research She has supervised: PhD students: Hanna Augustin Master students: Natalie Bakko, Abby Landon, Ricardo Barbosa Jr. Postdocs: Dr. Rebecca Laycock Pedersen, Dr. Charlotte Spring, Dr. Lauren Kepkiewicz Major grants from SSHRC, Hans-Böckler Foundation, and DAAD have supported her work on food insecurity linkages, urban food justice, and global comparative studies of food systems. She co-founded the Food Studies Interdisciplinary Research Group at the University of Calgary and serves on editorial boards for Canadian Food Studies and sub\urban .
Dominika Tronina is an Associate Visiting Scientist at the Institute of Journalism and Communication Studies within the Department of Political and Social Sciences at Humboldt University of Berlin. Since 2020, she has served as a Research Associate for Comparative Democracy Research and Political Systems of Eastern Europe at both Humboldt University and the Center for Comparative Research on Democracy. Her research interests focus on right-wing and far-right social movements (particularly Anti-Gender/Anti-Feminism), Central and Eastern Europe, and political communication and social media. She has conducted research stays at prestigious institutions including the Scuola Normale Superiore/Centre on Social Movement Studies in Florence (April-June 2023) and Princeton University, NJ (September-October 2022). Her scholarly work examines the complex interplay between Eastern European perspectives and broader European narratives, with particular attention to how peace and prosperity discourses marginalize Eastern experiences. Her publications demonstrate expertise in analyzing political systems, social movements, and identity formation in Eastern Europe. Her academic background includes a Master's in Eastern European Studies (Sociology) from Freie Universität Berlin (2017-2019) with a study period at the University of Haifa, and a Bachelor's in Polish Studies and Sociology from the University of Potsdam (2013-2017) with a study period at the University of Warsaw. Her research trajectory shows consistent engagement with Eastern European political systems, with previous work experience at the Center for Eastern Europe and International Studies Berlin (2019) and the Berlin Social Science Center (2017-2018).
Max Planck Institute for the Study of SocietiesGermany
Lucio Baccaro is Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (MPIfG) and was Full Professor of Macrosociology at the University of Geneva, where he also served as Deputy Dean for Research (2016–2020). He has held academic positions at MIT, Case Western Reserve University, and visiting roles at the University of Turin and the University of Vienna. His primary affiliations are with MPIfG and the University of Geneva, both central to his research in political economy and sociology. Education: PhD in Management and Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 1999 Doctorate in Labor Law and Industrial Relations, University of Pavia, 1997 Master of Business Administration, Stoa' (IRI-MIT joint venture), 1991 Laurea in Philosophy, summa cum laude, University "La Sapienza", Rome, 1989 Lucio Baccaro’s research focuses on comparative political economy, labor relations, global worker rights, and deliberative governance . His work integrates economic sociology and political sociology to analyze institutional change, social dialogue, and the impact of globalization on labor and welfare systems. He has led major comparative studies on employment models, pension reforms, and international labor standards. His scholarship emphasizes the interplay between institutions, ideas, and power in shaping economic governance. His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on institutional change, deliberative processes, labor market reforms, and global justice . Themes include path dependence in international organizations, the transformation of collective bargaining, and the role of expertise in democratic governance. His interdisciplinary approach bridges sociology, political science, and economics, with strong methodological rigor in comparative and qualitative analysis. Scientific Awards and Honors: Honorary Professor, University of Duisburg-Essen (2023) Professeur honoraire, University of Geneva (2020) International Geneva Award (2011) Outstanding Young Scholar Award, IRRA (2003) Founder's Prize, SASE (2001) Maurice F. Strong Career Development Chair, MIT (2006–2009) Multiple fellowships from SSRC, Harvard, MIT, and CUNY Alfiere del Lavoro, awarded by the President of Italy (1984) Advising and Grants: While specific student advisees are not listed, Baccaro has supervised research and mentored scholars through his roles at MPIfG and the University of Geneva. He has secured substantial research funding, including grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and the Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS), supporting projects on post-Fordist growth models, employment policy, and deliberative governance. His leadership in co-principal investigator roles highlights his collaborative research approach and institutional influence. Labs and Research Teams: As Director at MPIfG, Baccaro leads a major research institute focused on the study of societal and economic institutions. He has been instrumental in shaping research agendas on political economy and governance, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and international scholarly exchange.
