Welcome to the Research Group of Comparative Politics!

Comparative Politics is a subfield of political science that focuses on analyzing and comparing political systems, institutions, processes, individuals, and behaviors across different countries, regions, times, and/or levels. The goal of comparative politics is to identify patterns, differences, and similarities in how political systems operate and to understand the factors that influence beyond others governance, power distribution, and policy outcomes.

Key areas of study in comparative politics include:

• Political Institutions: Structures such as governments, parliaments, courts, and electoral systems, and how they function in different political contexts.
• Political Behavior: How individuals and groups engage in politics, including voting behavior, political participation, and public opinion.
• Governance and Policy: How policies are formulated and implemented, and the role of governments.
• Development and Change: The dynamics of political and economic development, democratization, and regime changes.
• Cross-National Comparisons: Understanding how and why political systems differ across countries, and what lessons can be learned from these differences.
• Cross-Regional Comparisons: Understanding how and why political systems differ across regions within a country.
• Cross-Time Comparisons: Understanding how and why political systems differ across time.

By using quantitative and qualitative research methods our research group, led by Prof. Dr. Torsten J. Selck, explores pressing questions in modern political science about decision-making, representation, and public policy. Our work is situated in comparative politics, European governance, and international relations.

What We Do

We aim to uncover and understand mainly the mechanisms behind political decision-making. This includes:

• Comparative (Politics) research designs.
• Public Policy research.
• Political Economy point of view.
• Ethnicity and Democratic Governance. 

Why It Matters

In an increasingly interconnected and complex world, understanding political decision-making is essential for addressing issues such as inequality, international cooperation, representation, and social cohesion. By shedding light on these processes, we aim to contribute to the academic debate, informed policy debates, and governance. 

Please select a team member for information about current and previous teaching, research interests, and publications. Consult our research if you would like to know more about ongoing projects.