Research

Citizens across democracies increasingly view political opponents with distrust and hostility. I study how people perceive and experience these divides — examining whether partisan animosity reflects genuine disagreement or distorted perceptions of the other side.

Most work focuses on survey-based methods to understand polarization in the mass public. In work together with Lea Portmann, I study electoral behavior that can help us to understand the context in which de-polarized behavior takes place.

Previous work has shown that elites play a powerful role in shaping polarization of ordinary citizens. Building on this, I investigate which type of elites polarize and under which circumstances elites are able to reach out to voters that are ideologically distant.

I study how and when far-right parties are able to attract support in liberal democracies, scrutinizing the role of domestic out-migration and gender imbalances. I also try to understand how and when far-right parties can build an increasingly loyal electorate.

War and political violence leave lasting imprints on democratic politics. I study how exposure to conflict — whether through wartime casualties, political repression, or communal violence — reshapes citizens’ political attitudes and behavior long after the fighting ends. I also study how political violence in established democracies shapes the composition of political elites.

Focusing on the case of Germany, I analyze the tools that militant democracies already have at their disposal to fend off challenges undermining state institutions. In particular, I focus on how state surveillance and the threat of disciplinary consequences can deter civil servants from joining extremist parties.