Teaching & Supervision

Supervision

I have supervised Bachelor and Master theses (in comparative politics, policy analysis, public policy, political economy, and political theory) at the University of Konstanz, the University of Zurich, and the Goethe University Frankfurt. Topics included, for example, education, social, health, migration, and environmental policies; wage and health inequality; party competition; political participation and engagement; and critical and democratic theory. My students use a variety of methodological tools (quantitative, qualitative, experimental, multi-methods).  

Current doctoral supervisees

• Katrijn Siderius, Goethe University Frankfurt, Dissertation topic: “The Politics of the Sustainable Economy” (1st supervisor)

  • • First paper on central banks and climate policy published in the Journal of European Public Policy

• Konstantin Dulin, Goethe University Frankfurt. Dissertation topic: "The Politics of the Financialization of Education" (1st supervisor)

• Gabriel G. Bello, Goethe University Frankfurt. Dissertation topic: "Education and Participation" (1st supervisor).

Former doctoral students

• Dr. Simone Tonelli, BIGSSS Bremen, Dissertation topic: “Diffusion of family policy programs throughout the world” (3rd supervisor)

• Dr. Bernd Bender, Goethe University Frankfurt, Dissertation topic: “Der Übergangsprozess westdeutscher Jugendlicher verschiedener Bildungsniveaus in die Ausbildung zwischen 1971 und 2012 vor dem Hintergrund der Zunahme hochqualifizierter Arbeitskräfte“ (2nd supervisor)

As external supervisor/examiner

• Katren Rogers, Lund University

• Sarah King, University College Dublin

Courses taught at Goethe University Frankfurt (since 2020)

• Comparative Democracy: An Introduction, Master/Graduate level (Winter 2022/23; Winter 2023/24).

• Capitalism, Welfare, and Inequality Worldwide, Master/Graduate level (Summer 2020 and Summer 2022). 

• Parties, Party Systems, and Party Competition (Winter 2021/22). 

• Ringvorlesung: Theorieparadigmen der Politikwissenschaft (Winter 2021/22). 

• Einführung in Erziehung sowie Innovation, Social science introductory lecture for all teacher training students at Goethe University Frankfurt (tought each semester since Winter 2020, ca. 1100 students each year) 

• Public Policy Analysis: An Introduction, Introductory BA lecture (Summer 2021). 

• Bildungspolitik im internationalen Vergleich, BA introductory level (Winter 2020/21; and Winter 2022/23). 

• Welfare States, Inequality, and Redistribution, Master/Graduate level (Winter 2020/21; Winter 2023/24).

Courses taught in Konstanz and Zurich (2011-2019)

• Capitalism, Welfare, and Inequality Worldwide, Master/Graduate level, University of Zurich (Spring 2018, Fall 2019) and University of Konstanz (Summer 2017). 

• Colloquium/Research Design and Applied Research Methods, BA- and MA-level, University of Konstanz (Summer 2017). 

• Welfare States, Inequality, and Redistribution, Master/Graduate level, University of Konstanz (Winter 2016/17) 

• Welfare States and Inequality, Master/Graduate level, University of Zurich (Fall 2016/17).

• An Introduction to Party Politics, advanced Bachelor level, University of Konstanz (Winter 2016/17). 

• Modern Political Theory: An Introduction to “Biopolitics” (Foucault, Agamben, Hardt/Negri, Arendt), advanced Bachelor level, University of Konstanz (Winter 2013/14). 

• Parties, Party Systems, and Party Competition, advanced Bachelor level, University of Konstanz. 

• Political Ideologies and Welfare State Politics, (co-taught with Marius Busemeyer), introductory Bachelor level, University of Konstanz. 

• An Introduction to Political Theory (Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Hobbes, Hannah Arendt), introductory Bachelor level, University of Konstanz. 

Teaching portfolio (Selection of topics) 

Welfare state research, social policy, global social policy, public policy, inequality (measurement and analysis of causes and consequences of different kinds of inequalities), (comparative) political economy, comparative politics, comparative political institutions, party politics, public opinion, education policy, social investment, applied methods (quantitative, qualitative, multi-method), democratic theory, representation and responsiveness, political theory.

Didactical training

I am constantly seeking to improve my teaching skills and experience and seeing how students learn better better in activation-centered and participatory environments gives me pleasure and joy. At the University of Konstanz I have participated in several didactical courses (about 60 hours of training so far) as part of the Higher Education Didactics Certificate Baden-Württemberg.

Academic director

I am the co-founder and academic director of a new study program at Goethe University Frankfurt: The MA "Comparative Democracy". The program is a research-focused, internationally oriented program, fully taught in English.