Martin Seeleib-Kaiser is a Professor at the Institute of Political Science, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen. He holds a venia legendi (habilitation) from Bremen University (2000) and has held academic positions at Oxford, Duke, and Bremen Universities. His research focuses on the politics of social policy, comparative social policy analysis, and the interplay between public-private social protection policies. His publications span topics such as globalization and welfare systems , EU citizenship and social rights , and dualization in welfare states . Recent works address pandemic-era welfare responses, stratified social rights, and occupational welfare trends in Europe. His team includes researchers like Cecilia Bruzelius, Jakub Sowula, and Mikko Kuisma, with affiliations to projects like the Journal of European Social Policy.
Dr. Sven Broschinski is affiliated with the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Oldenburg. His research focuses on social stratification , labour market sociology , and horizontal Europeanisation . He employs qualitative methods in empirical social research, examining topics such as youth labour market integration, income inequality, and the impacts of European policy frameworks. His work often addresses challenges like the dualization of labour markets, financial stress among homeowners, and institutional configurations affecting youth disengagement. Key research contributions include analyses of crisis management in European labour markets, the role of public employment services, and the Europeanisation of social inequality during the eurozone crisis. Broschinski has presented at major conferences such as the International Conference of Europeanists and the ESPAnet Annual Conference, focusing on themes like austerity policies, activation policies, and horizontal Europeanisation processes. He is actively involved in teaching, offering courses like Introduction to Social Structure and supervising internships. His research spans multiple collaborative projects, including studies on family social capital's role in school-to-work transitions and the effectiveness of public employment services across Europe.
Kim Hak-Jae is an Assistant Professor at Seoul National University's Institute for Peace and Unification Studies since 2016, with concurrent postdoctoral research roles at Freie Universität Berlin's Graduate School of East Asian Studies (2013-present). Academic affiliations: Seoul National University, Freie Universität Berlin Research focus: Historical sociology, Cold War studies, and comparative policy analysis Research Interests: Combining historical sociology with comparative constitutional analysis, Kim examines East Asian welfare state development, Cold War legacies on Korean division, and cross-regional policy diffusion. His work bridges German 'Sozialstaat' concepts with Korean historical experiences, focusing on war's impact on nation-building and legal systems. Publications Trends: Kim's research concentrates on four pillars Comparative analysis of Bismarckian welfare models in East Asia Korean War's influence on constitutional development Cold War peace regimes (Panmunjom, Geneva, Bandung) State of exception mechanisms in Korean history His publications span both English and Korean academic outlets, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches combining political economy, legal history, and international relations theory. Teaching Experience: Kim has taught Korean society courses at Freie Universität Berlin and lectured at multiple Korean universities, including Seoul National University and Chung-nam National University.
Kathleen Thelen is the Ford Professor of Political Science at MIT and a Permanent External Member of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies. Her work focuses on political economy, comparative institutional analysis, and the evolution of capitalism in advanced democracies. She has held significant roles including President of the American Political Science Association (2017–2018) and chairs of prominent academic organizations. Institutional affiliations: MIT Political Science Department, TUM-IAS Hans Fischer Senior Fellowship (2021), Max Planck Institute (Cologne) Research emphases: Varieties of capitalism, labor politics, historical institutionalism, platform capitalism, U.S. political economy in comparative perspective Her research has explored institutional change mechanisms, welfare state transformations, and the political economy of the gig economy. Awards include the Aaron Wildavsky Enduring Contribution Award (2019) and Michael Endres Research Prize (2019). Recent publications analyze Amazon’s retail dominance and platform capitalism dynamics. Thelen’s work bridges historical institutionalism with contemporary policy challenges, emphasizing cross-national comparisons of economic governance structures. She has contributed to debates on labor market dualization, corporate power, and the role of courts in shaping economic policy outcomes.
Kathleen Thelen is Ford Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specializing in the evolution of political-economic institutions within advanced democracies. Her influential scholarship examines institutional change through comparative historical analysis. Her research has significantly contributed to understanding skill formation systems, labor market institutions, and welfare state transformations. Recent publications investigate dualization in European political economies, theoretical frameworks for institutional change, and comparative analyses of capitalist systems across industrialized nations. During her 2013 visiting fellowship at the WZB Global Governance unit, she advanced research on institutional change dynamics. Her books are widely recognized as foundational texts in historical institutionalism and comparative political economy.
Prof. Dr. Achim Kemmerling is a full Professor at the University of Erfurt, holding multiple leadership positions including Vice Director of the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy and Gerhard Haniel Professor for Public Policy and International Development. He also serves as Vice Dean for Internationalization and Continuing Education in the Faculty of Political Science. His research focuses on comparative public policy with emphasis on welfare states, tax systems, labor markets, and international development. Recent work examines digitalization's impact on social policies, development economics in emerging economies, and institutional foundations of economic transitions. His publications demonstrate consistent engagement with policy innovation, political economy of redistribution, and global governance challenges. Kemmerling's scholarly output reflects sustained examination of: Welfare state adaptation to technological change Tax policy design and reform Development aid effectiveness Labor market transformations North-South policy diffusion He maintains an active research agenda with recent publications exploring green economy transitions, regional inequality, and future-of-work challenges in developing contexts.
Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective GoodsGermany
Paul Marx is Professor of Political Economy at the University of Bonn, where he serves as Managing Director of the Institute of Political Science. He holds a Heisenberg Professorship awarded by the German Research Foundation (2023-2028) and is affiliated with the IZA – Institute of Labour Economics as a Research Fellow. Prior to his position at Bonn, he held professorships at the University of Duisburg-Essen (2017-2023) and the University of Southern Denmark (2011-2017). PhD in Social Sciences from University of Cologne (2011) MA in Political Science from Free University of Berlin (2005-2008) BA in Political Science from University of Marburg (2003-2005) Professor Marx's research focuses on political inequality, labor market policy, political socialization, and the politics of taxation and redistribution. His work examines how socioeconomic status affects political participation and representation, particularly how material deprivation in childhood shapes political attitudes later in life. He also investigates the political dynamics behind taxation policies and why democratic majorities often resist increasing taxes on the wealthy despite potential material benefits. His recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on political inequality, with particular attention to the mechanisms connecting economic hardship to political disengagement. His research employs diverse methodologies including comparative panel data analysis, survey experiments, elite interviews, and focus groups to understand the micro and macro dynamics of political inequality across different contexts. Heisenberg Professorship awarded by German Research Foundation (2023-2028) Professor Marx leads several major research projects funded by the German Research Foundation, including 'Growing into politics under material hardship' (2023-2026) and 'Social emotions and the experience of politics in everyday life' (2021-2024). He directs a research team at the University of Bonn comprising Dr. Alice Barth, Dr. Sebastian Jungkunz, and Dr. Florian Fastenrath, who collaborate on projects examining political inequality, taxation politics, and the emotional dimensions of political behavior. His research has been supported by prestigious institutions including Sciences Po Paris (Alfred Grosser Chair, 2022-2023), University of Konstanz, and University of Oxford (Nuffield College). Professor Marx leads a research group at the University of Bonn focused on political inequality and political behavior, with team members specializing in quantitative analysis of political participation, elite politics, and experimental approaches to understanding political emotions in everyday life.