Curriculum vitae:

• born 1967, married, 1 daugthter
• 1987-1994: BA and MA Studies of Political Science, Medieval and Modern History and Public Law at the Universities of Freiburg i. Breisgau, Aix-en-Provence, and Heidelberg
• 1994: Fellow at the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research (HIIK)
• 1995-1998: PhD study at the Institute for Political Science of the University of Heidelberg (with field studies in Uganda, Benin, and Ivory Coast)
• 1997-1998: Assistant lecturer in the Corso di Perfezionamento in Cooperation and Conflict Management, Università di Bologna
• 1998: PhD graduation on “External Factors in the Process of Democratization. A Comparative Analysis of African Countries” (first supervisor Dieter Nohlen, second supervisor Klaus von Beyme)
• 1999-2004: Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Development Research and Development Policy of the Ruhr-University Bochum
• 2000-2006: Coopted member of the Faculty of Social Science at the Ruhr-University Bochum
• 2002-2006: Lecturer in the School of Government of the University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa
• 2004-2006: Assistant Professor of Transformation Studies with a focus on Africa and Asia at the Ruhr-University Bochum
• Since 2006: Professor of Political Science, in particular International Politics and Development Policy at the University Duisburg-Essen

Department and University Service

• Deputy spokesman of the Managing Board of the 'Institute for Development and Peace' (since 2011)
• Deputy spokesman of the 'UAMR Graduate Centre for Development Studies' (since 2011)
• Chair of the Board of Examiners for the Master of International Relations and Development Politics (since 2010)
• Board member for the Institute for Political Science (since 2006)
• Council member Department of Social Sciences (since 2008)
• Head of the commission for the appointment of a new W2 professorship for comparative politics (2008-2009)
• ECPR official representative of the Institute for Political Science (since 2008)
• Director at the Institute for Development Research and Development Politics, Ruhr Universität Bochum (2004-2006)

In the Field:

• Since 1994 in altogether 16 African countries:
• for research in Uganda, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Mauritius, Senegal, Ghana
• as consultant/evaluator also in Egypt, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Mali, and Togo

Professional Services:

• Managing Director of the Institute for Political Science at the University of Duisburg-Essen (2010 - Sept. 2011)
• Coordinator of the MA program 'Development and Governance' (since 2009)
• German Association for Political Science (DVPW), (Section on development theory, working group on democracy research)
• African Studies Association in Germany (VAD)
• Editor of the journal “Afrika Spectrum” (Link) (ISI-listed)
• Referee for African Affairs, Africa Spectrum, Democratization, Politische Vierteljahresschrift, Zeitschrift für Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft, Zeitschrift für Internationale Beziehungen
• Referee for the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation, Deutsche Stiftung Friedensforschung, Leibniz-Gemeinschaft