Max Behrendt

Max Behrendt is a Researcher at the Department of Political and Social Sciences at the European University Institute (EUI), having joined the institution in 2021 as part of that cohort. A German national, he conducts research within the social sciences framework of the EUI, focusing on family policy and gender-related political issues in contemporary European contexts.

His primary research focuses on family policy dynamics, particularly examining the paradoxes in German parental leave systems. His doctoral work titled Renegotiating Parenthood: New Perspectives on the German Parental Leave Paradox explores the tensions between policy design and social outcomes in one of Europe's most developed welfare states.

Behrendt's research interests span family policy, gender studies, social policy, political sociology, welfare state studies, and German politics. His work contributes to understanding how social policies evolve in response to changing family structures and gender norms within advanced industrial societies.

As a researcher at EUI, he operates within the vibrant academic community of the Department of Political and Social Sciences, which hosts numerous research initiatives examining European and global political dynamics. His work connects with broader scholarly conversations about social policy adaptation in contemporary democracies.