Juniorprofessor Arndt Leininger, Ph.D.
Junior Fellow, April to September 2025
Chemnitz University of Technology
- Since 2021, assistant professor for political science research methods at Chemnitz University of Technology. Previously, he worked as a research assistant at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz and the Free University of Berlin, and as a substitute professor at the University of Konstanz
- Head of the Emmy Noether Junior Research Group “Polarization through and in referendums” (DFG) and a project on “Legacies of democratic transition. Explaining the success of the populist radical right in eastern Germany” (Fritz Thyssen Foundation)
- Studied political science at Freie Universität Berlin, Sciences Po Paris and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Doctorate from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin (2017)
Fellow project: "Decline of local public and private service provision and political discontent"
My project investigates how the decline of local public and private infrastructure, by creating grievances and diminishing social capital, leads to political disaffection and, as a consequence, growing support for anti-establishment parties. I propose direct effects -- public services leading to frustration and reduced democratic satisfaction, compounded by declining trust in government due to limited interaction with state representatives -- and indirect effects -- the disappearance of local gathering places such as pubs and shops leading to community fragmentation and shifts in social norms. Empirically, I examine how the decline of local public and private infrastructure affects political attitudes and behavior, focusing on individual and community-level effects. Examining the relationship between local service provision and political dissatisfaction and support for the populist far right also promises practical insights into how to address these political developments.