To make things happen and change policies, a deep understanding of the political system and the politics happening within are needed. In the spring 2025, Sven T. Siefken is co-teaching a Master class on this topic at the Hertie School, University of Governance, in Berlin. More about the university and its programs here https://www.hertie-school.org/en/
The 2022 class by Sven T. Siefken at Colorado College takes an in-depth look at how people can make a difference in parliamentary politics. In a comparative perspective on the European parliamentary democracies, we study civic culture and political activism, look at candidate nomination and the electoral system and at how to run an election…
McGill University in Montreal, Canada, has run an exciting program for new MPs and staff from around the globe. Sven T. Siefken spoke on current political challenges to the German Bundestag, discussing the tension between MPs’ policy specialization versus societal outreach? The presentation gave an overview about how the Bundestag, one of the strongest parliaments…
Back at Colorado College, teaching a class in Comparative Politics on the Superwahljahr 2021. The election to the 20th German Parliament will be held on September 26, 2021. It will, very likely, bring an end to 16 years as chancellor of Angela Merkel, who is not running for reelection. With ongoing fragmentation of the German…
During the latest field trip, a group of students and Sven T. Siefken visited different departments of the Federal Police and other security agencies to discuss current threats and challenges. More about the German Federal Police here: https://www.bundespolizei.de As Or
Simulation games are an innovative way for teaching the logic and dynamics of the political process. Sven T. Siefken and a group of students from different universities participated in the parliamentary simulation that is run by the German Bundestag, going through the parliamentary phases of how a bill becomes a law. More on the simulation…
The Bundestag has been been running the international scholarship program for young professionals from various parts of the world. Sven T. Siefken delivered an opening presentation on „politics in a parliamentary democracy“ and led the discussion for the 2023 class of participants from various Arabic countries: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Tunisia, Bahrain, Algeria, Iraqi. More…