Prof. Dr. Sarah Engler

21335 Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, C4.021a
Fon +49.4131.677-2516, sarah.engler@leuphana.de
Professor, Professorship of Comparative Politics

Table of contents for this page

Vita

  • Since 09/2022: Professor in Comparative Politics, Leuphana University Lüneburg
  • 09/2021 – 08/2022: Interim Professor for Direct Democracy and Participation, University of Zurich
  • 01/2019 – 08/2021: Senior researcher at the Department of Political Science and the Center for Democracy Studies, University of Zurich
  • 02/2017 – 07/2017: Guest researcher at the European University Institute (EUI), Florence, Italy
  • 2014 - 2018: Research and teaching assistant at the Chair of European and Comparative Politics, University of Bern
  • 2014 - 2018: Doctoral student at the Department of Political Science, University of Bern
  • 08/2012-12/2012: Visiting Student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
  • 2009 - 2014: Student assistant at the Chair of European and Comparative Politics, University of Bern

Projects

Publications

Books and anthologies

  1. Centrist Anti-Establishment Parties and Their Struggle for Survival
    Sarah Engler (Author) , 2023 Oxford , 208 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Monographs › Research › peer-review

View all publications

Journal contributions

  1. The electoral appeal of symbolic class signalling through cultural consumption
    Sarah Engler (Author) , David Weisstanner (Author) , 11.07.2025 , in: British Journal of Political Science, 55 , 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  2. Democracy challenged: how parties politicize different democratic principles
    Sarah Engler (Author) , Theresa Gessler (Author) , Tarik Abou-Chadi (Author) , Lucas Leemann (Author) , 01.01.2023 , in: Journal of European Public Policy, 30, 10 , p. 1961-1983 , 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  3. Book Review: Political Entrepreneurs: The Rise of Challenger Parties in Europe
    Sarah Engler (Author) , 01.05.2022 , in: Party Politics, 28, 3 , p. 580-581 , 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Critical reviews › Research

  4. Democracy in times of the pandemic: explaining the variation of COVID-19 policies across European democracies
    Sarah Engler (Author) , Palmo Brunner (Author) , Romane Loviat (Author) , Tarik Abou-Chadi (Author) , Lucas Leemann (Author) , Andreas Glaser (Author) , Daniel Kübler (Author) , 19.09.2021 , in: West European Politics, 44, 5-6 , p. 1077-1102 , 26 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  5. The threat of social decline: income inequality and radical right support
    Sarah Engler (Author) , David Weisstanner (Author) , 01.04.2021 , in: Journal of European Public Policy, 28, 2 , p. 153-173 , 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

View all publications

Contributions to collected editions/anthologies

  1. Parteien und Parteiensysteme in der Vergleichenden Politikwissenschaft
    Sarah Engler (Author) , 31.12.2025 Wiesbaden , p. 1-15 , 15 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research › peer-review

  2. Populism and corruption
    Sarah Engler (Author) , 02.05.2024 Cheltenham , p. 273-275 , 3 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Articles for encyclopedia › Research

  3. Income inequality, status decline and support for the radical right
    Sarah Engler (Author) , David Weisstanner (Author) , 01.01.2020 Wiesbaden , p. 383-400 , 18 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research

  4. Vom Aufstieg zum Niedergang der Demokratie?
    Sarah Engler (Author) , Daniel Kübler (Author) , 01.01.2019 Baden , p. 18-35 , 18 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research

  5. Polarisierung als Strategie. Die Polarisierung des Schweizer Parteiensystems im internationalen Vergleich
    Sarah Engler (Author) , Klaus Armingeon (Author) , 01.01.2015 Zürich , p. 355-379 , 25 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review

View all publications

Activities

  1. Workshop presentation "How inflation shifts politics towards the right"
    Sarah Engler (Speaker)
    →

    Activity: talk or presentation in privat or public events › Research

  2. How inflation shifts politics to the right
    Sarah Engler (Speaker)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  3. Wandel oder Umbruch: Wohin entwickelt sich das Parteienspektrum in Deutschland und Europa?
    Sarah Engler (Speaker)

    Activity: talk or presentation in privat or public events › Transfer

  4. Presentation at the research seminar, University of Geneva
    Sarah Engler (Speaker)

    Activity: talk or presentation in privat or public events › Research

  5. Presentation at the research seminar, University of Bern
    Sarah Engler (Speaker)

    Activity: talk or presentation in privat or public events › Research

View all activities

Press / Media

  1. Migrationskurs und Votum mit der AfD. So riskant ist die neue Merz-Strategie
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  2. Original und Kopie: "Das geht selten gut"
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  3. Die da oben?
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  4. Regierungskoalitionen im Ausland stossen an Grenzen
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  5. Abstiegsangst: Sorge um den eigenen Status
    1 time cited

    Press/Media: Press/Media

View all press/media coverage

Prizes

  1. Excellence in Reviewing Award 2025 at the British Journal of Political Science (BJPolS)
    Sarah Engler (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  2. Young Scholar Award for best dissertation
    Sarah Engler (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  3. The Frank Cass Prize
    Sarah Engler (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  4. CES/JEPP Political Economy and Welfare Best Paper Prize
    Sarah Engler (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  5. Peter Mair Best Paper Prize
    Sarah Engler (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

View all prizes

Courses

Applied Quantitative methods A
Sarah Engler
⌄
!!! Only for students of the second and fourth semester!!!
Students of higher semesters should take the course by Dr. Kseniya Kisilova

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Knowledge on research methods is essential for students of any empirically oriented social science. In the study of political science, an understanding of statistical data analysis is necessary not only for conducting analysis but also for understanding a significant proportion of the empirical political science literature. This course introduces students to research designs, quantitative methods and data analysis in empirical political science research. The seminar covers topics ranging from the first formulation of a theoretical argument to empirical testing thereof. We will use the statistical program STATA for the sessions on data management and statistical analysis.
Next appointment:
Thursday, 2026-04-23 at 12:15
Room: C 12.107 Seminarraum
Applied Quantitative methods B
Sarah Engler
⌄
!!! Only for students of the second and fourth semester!!!
Students of higher semesters should take the course by Dr. Kseniya Kisilova

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Knowledge on research methods is essential for students of any empirically oriented social science. In the study of political science, an understanding of statistical data analysis is necessary not only for conducting analysis but also for understanding a significant proportion of the empirical political science literature. This course introduces students to research designs, quantitative methods and data analysis in empirical political science research. The seminar covers topics ranging from the first formulation of a theoretical argument to empirical testing thereof. We will use the statistical program STATA for the sessions on data management and statistical analysis.
Next appointment:
Thursday, 2026-04-23 at 14:15
Room: C 12.108 Seminarraum
Introduction to Comparative Politics
Sarah Engler
⌄
Why are some states democratic and others not? How do institutions differ across democracies, and does it matter whether a president, a prime minister, or both rule a country? How do political parties organize societal conflicts? These and many more questions are at the core of the introductory class of comparative politics. The lecture introduces students to the field of comparative politics, which analyses domestic politics from various perspectives and historically relies on comparisons of political systems to learn about how states work. We start with a broad view on different types of regimes and regime change, and then move our focus to institutions, actors, and voters in established democracies.

The accompanying seminar deepens the students’ knowledge about the content of the lecture, provides additional material to better understand how research in comparative politics works (e.g. measurement of concepts, application of comparative methods) and gives students the opportunity to apply the learned concepts and theories in group exercises and case studies.
Next appointment:
Tuesday, 2026-04-21 at 10:15
Room: C 14.027 Seminarraum
Introduction to Comparative Politics - A
Sarah Engler
⌄
The accompanying seminar deepens the students’ knowledge about the content of the lecture "Introduction in Comparative Politics", provides additional material to better understand how research in comparative politics works (e.g. measurement of concepts, application of comparative methods) and gives students the opportunity to apply the learned concepts and theories in group exercises and case studies.
Next appointment:
Monday, 2026-04-27 at 14:15
Room: C 12.102 Seminarraum
Introduction to Comparative Politics - B
Sarah Engler
⌄
The accompanying seminar deepens the students’ knowledge about the content of the lecture, provide additional material to better understand how research in comparative politics works (e.g. measurement of concepts, application of comparative methods) and gives students the opportunity to apply the learned concepts and theories in group exercises and case studies.
Next appointment:
Monday, 2026-04-27 at 16:15
Room: C 12.013 Seminarraum