Solveig Richter

Prof. Dr. Solveig Richter is a University Professor at the Humanities Centre, University of Leipzig, holding the Heisenberg Professorship for International Relations and Transnational Politics. Previously, she was Junior Professor for International Conflict Management at the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, University of Erfurt, and worked at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) on EU foreign policy and Southeast Europe.

Education:

• Political Science, History, Communication Science (Dresden & Strasbourg)
• PhD in International Relations at TU Dresden and IFSH Hamburg

Research Focus: External democracy promotion in post-conflict societies, peacebuilding mechanisms, EU crisis management tools, and informal power networks. Her regional expertise spans Eastern Europe, Western Balkans, and Colombia.

Publications Trends: Recent work examines social solidarity economies in peacebuilding, EU missions in Kosovo, environmental conflicts in Colombia, and Ukrainian post-war reconstruction. She explores intersections of governance, gender, and local ownership in hybrid peace processes.

Scientific Contributions:

• Editor-in-Chief of the ZeFKo (2021-2023)
• Co-Editor of the Rowman and Littlefield Handbook on Peace and Conflict Studies

Advising & Collaborations: Supervises 10+ doctoral candidates at Leipzig and Erfurt. Collaborates with researchers across Europe, India, and Colombia on peace missions, democratic transitions, and conflict analysis.

Labs & Teams: Leads the Department of International Relations and Transnational Politics team, integrating global PhD researchers, visiting scholars, and external guests in projects spanning EU security, post-conflict Colombia, and Ukrainian crisis management.