Welcome to the Chair of Political Systems and European Integration
About us
For the German language version of the Hompepage, click here: DE
Prof. Dr. Klaus Goetz’s Chair of Political Systems and European Integration conducts research on various topics. One focus is on how the timing and synchronisation of policy processes across EU, national, and subnational governments and parliaments shape power and democratic governance in multi-level political systems. Through the ERC-funded SYNCPOL project, we study challenges and opportunities arising from different time preferences and coordination demands, with a special emphasis on migration-asylum and public health policies. Our research aims to generate new insights into the importance of temporal coordination for effective and equitable policymaking in Europe’s complex political landscape.
Within the ForGeRex project we analyse policy making in the field of right-wing extremism and racism in Bavaria. Our approach is political science and linguistic. The aim is to gain insights into the characteristics and functioning of state policy-making. The TP works out the influence of institutions and actors as well as ideas and discourse patterns – framing – on policymaking. Based on this, we identify challenges and potentials in dealing with the topic area by politics and administration.
Lucas Schramm’s research interests concern European integration history and theories, interinstitutional relations in the European Union, Franco-German relations, EU crisis politics, and European integration in the geopolitical age. His most recent publications include a co-authored monograph on the European Council.
The project “How Mainstream Parties Deal with Conflict: Rules, Practices, Media Exposure”, funded by the German Research Council (DFG), deals with how major political parties manage internal conflicts to maintain organizational stability and democratic functionality. It examines the formal rules, practical measures, and the role of media exposure in regulating intra-party conflicts. Using a cross-national mixed-methods approach, the project analyzes eight major parties in Germany, Austria, Spain, and the United Kingdom between 1982 and 2023 to identify factors shaping conflict management strategies and to compare how mainstream parties in advanced democracies handle internal disputes.
Latest
- 11.11.2026 Fachveranstaltung des Bayerischen Forschungsverbundes ForGeRex: „Machtkritisch & engagiert. Gegen rechtsextreme Angriffe auf die diverse Stadtgesellschaft“Mit wissenschaftlichen Impulsen von Karin Stögner, Clarissa Rudolph, Martina Ortner und Britta Schellenberg & einem Podiumsgespräch mit Florian Hiermeyer, Anne Wild, Nicola Hieke und Britta Schellenberg Ort: Münchner Rathaus Download Programm-Flyer Anmeldung über: forgerex@mrm.uni-augsburg.de November 11, 2026 Expert Conference of the Bavarian Research Network ForGeRex: “Critically Examining Power Structures and Taking Action: Countering Far-Right Attacks on Diverse UrbanContinue reading “11.11.2026 Fachveranstaltung des Bayerischen Forschungsverbundes ForGeRex: „Machtkritisch & engagiert. Gegen rechtsextreme Angriffe auf die diverse Stadtgesellschaft“”
- 28.10.2026 Fachimpuls: „Bedeutung der politisch motivierten Kriminalität und der Hassverbrechen für das Strafverfahren“Von Britta Schellenberg & Gespräch, Bayerische Staatsanwaltschaften October 28, 2026 Expert Presentation: “The Significance of Politically Motivated Crime and Hate Crimes in Criminal Proceedings” by Britta Schellenberg, followed by a discussion with representatives of the Bavarian Public Prosecutors’ Offices.
- 16.10.2026 Fachimpuls: „Antidiskriminierungsarbeit in Bayern“Von Britta Schellenberg, Fachtag der Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Antidiskriminierung Bayern, im Goldenen Saal des Augsburger Rathauses → Programm pdf October 16, 2026 Expert Presentation: “Anti-Discrimination Work in Bavaria” by Britta Schellenberg, at the Specialist Conference organised by the Bavarian State Working Group on Anti-Discrimination (Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Antidiskriminierung Bayern), Golden Hall of Augsburg City Hall. → Conference programme (PDF)
Watch our brief introduction video to learn more about the research focus of the department and the course content for our students.
Current Research Projects
SYNCPOL – Synchronized Politics: Multiple Times and Political Power
Drawing on institutionalist theory, SYNCPOL conceptualises synchronisation arrangements as a critical variable that is fundamental to the distribution of political power amongst policy-makers. It rigorously probes hypotheses on this crucial connection employing a mixed-methods design that combines document analysis, interviews, a major survey, dictionary-based text analysis and process tracing. The project examines synchronisation across EU, national and subnational governments, parliaments and administrative agencies, with a focus on six multi-level democracies: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain. The analysis covers two policy domains – migration-asylum and public health policy – since the early 2010s. SYNCPOL will generate fundamentally new insights into how time shapes democratic multi-level politics and policy….Read More
Right-Wing extremism and racism – framing and policy making in Bavaria
The project analyses policy making in the field of “right-wing extremism and racism” in Bavaria. The aim is to gain insights into the characteristics and functioning of state policy making. The subproject analyses the influence of (1) institutions and actors as well as (2) ideas and discourse patterns – framing – on policy making. Based on this, we identify challenges and potentials in dealing with the topic area by politics and administration. Read more.
People of Munich in Focus
The Project “People of Munich in Focus” with the state capital of Munich analyses Diversity and Discrimination within the urban society and assesses needs regarding personnel and organizational development in order to further professionalize the city’s own racism-critical and discrimination-sensitive competences and structures…Read More
Our Teaching
The Chair of “Political Systems and European Integration” covers a broad spectrum of content in both the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs. A particular focus is initially placed on questions of European integration and Europeanization. In lectures, exercises and seminars, we examnine both the way the political system of the EU functions and the effects of integration on member states and candidates….Read More.
Courses in the current winter semester 2025/2026
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
| 08:00 – 10:00 | |||||
| 10.00 – 12.00 | Qualitative Forschungs-designs – Dr. Tanja Zinterer | Wie wird regiert? – Prof. Klaus H. Goetz Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland: Eine Konsens-demokratie? – Dr. Tanja Zinterer | Wie wird regiert? – Prof. Klaus H. Goetz | Migrationspolitik in Europa – Dr. Tanja Zinterer | |
| 12.00 – 14.00 | Die Rolle der Landes-parlamente innerhalb des föderalen Systems der BRD – Johanna Schmidt-Jevtic | ||||
| 14.00 – 16.00 | The European Council: Europe’s supreme decision-maker? – Dr. Lucas Schramm | Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland: Eine Konsens-demokratie? – Dr. Tanja Zinterer | Die Rolle der Landes-parlamente innerhalb des föderalen Systems der BRD – Johanna Schmidt-Jevtic | Politische Kultur, Partizipation, Parteiensystem – Johanna Schmidt-Jevtic | |
| 16.00 – 18.00 | The Politics of Crisis – Europe and Beyond – Dr. Lucas Schramm | ||||
| 18:00 – 20:00 | Research Design in Political Science – Dr. Lucas Schramm | Research Design in Political Science – Dr. Lucas Schramm |
Contact
sekretariat.goetz@gsi.uni-muenchen.de
+49 (0) 89 / 2180-9040
Oettingenstr. 67
Geschwister-Scholl-Institut für Politikwissenschaft
80538 München
OUR TEAM
Prof. Dr. Klaus Goetz
Chair of the Department
Nicola Cardinal
Secretariat
Dr. Leonce Röth
Postdoc Researcher
Dr. Britta Schellenberg
Postdoc Researcher
Johanna Schmidt-Jevtic, M.A.
Researcher
Dr. Lucas Schramm
Postdoc Researcher
Paulina Seelmann
Doctoral Candidate, SYNCPOL
Dr. Radu-Mihai Triculescu
Postdoc Researcher, Member of the SYNCPOL project
Dr. Tanja Zinterer
Teaching fellow
Paula Dornbusch Doctoral Candidate, SYNCPOL
Nermin Abbassi
Doctoral Candidate, SYNCPOL
Dr. Christoph Ivanusch
Postdoc Researcher, Member of the SYNCPOL project
