Christian Lammert

Christian Lammert is a Professor of Political Science with a focus on North American political systems at the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies (JFKI), Freie Universität Berlin. He is actively involved in research, teaching, and academic leadership, with a strong emphasis on comparative politics, inequality, social and health policy, and democratic governance in the United States and Canada.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Political Science, Goethe University Frankfurt (2002)

Research Interests: Professor Lammert's work centers on comparative political science, particularly the political systems of the U.S. and Canada. His research explores income and wealth inequality, the welfare state, social and health policy, tax policy, democratic backsliding, political polarization, and the interplay between state and market. He critically examines the legitimacy of democratic institutions in the face of rising inequality and populist challenges.

Publication Trends: His recent publications, including books like Democracy in Crisis and Legitimizing Authority, reflect a consistent scholarly focus on the structural and economic roots of democratic decline. The articles and book chapters highlight a deep engagement with themes of inequality, trust in institutions, and the transformation of welfare states in liberal democracies, particularly in the U.S. His work often employs a transatlantic comparative lens.

Leadership and Service:

• President, German Society for American Studies
• Board Member, Foundation for Tolerance and Humanity
• Board Member, Foundation for German-American Academic Relations
• Board Member, Association of German-American Centers
• Member, Board of Trustees, John McCloy Transatlantic Forum, Goethe University Frankfurt
• Institute Director, JFKI (2017–2019, 2020–2023)
• Member of the Directorium, JFKI (2013–2023)
• MA Advisor for North American Studies (2011–2017)

Advising: He actively supervises numerous doctoral candidates, guiding research on topics such as intra-party polarization, homelessness, the green economy, and health care reform. His mentorship is integral to the academic development of the next generation of political scientists.

Labs and Teams: Professor Lammert frequently collaborates with colleagues, most notably Boris Vormann, on major research projects and publications. Their joint work forms a significant body of scholarship on the illiberal state, democratic crisis, and political economy, positioning them as a key research team in German political science.