Center for the Study of Democracy

Organisational unit: Institute

Organisation profile

The interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Democracy was founded on 2 June 2004 on the recommendation of the Scientific Commission of Lower Saxony under the chairmanship of Professor Dr. Hans Dieter Klingemann. Founding Director and Head of the CSD from 2004 to 2018 was Professor Dr. Ferdinand Müller-Rommel. 

The Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) brings together the research activities of the members of the Institute for Political Science (IPW) under one roof. The Center is primarily concerned with the analysis of democratic orders and processes. The research activities can be divided into three core areas:

  • The institutional, ideational and material foundations of democratic orders;
  • The drivers of political change in these orders;
  • And the impact of democratic policymaking on society, economy and the environment.

The Centre is also actively involved in promoting young scientists and fosters the international and regional networking of research institutions devoted to the study of democracy.

 

Main research areas

The activities of the CSD include:

  • Implementing research projects on the three core topics: foundations, transformation, and impact of democracy
  • Organization of international conferences and workshops on current issues of democracy research
  • Collection and coordination of international data sets, especially the World Values Survey, the Comparative Political Data Set, and the database on Central and Eastern European Political Systems and Governments
  • Promotion of research in the form of doctoral and post-doctoral scholarships at the Center
  • Hosting regular guest lectures by internationally renowned scientists and early career researchers
  • Active scientific promotion of young talent in the form of regular doctoral seminars on theories and methods of democracy research as well as in the form of summer schools for doctorate students and inter-university graduate networks
  • Establishing contacts between science and practice

Teaching

  • PHD-Summerschool
  • Politikberatung
  1. Kolloquium "Politik von unten" - Arbeitskreis soziale Bewegung der DVPW

    Wienkoop, N.-K. (Participant)

    09.2014

    Activity: Participating in or organising an academic or articstic eventExternal workshops, courses, seminarsResearch

  2. Klimawandel und Demokratie: Kipppunkte der Problembewältigung und Konfliktregelung?

    Saretzki, T. (Speaker)

    10.05.2023

    Activity: Talk or presentationGuest lecturesTransfer

  3. Klausurtagung niedersächsische Regierungskommission "Klimaschutz"

    Ebermann, V. (Consultant)

    29.06.2011

    Activity: Other expert activitiesAcademic ConsultantTransfer

  4. Kinderuni 2016

    Oeftering, T. (Speaker)

    19.11.2016

    Activity: Participating in or organising an academic or articstic eventExternal workshops, courses, seminarsEducation

  5. Keyonte: Max Kaase: Researcher, Builder, Leader and Human Person – A Tribute to a Stellar Career

    Welzel, C. (Lecturer)

    22.06.2015

    Activity: Talk or presentationGuest lecturesResearch

  6. Keynote Lecture: "How Civilization Turned into Human Empowerment"

    Welzel, C. (Speaker)

    11.2014

    Activity: Talk or presentationGuest lecturesResearch

  7. Keynote Lecture: "Can China Escape the Emancipatory Impulse of Modernization?"

    Welzel, C. (Lecturer)

    12.2014

    Activity: Talk or presentationGuest lecturesResearch

  8. Keynote: "From Sacrificing Life to Living It: Moral Evolution and the Emerging Mass Basis of Global Peace"

    Welzel, C. (Speaker)

    03.2014

    Activity: Talk or presentationGuest lecturesResearch

  9. Key Lecture: The Civic Culture Transformed: From Allegiant to Assertive Citizens

    Welzel, C. (Lecturer)

    07.04.201510.04.2015

    Activity: Talk or presentationGuest lecturesResearch