News
ActEU-Workshop: Aufruf zur Einreichung von Bewerbungen
In February 2025, the ActEU Doctoral School will take place, where participants will spend four days exploring the topics of the ActEU research project, helping to advance our understanding and solutions. The ActEU (Activating European Citizens' Trust in Times of Crises and Polarisation) project, funded under the EU's Horizon Europe programme, aims to conceptualise and empirically measure political trust and legitimacy beyond conventional methods to explore how policy makers and civil society can respond effectively to these challenges to support democratic governance.
Talk at the EISA Pan-European Conference on International Relations (PEC)
The EISA Pan-European Conference on International Relations (PEC) took place in Lille from 27 August to 31 September. Djamila Jabra, M.A. gave a presentation entitled "From Warnings to Wars - A Comprehensive Review of IPCC Reports on Climate and Conflicts". In her presentation, she analysed how the connection between climate change and violent conflicts is presented in the six IPCC reports from 1990 to 2023. Using a qualitative content analysis according to Mayring, she analysed the terms conflict, violence, war, armed, threat and risk in order to identify the visibility of climate-related conflicts. Theoretically, she drew on the expanded security concept of international relations, which goes beyond state approaches to identify potential causes of future conflicts and their prevention.
Saarbrücker Zeitung reports on I2SC
A year ago, the "I2SC" - Interdisciplinary Institute for Societal Computing - was founded at Saarland University as a new research institute that brings together computer science and political science. The idea behind it: “The computing of society meets computing for society, so to speak,” says Ingmar Weber, Humboldt Professor of AI, who heads the "I2SC" together with political scientist Prof Dr Daniela Braun at the young department of Societal European Studies. The coupling of computer science and political science is "still relatively new in Germany" (Braun) and harbours challenges. However, despite their different research interests, the synergy effects of their collaboration outweigh the challenges.
Prof Braun at panel discussion on Franco-German relations
Prof Dr Daniela Braun was invited to take part in a panel discussion on the topic of “Franco-German relations in a changing Europe” on Saturday, 28 September. The event, organised as part of the alumni exchange of the members of the alumni Master GPRE e.V., took place from 13:00 to 15:30 in the Villa Europa, Kohleweg 7, 66123 Saarbrücken.
The panel of panellists consisted of:
- Dr Stefan Seidendorf, Deputy Director, Deutsch-Französisches Institut (dfi)
- Dieter Hackmann, Member of the Board for Special Tasks, Association of Franco-German Societies for Europe (VDFG) & Chairman Weimarer Dreieck e.V.
- Prof. Dr Daniela Braun, Professor of Political Science specialising in European Integration and International Relations, Saarland University
The discussion was moderated by Jerome Friedrichs and Maya von Thenen and co-organised by Nolwenn Etienne and Tim Georgi.
Here is a brief description of the topic of the discussion: Franco-German relations in a changing Europe
The recent elections to the EU Parliament have confirmed the unstoppable rise of right-wing parties as a pan-European trend on the one hand and triggered a political earthquake in France on the other. 20 years after the ‘eastward enlargement’, the EU is facing a series of new geopolitical questions and challenges, and its future seems more uncertain than ever. Even if Franco-German co-operation is still considered a key driving force in Europe, the EU is driven by a multitude of complex dynamics and the Franco-German friendship no longer seems to be Europe's guarantor. At a time of multiple crises, especially in light of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, we are once again reminded that European cohesion and solidarity must be actively practised. Together with experts from institutions and academia, we therefore want to explore the question: Quo vadis Franco-German relations? Quo vadis Europe?
The panel discussion was prepared by a workshop that took place on the same morning. The participants, consisting of around 25 alumni, including three DFH-sponsored degree programmes, were also sent two texts in advance for preparation. Participants were also invited to ask questions at any time.
The debate was very stimulating and there was a lot of positive feedback. It is to be hoped that many of the topics raised and possible solutions will be discussed further in various contexts.
The event concluded with a joint visit by all participants to the Historisches Museum Saar.
The Chair at the DVPW Congress in Göttingen
From 24 to 27 September, the congress of the German Political Science Association on “Politics in the Polycrisis” took place at the Georg August University in Göttingen. The chair took part in the congress and gave three presentations. Prof Braun also took part in a panel and a podium discussion.
UNTWIST at the European Conference on Politics and Gender
In July 2024, the UNTWIST teams participated in the European Conference on Politics and Gender in Cologne and presented a panel with research findings related to a better understanding of gender dynamics in voting for radical right-wing populist parties. Prof Dr Daniela Braun and Dr Giuseppe Carteny presented the following paper:
The salience of gender-related issues in European party manifestos
Welcome Day on 10. October
On 10 October, we will be welcoming new European Studies students to Saarland University from 10 a.m. in Building C3 1, Lecture Hall 1. At our Welcome Day, the new students will get to know the campus and the canteen and find out everything they need to know about the degree programme and their respective specialisations.
DVPW-Tagung 27.-28.03.2025: Bewerbungsfrist für BEITRÄGE und CLOSED PANELS bis 30. September 2024
Application procedure
After having received proposals for panels, we now open the second phase of the application procedure with a call for three categories of panels and papers. This application phase will end on September 30, 2024.
Paper submissions directed to one of the open panels (see below): Papers can be submitted to one of the panels proposed for the conference (see the list below). Paper submissions should include a title and an abstract of 250 words. Please send the paper proposals to the conference mail address tagung-dvpw-vergleich-2025(at)uni-saarland.de as well as to the respective panel chairs.
Papers unrelated to one of the panels: Paper proposals can also be directly sent to the conference organization team. We will then create panels that comprise thematically related papers. Please send the paper proposals to the conference mail address tagung-dvpw-vergleich-2025(at)uni-saarland.de.
Closed panel proposals: We also invite closed panel proposals. These should include a panel abstract, panel chairs as well as a maximum of 4 papers related to the scope of the panel with title and abstracts. Please send the panel proposals to the conference mail address tagung-dvpw-vergleich-2025(at)uni-saarland.de.
The team of organizers will inform submitters of papers and closed panels by October 11, 2024.
Please visit also the conference homepage for more information.
First results of Voto project published
The first results have now been published at the final discussion of the Voto project. Students from Saarland University presented these in the form of posters. For example, it emerged that even people on the left of the political spectrum can be in favour of border controls (poster) and that young people think of environmental issues as most important (poster). The influence of educational qualifications on the position (poster) (poster) and the influence of gender and age (poster) were also analysed.
Article in the Saarbrücker Zeitung
Abschlussdiskussion der Gender-Ringvorlesung
Die Ringvorlesung „Facetten der Vielfalt – Geschlechterforschung und ihre Bedeutung für die Gesellschaft“ findet am Mittwoch, den 24. Juli 2024, um 18 Uhr, ihren Abschluss im Rathausfestsaal Saarbrücken. Die zentralen Erkenntnisse der Vortragsreihe werden zusammengefasst und durch ein künstlerisches Rahmenprogramm ergänzt.
Im Sommersemester 2024 bot die Universität des Saarlandes unter der Leitung von Prof. Dr. Astrid Fellner und Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun eine öffentliche Ringvorlesung zur Genderforschung als Querschnittsdisziplin an. Organisiert wurde die Reihe vom Forum Geschlechterforschung, dem Gleichstellungsbüro, dem AK Queer und dem AStA der Universität, sowie externen Partnern wie dem Frauenbüro der Stadt Saarbrücken.
Am 24. Juli sind alle Interessierten eingeladen, einen Rückblick auf die zentralen Erkenntnisse der Ringvorlesung zu erhalten und neue Facetten der Geschlechterforschung zu entdecken. Neben den Organisatorinnen werden Juniorprofessorin Dr. Carola Fricke und Dr. des. Julia Pierzina über die Bedeutung von Gender in Raumplanung und Produktdesign sprechen. Der Abend wird von einer interaktiven Kunstaktion der Künstlerin Darja Linder begleitet.
Das „VOTO“-Wahlhilfe-Projekt: Abschlussevent mit Erkenntnissen zu den Kommunalwahlen in Merzig und Saarbrücken
Für die Kommunalwahlen im Saarland, die am 9. Juni stattfanden, wurde von der Fachrichtung für Gesellschaftswissenschaftliche Europaforschung an der Universität des Saarlandes eine Online-Wahlhilfe für die Städte Merzig und Saarbrücken entwickelt. Am Donnerstag, 18. Juli 2024, von 14.15 bis 15.45 Uhr, werden nun erste Erkenntnisse und Ergebnisse aus den Umfragerückmeldungen präsentiert.
Die an „VOTO Saarland“ beteiligten Vertreterinnen und Vertreter der Parteien sowie die Medien wurden hierzu bereits eingeladen. Weitere Interessierte Personen können sich bei Vinciane.Pilz(at)uni-saarland anmelden und erhalten dann nähere Informationen zum Ort der Abschlussveranstaltung.
Aufruf zur Einreichung von Beiträgen für DVPW-Tagung an der Universität des Saarlandes
Im März 2025 wird an der Universität des Saarlandes eine Tagung der Deutschen Vereinigung für Politikwissenschaft abgehalten. Die Veranstaltung unter dem Titel „Citizen’s trust and societal polarization in times of transformation. Comparative Perspectives from different world regions“ untersucht eines der drängendsten Probleme repräsentativer Demokratien: Das Ver- bzw. Misstrauen der Bürger:innen in "ihr" politisches System, in Institutionen und Politiker:innen.
EPSA-Konferenz in Köln
Vom 4. bis 6. Juli 2024 hat die 14. jährliche Konferenz der European Political Science Association im MediaPark Köln stattfinden. Der Lehrstuhl Prof. Braun hat ebenfalls am Kongress teilgenommen und dort vier Vorträge halten. Außerdem hat Dr. Rosa Navarette an einer Panel-Diskussion zu Parteiprogrammen teilgenommen.
„Ich bin Europa“: Videoprojekt in Kooperation mit der Staatskanzlei
Studierende der Universität des Saarlandes haben im Wintersemester 2023/24 unter der Leitung der Europa-Gastprofessorin Dr. habil. Claire Demesmay ihre Visionen von Europa entwickelt und diesen in einer Video-Performance Ausdruck verliehen. Der Beitrag wurde am 19. April 2024 auf dem Uni-Campus gedreht und von der saarländischen Staatskanzlei technisch und beratend unterstützt. Die von den Studierenden entwickelten Texte sind an die Performance „Ich bin Europa“ des Dramaturgen Falk Richter angelehnt. Im Vorfeld haben die Studierenden sich ein Semester lang im von Claire Demesmay angebotenen Seminar „Eine Vision von Europa – mediale Bilder verstehen und selbst gestalten“ mit der Analyse von Europa-Bildern der europäischen Integration und den damit verbundenen kulturellen und politischen Kontexten und Intentionen beschäftigt, um im Anschluss ihre eigenen Visionen von Europa zu gestalten.
New M.A. programme: "Spaces, politics and societies of Europe"
Our new degree programme "Spaces, Politics and Societies of Europe" starts in the winter semester. Qualify for a career with a European focus with this European Studies Master's programme, which combines human geography, political science and sociology!
Lifelong Learning Podcast of the UdS: A European view of Europe with Prof Daniela Braun
In the 51st episode of the Lifelong Learning Podcast, the hosts talk to Prof Daniela Braun about the European elections: How was it talked about in German and European public opinion and was it really about the EU? We ask whether it is even necessary to strive for a standardised electoral system in the EU - Daniela Braun says yes - and whether patience will help us here. In this episode, you can reflect with us on how "German" our view of the EU still is and why. You can learn which questions are of particular interest to European research with regard to this election and which future research projects will now follow.
Online Lunch Talk: Presentation of the new Franco-German degree programme "European and International Politics" on 21 June at 13:00
The winter semester 2024/25 will see the launch of the new Franco-German Master's degree programme in European and International Politics at the Chair of Comparative European Studies, which was created in cooperation with Sciences Po Strasbourg. Stefanie Thurm and Prof. Dr Georg Wenzelburger will introduce you to the programme and will be happy to answer your questions. The application deadline for the course is 15 July! Further information
All interested parties are cordially invited to the lunch talk on 21 June at 13:00. It will take place online via Teams.
New publication: "Giorgia on their minds: Vote switching to Fratelli d’Italia in the Italian general election of 2022"
The Fratelli d'Italia party became the strongest force in the Italian parliamentary elections in 2022. Until now, the party has been categorised in research as a populist right-wing party, but its electorate has remained unexplored. A new publication by Leonardo Pule, Giuseppe Carteny and Gianluca Piccolino examines whether the traditional explanations for the success of populist right-wing parties can also be applied to the FdI. They argue that in a contested field of competing populist parties, the evaluation of the party leadership plays a more important role in voting behaviour than programmatic or ideological considerations. Their results show that positive evaluations of FdI leader Giorgia Meloni were the most significant factor in the party's electoral success.
Presentation of the degree programme "European Studies: Politics - Law - Society" in the Campus Magazine
The campus magazine has published an article on the Bachelor's degree programme "European Studies: Politics - Law - Society". Students on the new degree programme and Prof. Daniela Braun, who co-initiated the course, were interviewed.
Cooperation agreement signed for new Franco-German study programme on European and international politics
The Franco-German degree programme "European and International Politics", which Saarland University and Sciences Po Strasbourg University are jointly offering for the first time in the winter semester 2024/25, leads to four academic degrees in five years. Students will take an in-depth look at European and international political issues and gain insights into geographical, historical, legal, social and economic backgrounds and dynamics. The programme comprises Bachelor's and Master's degrees on the German side and Master's and Diploma degrees on the French side. The cooperation agreement was signed on 6 June at the French Embassy to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.
Online Lunch Talk on the new Master's programme "Spaces, Politics and Societies of Europe"
The Department of European Social Studies invites you to an online lunch talk on 18 June 2024 at 13:00 on our new Master's programme "Spaces, Politics and Societies of Europe".
The Master's programme "Spaces, Politics and Societies of Europe" lies at the intersection of political science, sociology and geography. The Lunch Talk offers an overview of the empirical social and spatial science focus of the programme and provides information in particular on the structure, methodological focus and career opportunities. After a short input, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. The application for the winter semester starts on 1 June and runs until 31 August.
Link
ID: 389 196 935 564
Passcode: RLwJtB
Student assistants from 1 September 2024
As part of the EU-funded UNTWIST project, the Chair of Political Science with a focus on European Integration and International Relations is looking for a student assistant with 10 hours per week to support research activities from 1 September 2024. To apply, please send your CV and a letter of motivation (as a single pdf) to Giuseppe Carteny by 30 June 2024.
We are also looking for two assistants with 8 hours per week to support teaching and researchactivities. To apply, please send your CV and a letter of motivation (ideally also in one file) to Djamila Jabra by 30 June 2024.
Call for applications (UNTWIST)
Call for applications (teaching & research)
Article in Saarbrücker Zeitung on the open day and Prof Braun's talk on political opinion-forming
The Saarbrücker Zeitung reported on the open day at Saarland University. Prof Daniela Braun's talk on political opinion-forming and how it has changed in the age of social media and the internet was also discussed.
Talk: "Is there an Affective Component of Political Trust Ratings in Surveys?"
Date: 18.06.2024
Time: 16:30-18:00
Location: Building C1 7, Room 0.08
Part of the lecture series Politics in Europe
Dr Paul C. Bauer conducts research at the University of Freiburg (Institute of Political Science) and the LMU Munich (Institute of Statistics). He also heads a research project on trust measurement at the MZES Mannheim. His talk entitled "Is there an Affective Component of Political Trust Ratings in Surveys?" examines the influence of emotions on political trust based on open-ended audio responses analysed using AI to detect emotions.
Saarbrücker Zeitung reports on Voto
In the run-up to the "Super Election Sunday" (European and local elections), the Saarbrücker Zeitung reported on Voto, a voting aid for local elections, the Saarland version of which (available for Saarbrücken and Merzig) was developed at Saarland University by the political science departments of Prof Braun and Prof Wenzelburger. In Saarbrücken alone, Voto has now been used by more than 3000 voters. This means that the citizens of both cities now have the opportunity to easily compare their personal interests with the content of the current local election programmes of the parties represented.
Read the article
Voto Saarbrücken
Voto Merzig
New publication: "A matter of time, not generations: rising emotional attachment to the European Union 1991–2023. An age period cohort analysis"
Martin Schröder, Daniela Braun, Katrin Luisa Grimm, Martin Ulrich and Georg Wenzelburger have jointly published an article in the Journal of European Public Policy in which they analyse the assumption that younger generations have a stronger bond with the EU in times of increasing European integration. Using Eurobarometer data from 1991 to 2023, the authors show that not only younger generations, but all generations have developed a stronger bond with the EU over time. This suggests that there are no fixed "generations of Europeans", but that attachment to the EU is increasing for all generations.
Article in the Saarbrücker Zeitung on the conference at the UdS
The international conference "Emotional Dynamics of (In)security and Politics" will take place at Saarland University next week. The conference (11-13 June 2024) will examine the relationship between feelings of (in)security and emotional needs for protection as well as the political reactions to them. Prof Daniela Braun will moderate the second panel.
Prof Georg Wenzelburger and Alex Hartland, PhD., among others, were interviewed in a Saarbrücker Zeitung article on the conference.
Talk: "How motivated are parties and voters to get involved?"
On 9 June 2024, citizens will elect the European Parliament for the 10th time. The lecture will provide insights into political science research on European elections: Are European elections European? What are the reasons for the low voter turnout? What expectations can be formulated for the 2024 elections?
Prof Daniela Braun will address these questions during Saarland University's Open Day on 8 June in her talk entitled: "How motivated are parties and voters to get involved?"
Information on the Bachelor of European Studies at the Open Day
On Saarland University's Open Day on 8 June, the Cluster for European Studies (CEUS) will be running an information stand on the Bachelor of European Studies at the Campus Center from 10:00 to 16:00. If you want to study a versatile and future-orientated subject and are interested in international contexts across disciplines, the Bachelor of European Studies is the right programme for you.
There will also be a talk in Building B3 2, Room 0.03 from 13:00 to 14:00. It will provide information about the structure and content of the degree programme and the possible specialisations, as well as career opportunities. Afterwards, questions can be asked about the degree programme and the specialisations on offer.
Further information about the information stand
Further information on the talk
Talk on the Open Day: "European elections in danger?"
Date: 8 June
Time: 10:30 to 11 a.m.
Location: Building E1 3, Room 0.02
Can AI and fake news jeopardise elections? How does political opinion-forming work in times of social media and AI-generated content? How can their influence be measured? Political science professor and European policy expert Daniela Braun will get to the bottom of these questions together with Humboldt Professor of Artificial Intelligence Ingmar Weber. They discuss the opportunities and risks of digital technologies for European democracies.
Interview mit Prof. Braun in der Saarbrücker Zeitung: „Alles Negative wird auf EU-Ebene geschoben“
Am 9. Juni 2024 wird ein neues Europäisches Parlament gewählt. Prof. Daniela Braun gab der Saarbrücker Zeitung ein Interview zu den anstehenden Wahlen. Im Gespräch mit der Zeitung diskutierte sie verschiedene Aspekte der Europawahlen und der Europäischen Union im Allgemeinen. Dabei ging es um Fragen der demokratischen Legitimation, der Rolle des Europäischen Parlaments und der nationalen Regierungen sowie der Bedeutung der Wahlen für die Bürgerinnen und Bürger.
Eines der besprochenen Themen war, ob es ein Demokratie-Defizit der EU gibt, insbesondere im Hinblick auf die Sitzverteilung im Europäischen Parlament. Prof. Braun betonte auch die Wichtigkeit der Europawahlen und ermutigte die Bürgerinnen und Bürger, wählen zu gehen. Sie erklärte, dass das Europäische Parlament in fast allen Politikbereichen mitentscheide und dass die Wahlen eine Möglichkeit seien, die eigene Stimme hörbar zu machen.
Talk: "Gender in Political Science: Europe - Climate - Security"
Date: 29.05.2024
Time: 18:00-20:00
Location: Building E2 5, Lecture Hall II
On 29 May 2024, the talk "Gender in Political Science: Europe - Climate - Security" by Prof Daniela Braun and Djamila Jabra, M.A. will take place. The lecture will shed light on the role of gender research in political science and will focus in particular on the importance of feminist approaches to the study of European policy issues, climate conflicts and security measures.
The lecture is part of the Gender Lecture Series "Facets of Diversity: Gender Research and its Significance for Society".
VOTO - Wahlhilfe für Saarbrücken und Merzig ist jetzt ONLINE!
VOTO, die digitale Wahlhilfe für die Kommunalwahlen in Saarbrücken und Merzig ist jetzt online. Die beiden politikwissenschaftlichen Lehrstühle Prof. Daniela Braun und Prof. Georg Wenzelburger haben das Tool speziell für die Kommunalwahlen in Saarbrücken und Merzig entwickelt. Damit haben die Bürgerinnen und Bürger der beiden Städte nun die Möglichkeit, ihre persönlichen Interessen mit den Inhalten der aktuellen örtlichen Wahlprogramme der vertretenen Parteien einfach abzugleichen. Die Saarbrücker Zeitung hat einen ausführlichen Bericht über die Entwicklung, die Inhalte und den Nutzen von VOTO verfasst, der hier nachgelesen werden kann: Bericht Saarbrücker Zeitung_Online-Wahlhilfe in Saarbrücken und Merzig_15.05.2024
Die VOTO-Wahlhilfe steht online unter folgenden Links zur Verfügung:
Das VOTO-Projekt dient der politischen Bildung, verfolgt keinerlei kommerzielle Interessen, ist kostenlos und politisch neutral.
Talk and debate: "Germany before the European elections"
03 June 2024, 6 pm
Europaallee 8, 66113 Saarbrücken
Against the backdrop of the upcoming European elections, Stiftung Demokratie Saarland is organising an introductory event on the topic of European elections. In their joint lecture ‘Germany before the European elections’, Prof Daniela Braun and Prof Markus Tausendpfund will provide an introduction to and an overview of the topic of EU elections. In terms of content, they will look at various modalities and aspects accompanying the European elections. They will look at the EU election programmes and identify their theses: are they predominantly national or European in nature? At the end, the audience will be invited to discuss the question: ‘Are European elections actually European elections?’.
International Political Science Conference: Emotional Dynamics of (In)security and Politics
At the conference (11-13 June 2024) the relationship between feelings of (in)security and emotional protection needs as well as the political responses to them will be examined. Prof. Bethany Albertson (The University of Texas at Austin) has been secured as keynote speaker and will give her lecture entitled ‘What Counts as Protection in an Age of Insecurity?’ on 11 June 2024 at 6 pm. The final lecture on 13 June will be given by Prof. Iryna Hubeladze (Institute for Social and Political Psychology of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine) with the title ‘Sense of Security and Civic Responsibility: The Identity of Ukrainians in the Conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian War’.
Prof Daniela Braun will host the second panel. The event is organised by the Chair of Political Science and Comparative European Studies at Saarland University. There is no conference fee. If you have any questions, please contact the organising team Dr Beatriz Carbone and Prof. Dr Georg Wenzelburger.
Vortrag von Beate Klünder, NABU e. V.
Im Rahmen der Vorlesung im Kernbereich des BA Europawissenschaften "Europäische Integration und politische Instrumente"( Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun), findet ein Vortrag zum Thema „Interessengruppen und Lobbyismus im EU-Mehrebenensystem aus der Perspektive des NABU“ mit anschließender Diskussion statt. Der Vortrag wird gehalten von Beate Klünder, die als persönliche Referentin des Fachbereichsleiters Klima- und Umweltpolitik, NABU – Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. in Berlin tätig ist.
Der Vortrag richtet sich insbesondere an die Studierenden der Fachrichtung Gesellschaftswissenschaftliche Europaforschung, welche herzlich zur Teilnahme eingeladen sind: Dienstag, 07.05.2024 ,14:15-16:45 Uhr, Raum 0.23, Gebäude C5.3.
Online voting aid VOTO
This year is a super election year: on 9 June 2024, not only will the European elections take place, but local elections will also be held at the same time in some German federal states - including Saarland.
Especially for this occasion, Saarland University is currently developing an online voting aid similar to the Wahl-O-Mat: ‘VOTO’. This online tool is intended to offer citizens the opportunity to compare their political preferences with the local parties' electoral offerings in order to obtain an overview of the range of local political options available to them.
SWR2-Interview mit Prof. Daniela Braun: Warum wir EU-Politik oft langweilig finden
Prof. Daniela Braun wurde am 03.05.2024 von SWR Aktuell-Moderator Pascal Fournier interviewt. Thema des Gesprächs im Rahmen des Formats „Aktuell“ war die im Juni bevorstehende Europawahl. Denn gemäß einer Infratest dimap-Umfrage, interessiert sich nur knapp die Hälfte der Deutschen Bevölkerung dafür. Warum das so ist, welche Bedeutung sie für uns im Alltag haben, wer sich besonders für Europathemen interessiert und was man ändern kann - darüber haben sie hier gesprochen: Zum SWR2-Interview. Das Interview wurde am 03.05.2024 um 12:00 Uhr auf SWR2 ausgestrahlt.
Talk by Prof Daniela Braun in Heidelberg
On 3 May, Prof. Daniela Braun will give a talk at the Europe Weeks organised by the Franco-German Cultural Circle in her former place of study, Heidelberg. The talk is entitled "The 2024 European elections - a Franco-German analysis in the run-up" and will take place in the Friedrich-Ebert-Haus from 18:00. It will be followed by a drink in the bakery. In her talk , Prof Daniela Braun will compare the German and French perspectives on the European elections: What are the differences in the process, what expectations are associated with the elections in the two countries and are European elections European?
Panel discussion "Why gender studies?"
On 8 May, the panel discussion "Why gender studies?" will take place in the Ratshausfestsaal Saarbrücken from 6 to 8 pm. The panel discussion is part of the lecture series "Facets of Diversity - Gender Research and its Significance for Society" and the UdS Diversity Weeks 2024. It will be followed by a comic reading by Elisabeth Pich.
Guests:
- Prof Andrea Geier (CePoG Trier)
- Prof Ulrike Zöller (htw saar)
- Prof Astrid Fellner (UdS)
- L Crescimone (Queer-Referat AStA UdS)
- Dr Sybille Jung (Equal Opportunities Office UdS)
Moderation: Dr Lisa Juliane Schneider (Women's Representative LH Saarbrücken)
Event info: Prof. Michaela Maier (RPTU): "Shades of EU scepticism 2024"
As part of the lecture series "Politics in Europe" of the joint political science colloquium of the chairs of Prof. Dr Daniela Braun and Prof. Dr Georg Wenzelburger, a lecture will take place on 2 May 2024.
Prof Dr Michaela Maier is Professor of Communication Psychology at the Institute of Communication Psychology and Media Education at the Rhineland-Palatinate University of Technology Kaiserslautern-Landau. In her lecture entitled "Shades of EU secpticism 2024", she summarises how Eurosceptic and pro-European parties strategically communicated their respective positions during the election campaign for the last European elections and compares the results with materials from the current election campaign.
Lecture: "What data and AI reveal about the world - new opportunities and risks"
Prof Dr Daniela Braun and Prof Dr Ingmar Weber will give a lecture entitled "What data and AI reveal about the world - new opportunities and risks" on 24 April from 6 to 8 p.m. in building E1 7 on the UdS campus. The interdisciplinary lecture serves as an excursion destination for the course "ChatGPT and co - Understanding Artificial Intelligence" organised by the Protestant Academy in Saarland.
Lecture: "European elections 2024 - how motivated are the parties and voters to get involved?"
As part of the Open Day programme, Prof Dr Braun will give an insight into political science. The European elections will take place in Germany on 9 June 2024. Against this background, we would like to look at the motivations of voters as well as the parties standing for election on the previous day. These elections are the only direct elections at European level. They were introduced over forty years ago to strengthen the importance of the parliament in the institutional system of the European Union (EU) and at the same time to increase the democratic legitimacy of the confederation of states. At the same time, these elections are known for their characterisation as less important elections with comparatively low voter turnout and little interest on the part of the population. The lecture will take place from 12:00 in room 0.03, building B3 2.
Presentation in Spain on political parties in border regions
From 1 to 5 April, Dr. Rosa Navarrete attended the Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain) with funding from the Erasmus+ Staff Training Mobility program. During her stay she engaged in teaching and research activities and presented her work done in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun, Dr. Giuseppe Carteny, Dr. Alexander Hartland and Djamila Jabra about political parties in border regions in the context of the lecture series of the Research Group "Elites and Political Actors".
Series of lectures: "Politics in Europe"
As part of a joint political science colloquium of the chairs of Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun (focus on European Integration and International Relations) and Prof. Dr. Georg Wenzelburger (Comparative European Studies) of the Department of European Social Research and the Cluster for European Studies CEUS, the lecture series "Politics in Europe" will take place again in the summer semester with three contributions:
02.05.2024, 16:30-18:00, Building B3 1, Room 0.13
Prof. Michaela Maier (RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau)
Shades of EU scepticism 2024
Event information
18.06.2024, 16:30-18:00, Building C1 7, Room 0.08
Dr. Paul C. Bauer (Uni Freiburg)
Is there an Affective Component of Political Trust Ratings in Surveys?
Event information will follow shortly
25.07.2024,16:30-18:00, Building B3 1, Room 0.13
Dr. Martin Gross (LMU München)
How Salient is Cohesion Policy for Regional Governments? Empirical Evidence from Germany
Event information
Interested parties are cordially invited to attend. Please register in advance at vinciane.pilz(at)uni-saarland.de.
"Who cares about Europe?" - Dossier of the bpb
What is the state of public support for the EU? How do international crises influence political trust? And how are the EU institutions perceived? These questions are addressed in a dossier by Prof Daniela Braun, published by the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) under the title "Who cares about Europe: Public opinion on the European Union and its elections".
Podcast episode of the State Agency for Civic Education of Baden-Württemberg with Prof Daniela Braun
For the "Politisch bildet" podcast, the State Agency for Civic Education of Baden-Württemberg has invited Prof Daniela Braun as a discussion partner. The episode entitled "European elections 2024: Are the European elections European enough?" focuses on the relevance of the European elections for the population, the effects of the lowered voting age in the upcoming European elections this year and, of course, the question of how European the European elections are. Towards the end, Prof Braun will give tips to first-time voters on how to make the decision to vote easier. Prof Braun wrote an analysis on the topic for the state agency's magazine "Deutschland & Europa" last year.
Lectures for the public lecture series "Facets of diversity - gender research and its significance for society" have been announced
The lecture series "Facets of Diversity - Gender Research and its Significance for Society" is organised by Prof Daniela Braun and Prof Astrid Fellner and is part of the Diversity Week programme initiated by the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Management Office. In terms of content, it poses questions, offers answers and aims to illuminate and discuss the significance of various diversity factors in science and society. Based on the latest findings from feminist theory, gender, queer and trans studies as well as empirical gender research, selected experts from various research areas will provide an insight into recent research areas and current research approaches in the humanities, cultural studies, social sciences, law and natural sciences. Exciting findings from current research projects will be explained and the significance of this research and its findings for society will be demonstrated. The events are open to all interested parties without registration and are free of charge.
The lectures of the public lecture series have been published in a press release.
Information on the overall programme of Diversity Week 2024 can be found here.
Further information
UACES panel discussion with Prof Daniela Braun
The University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES) is hosting a panel discussion on 27 March 2024 entitled "Beyond the Ballot Box: Domestic Politics & the Future of the European Union", in which Prof Daniela Braun will participate. The webinar will focus on the upcoming European elections and how the challenges of the last five years will affect the election and what influence domestic events and elections of the individual EU member states will have.
Djamila Jabra elected as ECIB spokesperson
From 20 to 22 March 2024, the 17th Early Career Conference on International Relations of the DVPW took place at the Academy for Political Education in Tutzing. Djamila Jabra, M.A. gave a presentation entitled "From Warnings to Wars - A Comprehensive Review of IPCC Reports on Climate and Conflicts" as part of her doctoral project. She was also elected to the team of speakers of the Early Career Group International Relations (ECIB).
Interview with Prof Daniela Braun on Saarländischer Rundfunk
An interview with Prof Daniela Braun was featured in the "Aktueller Bericht" programme on Saarländischer Rundfunk on 21 March 2024 on the topic of crises. Prof Braun spoke about the influence of crises on politics, to what extent they pose a threat, but also to what extent they offer opportunities to enable a rethink. The programme is available in German in the ARD media library, the report starts at minute 14:00, the interview at 16:45.
Programme in the ARD media library
EU project ActEU turns one year old
The Horizon-funded EU project ActEU has now been running for a year. Prof Daniela Braun and Dr Alex Hartland will present the first results in June at the conference Emotional Dynamics of (In)security and Politics at Saarland University, in July at the annual EPSA conference in Cologne and in September at the DVPW Congress in Göttingen.
The ActEU project aims to find answers to the following questions: How can we conceptualise and empirically measure political trust and legitimacy beyond the usual survey question "How much trust do you have in the Parliament?"? Does the multi-level nature of European representative democracies require an identical level of support from citizens at regional, national and EU level? To what extent does social polarisation on key political issues of our time - immigration, climate change and gender inequality - challenge political trust in democratic political systems and their legitimacy? And what can political decision-makers and civil society do to overcome these challenges?
Presentation of the "ProConEU" project at the Conference of European Affairs Ministers
On 20 March 2024, the project "ProConEU - Proponents and Opponents of the European Union: The Consequences of an Increasing Divide in Europe" of the BMBF funding line "Cohesion in Europe" will be presented at the meeting of the Standing Working Group of the Conference of European Affairs Ministers. The aim of the project, led by Prof Dr Daniela Braun, was to investigate the consequences of increasing division in and for Europe in the areas of party politics, the behaviour and attitudes of the electorate and the new social media.
New seminar on the 2024 European elections
As part of the seminar "The 2024 European Elections: Issues, Parties and Voters", students at Saarland University, led by Prof Dr Daniela Braun, will be developing topics for the online voting tool Voto (similar to Wahl-O-Mat).
The European elections are (so far) characterised as so-called "second-order elections": i.e. they are characterised by low participation and low interest among the population. At the same time, however, more and more Eurosceptic parties are winning these elections and political decisions are increasingly being made at EU level. In this respect, public attention may have increased as a result. Against this background, we will take a closer look at the election campaign, voting behaviour, the parties and the voters around the European elections.
The seminar is part of a block seminar entitled "Super election year 2024 in Saarland: European and local elections" with Prof. Dr Georg Wenzelburger, in whose seminar theses on local political issues will be developed.
Talk by Prof Braun at the practical day of the Master of Public Policy programme at the University of Duisburg-Essen
At the practical day of the Master of Public Policy at the University of Duisburg-Essen on 6 March 2024, Prof. Daniela Braun will give a talk entitled "Elections in the EU: European Institutions, Parties and Policies". This will be followed by a discussion with the audience. The practical day with the topic "Super election year 2024: Elections in Germany, the EU and worldwide" will take place at the NRW School of Governance.
Full programme of the practical day
Facets of diversity: gender research and its significance for society
Prof. Dr Daniela Braun and Prof. Dr Astrid M. Fellner
Every wednesday 18-20h c.t. (17.04. to 24.07.)
Location: Town hall and UdS campus (Building B3 2, Room 0.03)
In cooperation with the Gender Studies Forum of the UdS, the Equal Opportunities Office of the UdS, the Queer Working Group of the UdS, the ZelL, the htw, the Women's Office of the City of Saarbrücken and the FrauenGenderBibliothek Saar
What actually is gender research? What does it deal with? And why is the consideration of gender and other diversity factors an important aspect of many scientific disciplines and why is this important for society? To what extent are other dimensions of social, ethnic, cultural and sexual differentiation processes connected? The interdisciplinary lecture series "Facets of Diversity: Gender Research and its Significance for Society" poses questions, offers answers and aims to shed light on and discuss the significance of various diversity factors in science and society. Based on the latest findings from feminist theory, gender, queer and trans studies as well as empirical gender research, selected experts from various research areas will provide an insight into recent research areas and current research approaches in the humanities, cultural studies, social sciences, law and natural sciences.
BGA European Committee event with Prof. Daniela Braun
The European Committee of the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA), which represents the interests of the German economy, is organising a digital exchange on 5 March 2024 with Prof. Daniela Braun as keynote speaker.
The event, chaired by BGA Vice President and Committee Chairman Till Blässinger, will focus on the European elections on 9 June and questions about the future of the European Union: How must the EU be shaped so that trust in it grows again? How can we achieve long-term stability, less bureaucracy and a competitive economic area? The aim of the event is for as many companies as possible that are members of the BGA to enter into a constructive dialogue with the European level in order to increase interest in the elections and exchange views on current forecasts.
Further information (in German)
Event information: Presentation of Prof Dr Armin Schäfer
The lecture of Dr Armin Schäfer (Uni Mainz): 'Sore losers? Populism and the acceptance of election results in Europe' on 23 January 2023, 16:30-18:00, Building B3 2, HS 0.03 as part of the lecture series 'Politics in Europe' of the joint political science colloquium of the chairs of Prof. Dr Daniela Braun and Prof. Dr Georg Wenzelburger is CANCELED!
Prof Dr Armin Schäfer has been a Professor of Comparative Politics at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz since April 2022. He began his academic career by studying political science and economics at the Philipps University of Marburg. After completing his studies, he earned his doctorate at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne in 2004 and then worked as a research assistant at the University of Bremen.
In 2014, Armin Schäfer completed his habilitation at the Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg and accepted a professorship in political science specialising in 'International Comparative Political Economy' at the University of Osnabrück. He later moved to the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, specialising in comparative politics, and returned to the MPI as a visiting researcher. Armin Schäfer has also been the spokesperson for the Political Economy section since 2012 and a member of the board of the German Political Science Association since 2015.
Tagesschau interview with Daniela Braun: How trust in politics can be restored
In a personal interview with Corinna Emundts, federal political correspondent for tagesschau.de, Prof Daniela Braun looks back on the political year of the 'traffic light' coalition and, against the backdrop of the last budget debates, examines the question of whether politics, and the coalition in particular, is experiencing a crisis of confidence – and if so, what could be the reason for this and what could be done to change it.
New publication on "How European are the European elections?"
In their article published in the Zeitschrift für Gemeinschaftskunde, Geschichte und Wirtschaft, Prof Dr Daniela Braun and Prof Dr Markus Tausendpfund explore the question of how European the European elections are.
"From 6 to 9 June 2024, the citizens of the European Union (EU) will be asked to elect the European Parliament (EP) for the tenth time. MEPs have been directly elected since 1979. The aim of these elections was to strengthen the role of the Parliament in the EU's institutional system and to address the much-cited democratic deficit in the EU. Nevertheless, since their introduction, the European elections have been known for their secondary election character" Full article
Policy webinar "Europe has the choice - programmes and economic perspectives for the future of Europe" with Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun
On Tuesday, 05.12.2023 from 10:00-16:00 there will be a policy webinar organised by ISWA on the above lecture.
The webinar, organised by the Institute for Social and Economic Policy Education (ISWA), will focus on the upcoming European elections and the fundamental question: What are the priorities that European policy should focus on? Various topics will be discussed with experts from politics, business, science and the media. Prof. Dr Daniela Braun, Professor of Political Science with a focus on European Integration and International Relations at Saarland University, together with Dr Manuel Müller, Senior Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) and founder of the blog The (European) Federalist, Helsinki (Finland), will discuss the topic of forecasts for majorities in the European Parliament - significance for decision-making, economic policy and Europe as a business location.
Further information and registration
Dialogue evening on the climate crisis, transformation and democracy
As part of the "Baustelle Nachhaltigkeit" lecture series, Jonas Schaible, Spiegel editor and author of the book "Demokratie im Feuer. Warum wir die Freiheit nur bewahren, wenn wir das Klima retten - und umgekehrt" will be speaking on Wednesday, 6 December from 6 p.m. in the main hall of the vhs-Zentrum at the Schloss (Am Schloßplatz 2, 66119 Saarbrücken, 1st floor) on the topic of the climate crisis, transformation and democracy.
In the subsequent discussion with Dr Frank Nägele, Saarland Commissioner for Structural Change, Jörn Didas, Director of the Adolf Bender Centre and Prof. Dr Daniela Braun, political scientist at Saarland University, these and other questions will be explored in greater depth. Ulrike Dausend, Network Coordinator of the One World Promoter Programme in Saarland and Managing Director of NES e.V., will moderate the event.
Student assistant in the EU-funded project ActEU to start on 15 January 2024
As part of the EU-funded project ActEU, the Chair of Political Science with a focus on European Integration and International Relations is looking for a student assistant with 8 hours per week to support research activities from 15 January 2024.
To apply, please send your CV and a letter of motivation (as a single pdf) with the subject "Student Assistant Application" to Alex Hartland by 30 November 2023.Call for applications
Event information: Dr Isabelle Guinaudeau (Science Po Paris): "Mandates, Pledge fulfilment and Representation in France and Germany"
Lecture on 21 November 2023, 16:15-17:45, Building B3 2, HS 0.03 as part of the lecture series "Politics in Europe" of the joint political science colloquium of the chairs of Prof. Dr Daniela Braun and Prof. Dr Georg Wenzelburger.
Dr Isabelle Guinaudeau holds a double degree in social sciences from Sciences Po Bordeaux and the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Stuttgart. She also completed a Master's degree in German language, literature and culture at the Université de Strasbourg. She completed her Franco-German doctorate in political science at Sciences Po Bordeaux and the University of Stuttgart with summa cum laude honours. In addition to her position as a CNRS researcher at Sciences Po Paris, she is a visiting professor at the University of Zurich.
Her research focuses on comparative politics, party competition, European integration, parties in policymaking and policy analysis. In recent years, she has been studying, among other things, public support for European integration in a comparison of time and countries, the conditions for the implementation of electoral programmes, contemporary changes in political parties in a Franco-German comparison and the significance of party programmes in policy-making.
Interested parties are cordially invited to register in advance at Vinciane Pilz.View complete programme
Student assistant to begin on 15 January 2024
The Chair of Prof. Dr Daniela Braun for Political Science with a focus on European Integration and International Relations in the Department of European Social Research has a vacancy for a student assistant (without a degree) for eight hours per week from 15 January 2024.
To apply, please send your CV and letter of motivation in one file to Vinciane Pilz by 30 November 2023.
Lecture series "Politics in Europe"
As part of a joint political science colloquium of the chairs of Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun (focus on European Integration and International Relations) and Prof. Dr. Georg Wenzelburger (Comparative European Studies) of the Department of European Social Research and the Cluster for European Studies CEUS, the lecture series "Politics in Europe" will take place in the winter semester with three contributions (see poster).
Interested parties are cordially invited to attend. Please register in advance at Vinciane Pilz.
Lecture "Representative democracy in decline"
On October 19, Alex Hartland gave his lecture "Representative democracy in decline" at Fraunhofer ISI. He presented an overview of the ActEU project.
The ISI lecture series bundles exciting topics from the Fraunhofer ISI portfolio and offers opportunities for discussion and exchange at regular intervals.
CEUS Conference "Border Regions as Laboratories for European Research"
On 9 and 10 October 2023, the interdisciplinary conference of the CEUS (Cluster for European Research) took place at the Villa Europa in Saarbrücken with the theme "Border Regions as Laboratories of European Research". The starting point was the assumption that Europe's political, social, legal, historical, cultural and linguistic fault lines become more prominent in inner-European border regions, as became clear, for example, during the so-called "refugee crisis" and the Corona pandemic, when border regions were particularly affected by controls or even border closures. However, quite independently of these crisis phases, it can be assumed that in such inner-European border regions certain developments that are given within Europe or the multi-level system of the EU are more prominent (e.g. support for politics in Europe; identification with the EU; European party politics).
Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun was the moderator of the conference and Dr. Rosa Navarrete, Dr. Giuseppe Carteny, Dr. Alex Hartland and Djamila Jabra, M.A. also participated from the chair team.
TEPSA Training: "Inside the European Parliament"
Prof. Daniela Braun will participate in the Trans European Policy Studies Association's online seminar from 11-13 October 2023. 20 students will have an opportunity to gain first-hand insights from researchers, EU practitioners, and policymakers on the functioning of the European Parliament, its role in the complex architecture of EU governance, and the role of youth electoral participation. The event takes place in the framework of the ActEU project.
New publication by Dr Rosa M. Navarrete
"Protecting the climate to challenge the centre? Secessionism and climate policy preferences in Catalonia"
Climate policy is mostly ruled by national governments, which in multi-level systems creates tensions with sub-national tiers. In this research, the authors analyse whether the salience of climate change in the manifestos of parties competing in the 2017 and 2021 Catalan regional elections varies between them and if these differences are associated with the aforementioned cleavage. The empirical findings reveal that the prominence given to climate change in the manifestos of the parties studied tends to be higher the more pro-periphery the positions of parties are, and the more salient decentralisation and independence.
Interview series "life after the PhD": Alex Hartland
"Life after the PhD" is a series of interviews conducted with former University of Manchester postgraduate students, discussing the multiple paths available for students once they finish their doctoral research. In this issue, a summary of the conversation with Alex Hartland is presented, who finished his PhD in Politics at the University of Manchester to take on a role as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Saarland, Germany.
New article by Prof. Daniela Braun in the Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft
"Arising calls for national sovereignty in times of European crises and the political Zeitenwende"
The recent periods of multiple crises go hand in hand with calls for more national sovereignty. Drawing on data provided by the Manifesto Project, this contribution seeks to study empirically how widespread the wish to ‘take back control’ is reflected through political parties all over Europe. We show that although ‘sovereignist’ issues across EU member states were not among the political top priorities in the past, parties’ issue emphasis has increased in the shadow of the last decade’s multiple crises. On top of that, we argue that sovereignist aspirations have the potential to further increase alongside upcoming international challenges. In particular, events such as the Russian-Ukrainian war and the declared Zeitenwende may raise calls for more national sovereignty.
Read article or download article
Lecture by Prof. Daniela Braun
"How can we Measure, Study and Improve Citizens' Dissatisfaction with Representative Democracy in the EU's Multi-level System?" - Prof. Daniela Braun will give a lecture on this topic on 19 September 2023 from 12-13:30. This will provide an insight into the ActEU project funded by Horizon Europe.
The event will take place in building A 5 6 in room A 231. Further information
Dr Rosa Navarrete in a podcast on the situation in Spain
Spain does not yet have a majority capable of governing. The separatist Carles Puigdemont and his party could now be decisive.
Detektor.fm presenter Nina Potzel spoke with Dr Rosa Navarrete about the political situation in Spain. She comments on the situation in the podcast "Government with separatists?".
New research institute "Interdisciplinary Institute for Societal Computing (I2SC)"
On 7 and 8 September 2023, the "Interdisciplinary Institute for Societal Computing (I2SC)" will be inaugurated at Saarland University with a two-day symposium. The institute promotes interdisciplinary research at Saar University and offers a platform for exchange between social sciences, humanities and computer sciences. It is headed by Ingmar Weber, Humboldt Professor of Artificial Intelligence, and Daniela Braun, Professor of Political Science. Read full article
Official announcement of the new focus of the Bachelor's degree programme in European Studies "Politics - Law - Society"
How does the interaction of political institutions in Europe work? What influence do national governments have? And how do culture and economy differ in the individual EU member states? These are the questions that the new focus of the Bachelor's programme in European Studies examines, concentrating on politics, law and society in Europe. Enrolment in the admission-free degree programme is still possible until 30 September. This article officially announces the new specialisation.
Dr. Rosa Navarrete talks to BBC about the election results in Spain
Dr. Rosa Navarrete is a research assistant at the Chair of Political Science with a focus on European Integration and International Relations in the Department of European Social Research. She is an expert in the field of politics in Spain and was interviewed by the BBC about the results and their interpretation in the context of the current electoral events in Spain.
Translation by Dr. Navarrete in English
Presentation of the degree programme "European Studies: Politics - Law - Society (B.A.)"
Three questions - three answers: in this video, Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun, Prof. Dr. Georg Wenzelburger and Prof. Dr. Martin Schröder introduce the Bachelor's programme "European Studies" with a specialisation in Politics - Law - Society at Saarland University. They answer the questions: "What can I expect during my studies?", "Why should I study in Saarbrücken?" and "What job opportunities will I have afterwards?".
Event information: Prof. Dr. Joachim Schild (University of Trier): "Deutsch-französische Beziehungen in der Zeitwende"
Lecture as part of the series "Politik in Europa" on 13.07.2023, 16:30-18 h, Building B2 2, HS II (R. 1.08)
Prof. Dr. Joachim Schild of the University of Trier will give his lecture as a part of the series "Politik in Europa", which is organised as part of the political science colloquium of the two chairs of political science Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun (focus on European Integration and International Relations) and Prof. Dr. Georg Wenzelburger (Comparative European Politics) of the Department of European Social Research and the Cluster for European Studies CEUS.
The speaker, Prof. Dr. Joachim Schild, is Professor of Political Science/Comparative Politics at the University of Trier. His research focuses on French European policy, Franco-German relations, political economy of European integration and the political system of the V French Republic.
Interested persons are cordially invited, pre-registration to Vinciane.Pilz(at)uni-saarland.de is requested.
Event information: Dr. Katjana Gattermann (University of Amsterdam): "The personalization of politics in the European Union"
Lecture by Dr. Katjana Gattermann (University of Amsterdam) as part of the series "Politik in Europa" on 20.06.2023, 16:30-18:00, Building B3 1, R. 0.14.
Dr. Katjana Gattermann from the University of Amsterdam will give her lecture in the lecture series "Politik in Europa", which is organised as part of the political science colloquium of the two chairs of political science Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun (focus on European Integration and International Relations) and Prof. Dr. Georg Wenzelburger (Comparative European Politics) of the Department of European Social Research and the Cluster for European Studies CEUS.
The speaker, Dr Katjana Gattermann, is a researcher at the University of Amsterdam in the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, specialising in Political Communication and Journalism. Research interests include political communication, political behaviour, public opinion, journalism and legislative behaviour with a regional focus on the European Union. Her work addresses issues concerning the relationship between representatives and representatives and, in particular, the unifying role of the media in this relationship, thus feeding into debates on the legitimacy and accountability of politics.
Interested persons are cordially invited to attend. Please register in advance at Vinciane.Pilz(at)uni-saarland.de.
Prof. Daniela Braun is a member of the CEUS Board of Directors
As the central academic institution of Saarland University, the Cluster for European Studies (CEUS) offers European researchers at the University an interdisciplinary platform for exchanging ideas, networking and implementing joint research and project ideas. The board of directors is composed of three interdisciplinary members of the college, each of whom belongs to one of the three participating faculties (Empirical Human Sciences and Economics HW, Faculty of Philosophy P, Faculty of Law R).
We are pleased to welcome Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Hermann Schmitt as a visiting scholar at Saarland University!
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Hermann Schmitt's research interests include the following:
- Party democracy, in particular the conditions and mechanisms of the responsiveness of political parties to changes in the policy preferences of their electorates
- European elections (which he, together with Karl-Heinz Reif, first characterised as "second-order elections" in 1980)
- Questions of political representation
- Public opinion, especially the emergence of policy moods and the problem of non-attitudes
He examines these questions with regard to German politics and the multi-level system of the European Union, but also in international comparison. Methodologically, this mostly involves international comparative survey analyses and quantitative content analyses, as well as the linking of both. For a long time, he was one of the main authors ofEuropean Election Studies.
His habilitation (venia legendi for political science) took place at the Free University of Berlin and at the University of Mannheim, his doctorate in social sciences (Dr. sc. pol.) at the University of Duisburg. Hermann Schmitt is Professor Emeritus of Electoral Politicsat the University of Manchester and is a Research Fellowat the Mannheim Centre for European Social Research (MZES).
New publication by Dr. Rosa M. Navarrete and Marc Debus: "The Importance of EU Issues in German Elections"
The decision-making processes employed by German politicians and voters in elections to the German Bundestag matter decisively for policy-making at the European level. When casting their vote, German voters choose their representatives and are in a position to use federal elections to keep European Union (EU) policy accountable and better defend their national interests. Nevertheless, the German press and political parties—with the exception of those on the radical right, like the Alternative for Germany (AfD—Alternative für Deutschland)—tend not to use EU issues to mobilize voters and do not politicize EU integration policy. This pro-European vocation would suggest there is no place for EU issue voting in Germany; however, this is not the case. This contribution disentangles the apparent consensus about the EU and assesses the nuances that indicate the Europeanization of German elections.
Series of lectures: "Politik in Europa"
In the summer semester 2023, the lecture series "Politik in Europa" will take place as part of a joint colloquium of the two chairs of political science Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun (focus on European Integration and International Relations) and Prof. Dr. Georg Wenzelburger (Comparative European Politics) - both political science chairs at the Cluster for European Studies CEUS. Event poster
Unfortunately, the lecture by Ms Isabelle Guinaudeau announced for 11.05.2023 had to be cancelled at short notice. A colloquium of our political science chairs of the Department of European Social Research of the CEUS Cluster is planned again for the winter semester 23/24, in which she will present her lecture. As soon as the planning is finalised, we will be happy to forward the exact event information to everyone interested.
The other event dates remain unchanged and we look forward to a lively participation!
Please register in advance at Vinciane.Pilz(at)uni-saarland.de. You will then be informed of the respective rooms by e-mail.
New research projects on democracy promotion and gender-related party politics in Europe
How can political trust be strengthened and how can gender-related issues be adequately taken into account in party politics? Two new European research consortia are dealing with these questions on European politics. Daniela Braun, professor of Political Science with a focus on European Integration and International Relations and a member of the Cluster for European Studies at Saarland University, is involved in them.
Latest publication
New publication on the topic of pan-European parties: What are pan-European parties, how have pan-European party activities developed and what are their major challenges?
Invitation to the inaugural lecture
The Department of European Social Research cordially invites you to the joint inaugural lecture of Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun, Prof. Dr. Martin Schröder and Prof. Dr. Georg Wenzelburger on Wednesday, 25 January 2023 at 4:30 pm.
The event will take place in the large lecture hall, building A1 7.
Further information can be found in the invitation.
Europe Podium 2023: Between Europeanisation and Renationalisation. How much political trust does the EU generate?
Panel discussion on Thursday, 19 January 2023 at 6:30 pm in the Festival Hall of St. Johann Town Hall. Discussing:
- Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun (Saarland University)
- Patrick Lobis (Representation of the European Commission in Germany, EU Regional Office in Bonn)
- Prof. Dr. Birte Wassenberg (Sciences Po Strasbourg)
- Moderation: Marc-André Kruppa (Saarländischer Rundfunk)
For further information, please see the invitation.
60 Years of the Élysée Treaty: Interview with Professor Daniela Braun
On Sunday it will be 60 years since the Élysée Treaty was signed and 60 years later Europe seems to be at a crossroads: Some would like to dare more Europe, others are once again increasingly sounding nationalistic tones. Where is Europe heading? And what role do Germany and France play in it?
A conversation between Prof. Daniela Braun and Katrin Aue on SR 2 on 17 January 2023.
Recent publication: "Who holds the union together? Citizens’ preferences for European Union cohesion in challenging times"
Although polarisation risks breaking up the European family, such conflicts paired with transnational challenges can also raise awareness of the need for more European Union (EU) cohesion. In order to approach the hitherto underspecified concept, this article connects the recent literature on social cohesion with research on various facets of public EU support – integration preferences, identity, voting behaviour, and solidarity. Building on survey data from 10 EU countries taken at the end of 2020, a latent class analysis identifies two distinct groups of preferences for EU cohesion: its friends and its foes. EU cohesion can be achieved by highlighting personal advantages of European integration and by stressing joint approaches to crises, civic education, and democratic processes.
Prof. Dr. Daniela Braun: New Professor of Political Science with a focus on European Integration and International Relations
Prof. Daniela Braun, formerly Academic Councillor at the Geschwister Scholl Institute of the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, is the new Professor of Political Science with a focus on European Integration and International Relations.