The Center's research program is divided into three focal areas. The first area (Restructuring of Political Conflict) is concerned with the analysis of long-term changes in political conflict structures. Projects in this area aim to provide insights into the development of mobilization potentials, long-term changes in protest and electoral arenas, and the politicization of key societal problems. The second area (New Landscapes of Contestation) bundles projects that examine in depth the changes in the organizational landscape of civil society and interactions between different political actors and arenas in conflict contestation. The projects of the third area (Civil Society and Social Capital) combine research on civil society, social capital, and social cohesion. In addition, the Center makes an important contribution to the data infrastructure for the long-term monitoring of party competition and protest politics in Europe. The Manifesto Project and the Observatory for Political Conflict and Democracy (PolDem) are based at the Center.

Research Area 1: Restructuring of political conflict

Research Area 2: New landscapes of contestation

Duration: December 2019 - November 2024
Funding: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Bundesministerium des Inneren und für Heimat
Duration: Februar 2023 - Dezember 2026
Funding: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
Duration: October 2018 -
Funding: VolkswagenStiftung

Research Area 3: Civil society and social capital

Duration: October 2020 - June 2025
Funding: Berlin University Alliance (BUA)

Data Infrastructure

Prof. Dr. Hanspeter Kriesi
Duration: October 2019 -
Funding: VolkswagenStiftung, European University Institute
Research Assistants: Leila van Rinsum, Student Assistants: Juliane Hanel, Leonie Schwichtenberg, Sarah Hegazy, Robert Stelzle
Duration: October 1979 -
Funding: WZB since October 1989 and DFG since October 2009
Student Assistant: Juliana Hanel
Duration: October 2020 - September 2023
Funding: European Commission

Completed Projects

Dr. Daniela Braun
Tobias Schwarzbözl
Duration: July 2016 - June 2020
Funding: DFG