Research Seminar of the Chair of Comparative Politics and German Government: Comparative Perspectives on Political Elites and Party Systems
01.04.2026The Chair of Comparative Politics and German Government is pleased to present its research seminar for the Summer Term 2026. The seminar brings together innovative research on political elites, party systems, and governance across different regions of the world.
The seminar opens on 21 April 2026 with a presentation by Alessandro Di Biagio and Dr. Valeria Tonhäuser on “A Wave of Technocratization? Experts in Governments in 36 Countries in Africa between 1966 and 2021.” Their study addresses a major gap in the literature by focusing on Africa, a region often underrepresented in comparative research on technocratic governance. Using a newly compiled dataset, the project examines when and why expert ministers are appointed, highlighting the role of institutional design, regime type, party system institutionalization, and political or economic crises.
On 19 May 2026, Hugo Jofré Rodríguez presents his research on “The Effects of Party System on Cabinet Formation and Survival in Argentina, Chile, and Peru (1980–2024).” His work explores how varying degrees of party system institutionalization influence both the recruitment of ministers and their survival in office. Through a comparative analysis of three Latin American countries, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between parties, technocrats, and executive governance.
The seminar concludes on 30 June 2026 with a presentation by Liza Beci on her doctoral project “Party Types in South-Eastern Europe: The Case of Albania and Kosovo.” This research revisits established theories of party types and applies them to less-studied political contexts. Combining theoretical reflection with qualitative methods—including interviews, participant observation, and content analysis—the project evaluates the broader applicability of party typologies and advances research on party systems in South-Eastern Europe.
