Publications

In this article, we advocate for mainstream International Relations (IR) to acknowledge the agency of ‘global thinkers’ who have been overlooked or insufficiently engaged with in the discipline. This article serves as an introductory intervention, setting the stage for further exploration of global thinkers within IR’s disciplinary core.

This paper incorporates cognitive resilience into cyber defence against hybrid threats. Drawing on insights from South and Southeast Asia, it outlines avenues for cooperation with Germany and introduces the TRUST Framework to strengthen soft power, citizen trust, and overall societal resilience.

This book on comparative area studies (CAS) focuses on the openness of CAS’ to interpretive approaches and showcases strategies for leveraging CAS for causal analysis. It features efforts to rethink the logic, scale and purpose of comparison and promotes CAS’ role in deepening the interface between comparative politics and IR.

Ghana and Tunisia have often been framed as beacons of democracy in their respective regions. However, as Ghana’s democracy matured over decades, Tunisia’s experiment ultimately collapsed. This paper examines diverse factors shaping their paths, offering lessons on the risks of democratic backsliding.

Cybersecurity policy in Latin America lags behind despite the region’s high internet connectivity. This report analyzes different cybersecurity models, their global influences, and outlines key areas for cooperation with the EU and Germany to boost cyber resilience and digital privacy in the region.

Our mixed-methods study finds that exposure to violence increases support for ethnic federalism in Ethiopia. This effect is particularly pronounced among members of its three largest ethnic groups and individuals who believe members of their group to have been marginalized by the central government.

We examine how large-scale agricultural investments can raise communal conflict risk in Liberia. Using experimental games, we find more destructive behavior in communities with better access to plantation jobs, likely driven by labor migration and local tensions.

This article finds that presidents with stronger party power in Congress and higher public approval are more likely to end sanctions, particularly by capitulation. Sanctions with congressional oversight mechanisms last longer and are less likely to be lifted by presidents before achieving their goals.

Etwa ein Viertel der Menschen in Deutschland lehnen jegliche Form einer Dienstpflicht ab; dies gilt insbesondere für Frauen und jüngere Menschen unter 30 Jahren. Knapp die Hälfte (47%) aller Menschen befürwortete eine einjährige allgemeine Dienstpflicht für Personen unter 21 Jahren, die entweder bei der Bundeswehr oder in einer zivilen Einrichtung abgeleistet werden kann.

Der Sturz der Diktatur in Syrien Ende 2024 kam für viele überraschend. Ein halbes Jahr später ist die Ernüchterung groß: Auch die neue Führung setzt auf autoritäre Strukturen, analysiert André Bank. Aus seiner Sicht gibt die syrische Zivilgesellschaft jedoch Anlass zur Hoffnung.

This study identifies three distinct military roles in Asia’s autocratization since 1991—explaining them through a new model that combines military interests, praetorian legacy, veto powers, and ruling party strength.

This policy report analyzes two land deals emblematic of carbon offsetting in Indonesia’s forest sector, assessing whether they deliver mitigation benefits and uphold community engagement and benefit sharing as outlined in standards, project plans, and global frameworks.

In this article, we advocate for mainstream International Relations (IR) to acknowledge the agency of ‘global thinkers’ who have been overlooked or insufficiently engaged with in the discipline. This article serves as an introductory intervention, setting the stage for further exploration of global thinkers within IR’s disciplinary core.

This paper incorporates cognitive resilience into cyber defence against hybrid threats. Drawing on insights from South and Southeast Asia, it outlines avenues for cooperation with Germany and introduces the TRUST Framework to strengthen soft power, citizen trust, and overall societal resilience.

This book on comparative area studies (CAS) focuses on the openness of CAS’ to interpretive approaches and showcases strategies for leveraging CAS for causal analysis. It features efforts to rethink the logic, scale and purpose of comparison and promotes CAS’ role in deepening the interface between comparative politics and IR.

Ghana and Tunisia have often been framed as beacons of democracy in their respective regions. However, as Ghana’s democracy matured over decades, Tunisia’s experiment ultimately collapsed. This paper examines diverse factors shaping their paths, offering lessons on the risks of democratic backsliding.