معرفی
Rebecca Pates is a Professor of Political Theory and Democracy Research at the University of Leipzig's Faculty of Social Sciences and Philosophy, Department of Political Science. She has been affiliated with the university since 2001, first as a Junior Professor for Political Theory (2001-2008) and then as a full Professor specializing in Identity and Representation since April 2008. Her extensive university service includes chairing the examination board, chairing the doctoral committee, serving as a Senate member, participating in the Equal Opportunities Commission, and contributing to the STiL steering committee.
Dr. Pates earned her PhD in Philosophy from McGill University (1990-2001), completed a BA in Philosophy & Modern Languages with First Class Honors from Oxford University (1986-1989), and received her Abitur from Königin-Katharina-Stift in Stuttgart (1977-1986). She also studied at the University of Hong Kong.
Her research focuses on political ethnography examining how state actors' actions diverge from their stated intentions, making state functioning as a governing apparatus more transparent in specific situations. She has secured numerous research projects on human trafficking (HWP, EU-AGIS, DFG), right-wing extremism (EU-Daphne, Thyssen), and belonging and nationalism (BMBF). Currently, she leads the research project 'Strangers in their own country?' investigating what migration hostility and friendliness mean for social cohesion. Her team includes members of the 'PoliLab: Strangers in their own country?' project.
Her recent publications (2016-2023) demonstrate consistent scholarly output examining right-wing populism, nationalism, human trafficking, and political affect. These works reveal evolving research interests from institutional practices in human trafficking (2014-2017) toward contemporary concerns with right-wing populism, migration attitudes, and national narratives (2018-2023). Her methodological approach combines political ethnography with discourse analysis, grounded theory, and situation analysis.
- Member of the Academia Europaea (2020)
- Key Note Lecture at University of Cambridge (2018)
- PARIS Research Fellow, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2014)
- Theodor-Litt Award for Excellence in Teaching (2004)
- Alma Mater McGill Research Fellowship (1994)
Professor Pates supervises numerous doctoral students working on topics including right-wing populism, migration, nationalism, human trafficking, and political representation. She has secured significant research funding from DFG, BMBF, and EU programs for projects examining human trafficking, migration attitudes, and European prostitution policies. Her current research center 'PoliLab' functions as a political laboratory investigating the changeability of national narratives.
Outside the university, she serves as co-editor of the 'Interdisciplinary Studies of Sex for Sale' series at Routledge and has led multiple research teams examining state practices, political representation, and social cohesion.
