School of Public Affairs

Organisational unit: Research School

Organisation profile

Leuphana School of Public Affairs is the academic and professional home to 1.000 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral students and 31 professors. 30 research associates and 17 professional staff members are working for us.

The main themes of the school are reflected in its study programs: The School of Public Affairs is currently responsible for three Majors and four Minors at Leuphana College, five Master’s programmes and five Doctoral research groups at Leuphana Graduate School as well as five continuing education Master's programmes at Leuphana Professional School. As a novelty in Germany, the Master of Law offers students the opportunity to obtain both a Master's degree in law (LL.M.) as well as the state law examination. With its emphasis on "Law in Context", this model degree programme transcends a classic-dogmatic perspective of jurisprudence by presenting the relevant contents from civil law, public law and criminal law against the backdrop of current societal challenges and transformations. 

Main research areas

Leuphana School of Public Affairs brings together the disciplines of Political Science, Law, and Economics under one roof. With 31 professorships, it establishes an innovative profile in Germany on issues of public affairs, gaining both national and international visibility and academic reputation.

The School conducts research on the major transformations of our time and thus continues to develop its existing research agenda on the future of democracy, evidence-based political decision-making and law in the context of societal transformation. In an interdisciplinary collaborative endeavour, the three subjects will, among other things, answer pressing questions about

  • the legitimacy and performance of democracies, whose integrative power is under threat, especially in light of recent upheavals in politics and society,
  • the role of the state with regard to the relationship between private-law and public-law regulation,
  • the justification of governmental intervention into market processes and their ex-post evaluation.
  1. 2025
  2. Published

    Big Data Analytics and Exports—Evidence for Manufacturing Firms from 27 EU Countries

    Wagner, J., 07.2025, In: Open Economies Review. 36, 3, p. 825-834 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Does the Aarhus Convention Require an Association Action to Protect the Environment in German Private Law?

    Halfmeier, A. & Schlichting, M., 07.2025, In: Mass Claims Journal. 5, 1, p. 4-11

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Pierre Bourdieu: Soziologische Herrschaftsanalyse des Rechts

    Kretschmann, A., 07.2025, Grundlagen des Rechts : Band II: Vertiefung. Ganner, M., Kettemann, M. C. & Voithofer, C. (eds.). Wien: Verlag Österreich, Vol. II. p. 64-71 8 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  5. Published

    When and How Do Presidents Terminate Sanctions? The Effect of Domestic Factors on US Sanctions Policy

    Attia, H., 01.07.2025, In: Foreign Policy Analysis. 21, 3, 23 p., oraf022.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Parteiverbot gleich Mandatsverlust? Zu den völkerrechtlichen Grenzen für die deutschen Wahlgesetze

    Holterhus, T. P. & Weitz, C. A., 07.07.2025, 7 p. Max Steinbeis Verfassungsblog gGmbH.

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsTransfer

  7. Published

    The electoral appeal of symbolic class signalling through cultural consumption

    Weisstanner, D. & Engler, S., 11.07.2025, In: British Journal of Political Science. 55, 12 p., e90.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. E-pub ahead of print

    Trumpian Neomercantilism, European Fiscal Capacity and the Global Minimum Tax

    Hakelberg, L. & Roland, A., 16.07.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Economists' Voice. 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  9. Published

    Kinderbilder in den sozialen Netzwerken – Wenn Eltern posten

    Croon-Gestefeld, J. & Lübbers, K., 18.07.2025, In: Juristenzeitung. 80, 14, p. 662 - 671 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    The Cool Water Effect: The Geo-Climatic Source of Western Exceptionalism

    Welzel, C., Kruse, S., Brunkert, L. & Brieger, S. A., 21.07.2025, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. 483 p. (Palgrave Studies in Maritime Politics and Security)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Unemployment’s Life-Satisfaction Cost and Loneliness

    Friehe, T. & Pfeifer, C., 08.2025, In: Journal of Happiness Studies. 26, 6, 27 p., 102.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review