Political system of the Federal Republic of Germany
All state authority emanates from the people. It shall be exercised by the people in elections and votes and by special legislative, executive and judicial bodies (Art. 20 para. 2 Basic Law).
General, direct, equal, secret and free elections form the foundation of German democracy.
However, political participation goes beyond the act of voting and also raises fundamental questions such as: What is meant by political participation? Why do some people get more involved than others? And what are the consequences of unequal political participation for democracy?
Research profile
The Professorship for the Political System of the Federal Republic of Germany at the University of Siegen researches central aspects of empirical democracy research. The focus is on political participation and in particular voting behavior, unequal participation and its consequences for democratic processes. Another research focus is on the growing popularity of populist parties:
What factors explain populist voting?
Which social developments are reflected in this?
These perspectives are complemented by the analysis of political attitudes. This includes the question of how citizens evaluate political actors and processes and which factors promote trust in political institutions.
The professorship draws on approaches from comparative political science, political psychology and political sociology. Empirically, mainly quantitative methods and comparative designs are used (both subnational and cross-national). Overall, the focus of the professorship is on Western democracies.
The focus is on the interplay of individual and contextual factors: How do social developments - such as increasing ethnic diversity - shape political participation, political attitudes and perceptions of democratic norms?
With these research questions, the professorship contributes to a deeper understanding of democratic processes in modern societies.
Research focus
- Urban-rural differences in political participation and attitudes
- Citizens and democracy in societal change (especially ethnic diversity)
- Psychology and politics
- Populism research (especially causes and consequences of populist voting behavior)
- Political attitudes of people with a migration background
- Empirical methods of opinion research
Latest publications
Becoming an Informed Citizen — the Relationship Between Naturalization Regimes, Language, and Political Knowledge Among Naturalized Citizens
Becoming an Informed Citizen — the Relationship Between Naturalization Regimes, Language, and Political Knowledge Among Naturalized Citizens
Understanding trust among German citizens with migrant backgrounds – a latent profile approach
Understanding trust among German citizens with migrant backgrounds – a latent profile approach
Living Up to Your Own Standards? Patterns of Civic Norms and Volunteering in Germany
Living Up to Your Own Standards? Patterns of Civic Norms and Volunteering in Germany
Direct democracy, political support and populism–attitudinal patterns in the German Bundesländer
Direct democracy, political support and populism–attitudinal patterns in the German Bundesländer
