Annual Review 2024 of the Chair of International Politics

Another eventful year is coming to an end. With this review, we would like to reflect on the highlights and special moments at the Chair of International Politics. The year 2024 was once again marked by exciting research projects, collaborations, and the personal as well as professional development of our team.

The first half of the year brought some changes to our team. Since April 1, Professor Dr. Elvira Rosert has been supporting our team, stepping in for Professor Dr. Anna Holzscheiter during her two-semester research sabbatical. Prof. Rosert transitioned from her guest professorship for International Relations at the OSI of Freie Universität Berlin to the visiting professorship at TU Dresden. With her expertise in international norms, the promotion of human security, arms control, and global health policy, Prof. Rosert is not only an excellent interim professor but also a great asset to the students and the research activities at the Chair.

Professor Dr. Anna Holzscheiter used her research sabbatical for two research stays at the London School of Economics, where she holds a Visiting Professorship at the Department of International Relations until April 2025. During this time, she was finally able to spend full days in the LSE Library and the British Library to work intensively on her book project, "Representing the Transnational: Non-State Representation in International Organizations," as well as other publications. She particularly enjoyed the inspiring atmosphere of the Bloomsbury Squares during her lunch breaks.

On July 1, we welcomed Dr. Ivan Bakalov as a new research associate. With his research focus on theories of power analysis in world politics and societal transformations in Eastern Europe, Dr. Bakalov brings an exciting new perspective to our team.

Another highlight was the Congress of the German Political Science Association (DVPW) held from September 24 to 27 in Göttingen, where many members of the Institute of Political Science participated. Prof. Dr. Elvira Rosert served as co-chair of the section “International Relations,” while Prof. Dr. Anna Holzscheiter contributed to a panel on “The Global South and Liberal Values in the Historiography of Human Rights.” The congress, held every three years, has become almost like a family reunion for researchers. Particularly memorable was the keynote speech by Federal Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius.

In 2024, the German-Swedish research project “Youth Representation in Global Politics” led by Prof. Dr. Anna Holzscheiter in cooperation with Linköping University since 2021, reached its conclusion. The project team gathered on a small island near to Stockholm to discuss their findings— accompanied by Swedish cinnamon buns, which served as a culinary highlight of the stay.

Yet another milestone was the launch of a project funded by the German Foundation for Peace Research (DSF) by Dr. Ivan Bakalov on October 1. Under the title “Violence and Transformation: The Political Economy of the Russian War against Ukraine” the project examines the economic and political dynamics of Russia's war against Ukraine. In November, Dr. Bakalov chaired a panel on the same topic at the EISA Conference in Lille, contributing significantly to the international debate.

Dr. Jochen Kleinschmidt also attended the EISA Conference, where he co-organized the standing section ST22 “Exploring World Politics Beyond the State System” with Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Spalinska from the University of Warsaw. Another highlight of his work was organizing a section at the World International Studies Committee Conference in Warsaw, followed by a study trip to Kyiv. Additionally, Dr. Kleinschmidt participated in the ISA 2024 in San Francisco, which was also attended by Maria Weickardt Soares.

Our doctoral candidates and research associates, Maria Weickardt Soares and Sofie Roehrig, spent six months at the University of Warwick in England for study and research. As part of the trinational research project FRAMENET, they collaborated and exchanged ideas with colleagues on-site. Both also represented the Chair at the British International Studies Association (BISA) conference in June. Additionally, Maria Weickardt Soares attended the World Health Summit.

The US Election Night at TU Dresden on November 5, organized in collaboration with the Chair of Political Systems and Comparative Politics, was a standout event involving the entire team. The event attracted over 460 guests and explored the potential implications of the US presidential election for transatlantic relations. The evening featured lectures and workshops on democracy and media, culminating in a panel discussion with Prof. Dr. Elvira Rosert and Dr. Jochen Kleinschmidt, moderated by Stefanie Gerstenberger. The event concluded with a live broadcast from the US and a shared public viewing of the initial election results.

Stefanie Gerstenberger was actively involved in science communication and public education throughout 2024. On June 15, she moderated a democracy quiz at the interactive festival in Prohlis, and on 2 December, she was on the podium at a children's question show with ‘Checker Julian’ on the topics of justice, fairness and freedom.

We are particularly delighted by the recognition of our former staff member, Felix Stadelmann, with the Wilhelm Gotthelf Lohrmann Medal. This honor is awarded to the top graduate of the faculty in 2024 and celebrates outstanding academic achievements. Felix Stadelmann completed his Master of Arts in International Relations with a focus on Global Political Economics earlier this year. Alongside his studies, he worked as a research assistant at the Chair of International Politics. There, he was actively involved in a research project on “Youth Participation in Global Health Governance”. We warmly congratulate him on this well-deserved award and wish him every success in his future endeavors!

Another important part of the year was the wide range of courses offered. These included seminars on international conflicts in Eastern Europe, the political system of the US, peace and conflict studies, and norms in international politics. We encountered many motivated students in these seminars, and we would like to thank them for their active participation and insightful comments.

With this review, we conclude an intense and lively year at our Chair. A heartfelt thank you goes to our entire team, the outstanding support from Andrea Kaskel, as well as our tutors and student assistants, whose contributions to teaching and research are invaluable. We look forward to the challenges and opportunities of the coming year and wish everyone a happy holiday season, a wonderful New Year, and, above all, good health for 2025!