Chair of Global Governance

The first focus of the chair is the analysis of transnational governance institutions. While some institutions include and take into account as many different actors and interests as possible others are clubs whose composition is exclusive and relatively static and whose interests are largely homogeneous. At the chair, we explore which actors and which ideas dominate in transnational governance institutions and how this can be explained, especially for issues related to security, humanitarian aid, human rights and energy. To this end, we primarily draw on theories of international relations, organization studies and political sociology.

The second focus of the chair is on political communication of state and non-state actors in the context of global governance, especially in connection with digitalization and new technologies. The internet and social media open up new possibilities for actors to (re)present themselves and others. This has far-reaching political, societal and economic consequences because certain ideas and identities prevail and others are suppressed. In this context, for example, we are investigating the consequences of such online (re)presentations for the definition of problems and the formulation of relevant solutions. In particular, we draw on approaches of political marketing, corporate marketing, and studies emanating from the field of non-profit management.

The third focus of the chair is on security-oriented and gender-sensitive peace and conflict research, which particularly draws on approaches from critical security studies and feminist scholarship. We investigate, for example, which notions of masculinity and femininity underlie global security policies and the effects thereof on the type of security that is produced for whom, by whom and by what means. Here, too, certain actors, security concepts and needs dominate while others are marginalized.