Rudolf Stichweh

Rudolf Stichweh is a Senior Professor for sociology at the Forum Internationale Wissenschaft and the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies at the University of Bonn. He directs the Department for Comparative Research on Democracies and holds visiting professorships at institutions including the University of Lucerne. Stichweh earned his doctorate from Bielefeld University (1983) and held research positions at the Max Planck Society (1985–94), followed by professorships at Bielefeld, Lucerne, and Bonn until 2020.

His research focuses on functional differentiation, world society theory, and the structural history of science. Notable contributions include works on authoritarian vs democratic political systems, university globalization, and sociological systems theory. He is a member of the North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences and the Leopoldina National Academy.

Recent publications (2024–2025) address climate policy frameworks, inclusion revolutions in education, and asymmetrical dependencies. Stichweh will receive the George Sarton Medal in 2021 for contributions to the history of science.