Department of Political Science

Democratic theory and government systems research

The field of "Democratic Theory and Government Systems Research" deals with current and long-term developments in political forms of rule. In the field of democratic theory, we are particularly interested in forms of participation that are located parallel to and in connection with parliamentary processes. These include direct democratic voting, citizens' councils and functional self-government bodies.

The dynamic development of democratic decision-making processes in their various parliamentary and non-parliamentary facets is the focus of research here. The focus here is on the demands made by citizens on the shaping of politics in terms of argumentation and legitimation strategies.

With a similar perspective, research in the teaching and research area also focuses on interest groups, their interests and assertiveness. The visible profile of the teaching and research area includes research on organised business interests and chambers of commerce.

In the area of government systems research, our team is dedicated to economic, environmental and infrastructure policies in the European Union and the Federal Republic of Germany from a governance and policy analysis perspective. Examples of this include tax, energy and transport policy. The focus is on patterns of interpretation, institutional context, concrete political disputes and social conflicts.

In this context, one focus of our research was and is the development of service provision in the field of tension between the guaranteeing and providing state on the one hand and various forms of public-private partnerships and privatization on the other.

It is part of the self-image of the teaching and research area to understand municipalities and districts, in short: "local politics", as an important level of political society. Municipalities are important for research, not only because of their relative proximity to citizens, but also with regard to experimental solutions to problems. Urban and rural areas are the spaces in which politics becomes concrete.

The teaching and research area is closely linked to the Institute for Democracy and Participation Research (IDPF) in terms of content and staff.

Team members

Former team members

  • Jonas Katemann
  • Volker Mittendorf
  • Aanor Roland
  • Fynn Spilling

Current research projects of the teaching and research area Democracy Theory and Government Systems Research

Completed research projects (since 2010)

  • "Globalised governance norms and local management and business practices in Africa and on the Arab peninsula (ManaGlobal)", funded by the European Union, H2020-MSCA-RISE-2018 (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange), 01.2019 - 09.2020.
  • „PerSe – Evaluation of the conditions of participation in the self-administration of craft trades“ (Perspektive Selbstverwaltung (PerSe) - Evaluation der Bedingungen der Partizipation in der handwerklichen Selbstverwaltung), project management, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), 10.2017 - 09.2019.
  • "Evaluation of the ‚Act to Facilitate the Reorganisation of Companies (ESUG)’“ (Evaluation des ,Gesetzes zur Erleichterung der Sanierung von Unternehmen (ESUG)‘), with Prof. Dr F. Jacoby, funded by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection, 06.2017 - 05.2018.
  • "Controversiality and scientificity in materials and guidelines for socio-economic education (KoWiMa)" („Kontroversität und Wissenschaftlichkeit in Materialien und Vorgaben für die sozioökonomische Bildung (KoWiMa)“), with Prof. Dr R. Hedtke, funded by the Research Institute for Societal Development, 09.2016 - 08.2019.
  • "Economic chambers in European comparison“ (Wirtschaftskammern im europäischen Vergleich), international symposium in September 2015, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), 09.2015.
  • "Social standards in public procurement policy. Political decision and administrative implementation in European comparison" (Soziale Standards in der Vergabepolitik. Politische Entscheidung und administrative Umsetzung im europäischen Vergleich), funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation, 11.2012 - 06.2016.
  • "Legitimacy beliefs, commitment and opposition in German Chambers of Crafts“ (Legitimitätsüberzeugungen, Engagement und Widerspruch bei Organisationen der funktionalen Selbstverwaltung - Die Handwerkskammern), funded by the Fritz Thyssen Foundation, 02.2011 - 09.2013.