Jörn Fischer

Dr. Jörn Fischer is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Cologne's Chair of Comparative Politics and an Associated Senior Researcher at the Center for Peace, Democratic Governance and Development in Kigali, Rwanda. His research focuses on ministerial career dynamics in Germany and the governance/impact of international volunteer services. He holds a PhD in Comparative Politics (2011) and has extensive non-academic experience in development cooperation, including roles with GIZ and Engagement Global.

Education: Doctorate (2005-2011) and Latin American Studies (1998-2005) at the University of Cologne, with an Abitur from Free Waldorf School Darmstadt (1996).

Research Interests:

• Selection/deselection mechanisms for German federal ministers, emphasizing forced resignations ('push resignations').
• Impact of international volunteer programs and their regulatory frameworks across Germany, Norway, the UK, and the US.

Key Contributions: Edited the Voluntaris journal and the Interdisziplinäre Studien series on volunteer services. Published over 30 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on ministerial careers and volunteer service governance.

Awards: 2005 Faculty Prize for his diploma thesis on ministerial resignations in Germany (1983-2002).

Non-Academic Work: Consultant in Rwanda's decentralization/governance programs (2018-2021) and project manager roles in development policy (2013-2017).

Editorships: Oversee the Voluntaris journal and a 12-volume series analyzing volunteer service impacts in education, gender dynamics, and global south engagement.