Marco Bünte

Professor Marco Bünte is a distinguished scholar of political science specializing in Asian politics and society. He currently holds a professorship at the Institute of Political Science at Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), where he has been since September 2019. Prior to his appointment at FAU, he served as Associate Professor and Research Director at Monash University Malaysia (2013-2019) and spent a decade as a Research Fellow at the German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA) in Hamburg.

His academic journey includes:

• 1998: Magister Artium from Universität Münster
• 2002: PhD (Promotion) from Universität Münster
• 1999-2002: Academic Assistant and Lecturer at Universität Münster
• 2003-2012: Research Fellow at GIGA Hamburg

Professor Bünte's research focuses on democracy and authoritarianism, civil-military relations, protest movements, constitutions, human rights, and political violence, with particular emphasis on Southeast Asia. His work examines the complex dynamics of political transitions, institutional design, and the interplay between state and non-state actors in shaping governance structures. He has conducted extensive fieldwork in Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries, analyzing how political institutions evolve during periods of democratic opening or authoritarian entrenchment.

His publication record reveals a consistent focus on Southeast Asian politics, particularly Myanmar's political transformation. His recent work explores themes of democratic regression, presidential systems in Asia, and the challenges of building governance structures from scratch in post-conflict societies. A significant portion of his research investigates the role of civil society in democratic backsliding and the complex relationship between military institutions and civilian governance.

Among his notable recognitions is the Excellence in Research Award 2017 from Monash University, which acknowledged his significant contributions to understanding Myanmar's military regime transformation.

Professor Bünte has secured substantial research funding including an EU Horizon 2020 grant for the CRISEA project (Competing Regional Integrations in Southeast Asia) and has collaborated with institutions across Asia, Europe, and Australia. His international scholarly network includes partnerships with the GIGA Institute, Monash University, and various Southeast Asian research centers.

He has also contributed to academic capacity building through initiatives like the Summer School in Mandalay, where he has trained Myanmar social science faculty in research methods.