Editor: Institute for Democracy Research at the Georg-August University Göttingen

ISSN 2191-3951

The Yearbook of the Göttinger Institute for Democracy Research presents an overview of the Institute's research from the preceding year.
This yearbook differs from other, conventional collections: Contemporary debates are accompanied by short, poignant articles without falling victim to journalistic rush. Rather, these articles question premature media claims with calm scientific reflection and are not subject to the compulsion of meticulously complex studies. The Yearbooks understand themselves as a platform for inspiring intermediate results, synopses, and miniatures. All of this should occur while refraining from incomprehensible terminology, rigid methodology, and tiring treatises about the current research status. It is much more guided by the conviction that science can also be fun to read.
The subjects are as widely varied as the methodological framework: Next to genuinely scientific studies in Political Science, you can find sociological analyses and historical excursions. It is not just the perspectives that diverge but also the presentation: classic essays are alternated with portraits, reviews and interviews. Scientific essays are followed by journalistic coverage, complemented by commentary concerning controversial debates. This diversity is continued in the different countries: While Germany is the focus, contributions may also deal with Scandinavia, the U.S., France, or Spain. The various snapshots come together to form a complex whole, providing insight into the change that democracy undergoes and highlighting possible changes in society. All in all, these yearbooks offer a rich fundus of texts with original perspectives about the events in politics and society of the respective year to the reader.

The Editor:
The Institute for Democracy Research of the Georg-August University Göttingen was founded in March of 2010. The aim of the institute is to connect scientific analysis with public mediation, much like an interface between society and science. Everything that is conventionally separate, is connected: research and transfer, university and society, politics and science, intellectual discourse and the general public. The focus of the institute's research is in political leadership and biography, civilian engagement and party research.