Philipp Lepenies

Prof. Dr. Philipp Lepenies is Professor of Politics (Sustainability) and Director of the Research Center for Sustainability at Freie Universität Berlin. His work bridges political science, economics, and the history of ideas, focusing on sustainable development, poverty, inequality, and the political economy of statistics.

• Doctorate in Economics (2001, Freie Universität Berlin)
• Master of Science in Development Studies (1998, London School of Economics)
• Habilitation in Political Science (2011, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt)

Lepenies’ research explores how metrics like GDP shape policy, the role of expertise in governance, and the historical roots of development concepts. He critiques the dominance of economic indicators in political discourse and advocates for more holistic sustainability frameworks.

His recent publications analyze well-being indicators, poverty definitions, and the legacy of Albert O. Hirschman. Articles often intersect political theory with empirical case studies in Latin America and Southeast Asia, emphasizing the need to balance technical metrics with social context.

He supervises theses on sustainability, poverty, and development policy, requiring exposés aligned with his research. Lepenies also leads courses like "Politics at Tintin" and "Growth, Capitalism, Degrowth" at Freie Universität Berlin.

Lepenies previously held academic positions at the Freie Universität Berlin (2016-2022 as Guest Professor), the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (2012-2015), and the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (2009-2010). His non-academic experience includes a decade at KfW Entwicklungsbank as Senior Economist.