Profile of the der professorship
Political Science, Educational Policy and Political Education
The Department of Political Science, Education Policy, and Political Education (W3) is currently home to the following research projects, which were designed in cooperation with colleagues from other universities and independent educational institutions and are currently being implemented:
Joint project: “RaisoN – Radicalization processes through conspiracy ideologies: Effects on the immediate social environment as a challenge for educational and counseling work” (funded by the BMFTR, duration 01/01/2023 - 06/30/2026)
Joint project: Disinformation and identity construction in democratic society. Analog and digital radicalization processes and the rise of anti-Semitism among young people after October 7, 2023 (Dis_Ident) (funded by the BMFTR, duration 04/01/2025 - 12/31/2028).
The research project “Digital Political Education as a Consequence of the Corona Crisis – Critical Reflection on Conspiracy Ideologies and Anti-Semitism in School and Extracurricular (Digital) Political Education” (DiPolBAs) (funded by the RheinEnergieStiftung Jugend / Beruf Wissenschaft and the Federal Agency for Civic Education, duration: May 1, 2022 – April 30, 2024).
The courses offered by the Teaching and Research Area of Political Science, Education Policy, Political Education (W3) are aimed at teacher training students (primary level, secondary levels I and II, vocational colleges, special education) as well as bachelor's and master's students in the fields of educational sciences (EZW), intercultural communication and education (IKB), and gender and queer studies.
The professorship aims to address in its research and teaching the pressing current challenges that are relevant to issues of education policy and political education (e.g., the crisis of democracy, populism and the extreme right, racism and anti-Semitism, conspiracy ideologies, poverty vs. wealth, violence, socio-ecological crises). In this way, it contributes to the understanding of the multiple socio-political crises in the global transformation process and at the same time points out possibilities for critical reflection, courses of action, and alternatives.
The academic offerings cover the following sub-areas of political science:
- Political theories and theories of democracy
- International relations and European studies
- Political system
- Policy field analyses
- Political actors and interests
These fields are explored in depth in the following courses:
- Theories of democracy, crisis of political representation, ideologies of inequality (racism and anti-Semitism, among others)
- Peace and conflict research; wars and civil wars; processes of neoliberal globalization and Europeanization; politics in a multi-level system; European border policy
- Social policy and social inequality, (refugee) migration and social challenges for the education system, education policy and inclusion, discrimination and anti-discrimination
- New formations on the right wing of the party spectrum in Germany and Europe (Pegida, Querdenken, coronavirus deniers)
- Social movements and forms of solidarity in the EU (in times of austerity policy)
- Global climate, energy, and environmental policy, socio-ecological transformation processes
- Historical foundations of political science, Holocaust and memory studies, European culture of remembrance
- Working world/skills shortage/representation of interests (education/school and various industries)
In addition to the actors, fundamentals, and objectives, as well as the history and self-image of formal and non-formal political education, the political education courses also focus on historical-political education. Furthermore, overlaps with cultural education, e.g., political education and music, are also addressed in teaching.
The teaching area is also responsible for political didactics in schools. Subject-specific courses teach students the central didactic principles and skills in formal and non-formal political education. In addition, the fundamentals and objectives of gender-reflective, classism- and class theory-based, anti-racist and anti-Semitism-critical education, as well as critical political education, are discussed and explored in depth.