Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Institut für Sozialwissenschaften

	eMail                    andreas.schaefer.1 (at) sowi.hu-berlin.de Institution             Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences Office                   Luisenstr. 56, Room 332 Tel                       +49 (0)30 2093 5346 Fax                      +49 (0)30 2093 5348 Postal Address      Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin

Dissertation Topic (preliminary)

Zwischen Repräsentation und Diskurs – Politische Kommunikation im Entscheidungshandeln des Parlaments (Eine Fallstudie zum Deutschen Bundestag)

Between representation and discourse – political communication in parliamentary decision-making (the case of the German National Parliament)

Abstract

My study investigates the role and impact of political deliberation in parliamentary decision making. Against the background of deliberative democratic theory, I inquire into the conditions, processes, and mechanisms by which discourse in and between parliamentary factions may effect changes in policy positions and outcomes. This project fits into the growing empirical research on deliberation, which examines the empirical preconditions and consequences of discursive interaction in real word political settings. I empirically focus on a case study of the German Federal Parliament. I analyze paradigmatic decision-making processes in selected policy fields as well as the institutional framework of parliamentary deliberation. The broader theoretical aim is to address challenges of both theory and practice of democratic decision-making by gaining insight into the relationship between the specific institutional setting, the structure of topics, and the communicative practices of the parliament as the core institution of representative democracy.

Supervisor

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Merkel

Academic Education

Since 2008

• PhD Candidate in Political Science at the Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

2006

• Degree (1. Staatsexamen) in Political Science and German

2004-2006

• Studies in Political Science and German (Language and Literature) at the Freie Universität Berlin, Studies in Philosophy at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

2003-2004

• Studies in Politics, Sociology, German and Philosophy at University College Dublin, Ireland

2000-2003

• Studies in Political Science, Sociology, German (Language and Literature), History and Psychology at the Universität Leipzig

Scholarships

since 2008

• Doctoral scholarship of the Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst e.V

2001-2006

• Fellowship by the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German National Academic Foundation)

2004/2005

• Fellow in the Studienkolleg zu Berlin, an Initiative of the German National Academic Foundation and the Hertie Foundation

2003/2004

• Erasmus-Scholarship by the European Union

Teaching

2010

• Seminar (Grundkurs) on „Political Theory and the History of Political Thought“ at the Institut für Sozialwissenschaften at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

2009/2010

• Seminar (Grundkurs) on „Politics and Government in Germany and in the European Context“ at the Institut für Sozialwissenschaften at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

2009

• Summer University Workshop „Germany's Political System“ in the German Turkish Masters Program in Social Sciences at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin