General Information

Section Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Stefan Schirm

Professorships and Chairs

Poltical Science / Public Administration, Local and Regional Politics, Prof. Dr. Bogumil
Political Science / Comparative Political Science, Prof. Dr. Eising
Poltical Science / Political System of Germany, Prof. Dr. Rehder
Poltical Science / International Politics, Prof. Dr. Schirm

Lecturers

Political Science / Political Theory, Prof. Dr. Lembcke
apl. Prof. Dr. Bovermann MdL
apl. Prof. Dr. Goch

Co-opted Lecturers

Prof. Dr. Dijkzeul
Prof. Dr. Gottwald

Emeritus / Retired Professors

Prof. em. Dr. Andersen (Political Science / German Domestic Politics)
Prof. em. Dr. Bleek (Political Science I)
Prof. em. Dr. Schmidt

Self-Conception

The goals, responsibilities and results of politics are highly controversial. In the public debate, political solutions to societal problems are demanded on the one hand, while on the other hand the ability of political institutions to act and solve problems is increasingly questioned. This contradiction gives rise to a fundamental legitimacy problem of political orders in the national and transnational spheres. Political science is concerned with (1) the structures of political orders, (2) political processes characterized by conflict and consensus, and (3) the content, results and effects of the activities of political organizations. The common perspective of political science in Bochum is the question of the transformation of statehood under the conditions of globalization, transnationalization and regionalization. Research and teaching focus on:

• Germany's system of government
• Comparative political science (focus: European and North American democracies)
• International relations (focus: international political economy)
• Regional and local politics (focus: public administration)
• Transnationalization (focus: governance in the European Union)
• Analyses of selected policy areas (focus: labor market policy, health policy, technology policy)
• Political Theory (focus: law and policy)