Clara Neupert-Wentz

Clara Neupert-Wentz serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Aarhus University, Denmark. Her academic profile emphasizes interdisciplinary research at the intersection of political institutions and societal conflict dynamics, with primary focus areas spanning peace and conflict studies, informal governance structures, and gender norm systems.

Her research critically examines traditional political systems—particularly in African contexts—analyzing how informal institutions mediate communal violence, self-determination demands, and constitutional recognition of indigenous rights. Key investigations include the destabilizing effects of polygynous practices on demographic balances, the collision of customary and state legal frameworks, and the adaptive strategies of traditional authorities amid modern governance challenges. Methodologically, her work combines comparative case studies with theoretical frameworks from institutional political science.

Publication trends reveal sustained engagement with traditional authority structures across historical (Holy Roman Empire) and contemporary African settings, consistently probing how normative systems influence conflict resolution pathways. Her 2019 study on polygyny-driven intergroup violence exemplifies this focus on micro-level demographic triggers of communal strife.

Professional activities include collaborative research with institutions like the University of Konstanz (evidenced by co-authorship with Holzinger) and methodological contributions to political science through journal publications in top-tier outlets including Journal of Conflict Resolution and American Journal of Political Science.