Institut für Politikwissenschaft

Sven Altenburger

I am a political theorist and historian of political thought. My research focuses on the history and theory of citizenship, the fiscal and military institutions of the modern nation-state, modern republicanism, social democracy, and social liberalism. Additionally, I have a broader interest in modern German and American political thought, as well as questions of method, particularly contextual and institutional approaches.

For my doctoral dissertation, I examined civic duties in modern Germany and the United States. The dissertation was supervised by Tine Stein (Göttingen) and Dario Castiglione (Exeter) and received the highest distinction, summa cum laude. Prior to that, I completed an MA in History of Political Thought at Queen Mary and UCL, as well as a BA in Politics and History at Kiel University. I have also worked at the German think tank Das Progressive Zentrum and have held visiting positions at the University of Chicago, the University of Exeter, and the University of Copenhagen. My research has received support from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Short Articles (in German)


Selected Papers

  • ‘Politische Debatten um die Publikation von Steuerlisten in Deutschland, Spanien und den USA im 20. Jahrhundert’, Informationsasymmetrien. Transepochale Perspektiven von der Renaissance bis zur Gegenwart, Mainzer Akademie der Wissenschaften, April 21, 2023 (with Korinna Schönhärl).
  • ‘Steuern im Lichte von Good Citizenship’, Politische Theorie(n) der Öffentlichen Finanzen, University of Darmstadt, January 19, 2023.
  • ‘The Core Duties of Citizenship: Political Ideas in Early Weimar Germany’, Konferenz für den wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchs. Forschungsarbeiten zur Geschichte, Politik und Kultur der Weimarer Republik, University of Jena, October 20, 2022.
  • ‘Social Liberal Tax Philosophies in Germany and America, c. 1880-1910’, Liberalism and/or Socialism: Tensions, Exchanges and Convergences from the 19th Century to Today, University of Lorraine, October 21, 2021.
  • ‘State- (Re-) Building and Civic Duties in Authoritarian and Democratic Contexts – Germany and America, c. 1890-1990’, MANCEPT Workshop: Authoritarian Moments, Manchester Centre for Political Theory, September 10, 2021.
  • ‘Visions of Social Democracy. Ideas and Institutions in Germany and America, c. 1890-1925’, New Work in Intellectual History, International Society for Intellectual History, September 2, 2021.
  • ‘Schooling as Citizen-Making in 20th Century America and Germany’, History of Political Ideas Early Career Seminar, IHR London, November 27, 2019.
  • ‘Rethinking American and German Conscription’, Fifth Political Theory Graduate Conference, LSE, March 15, 2019.


Teaching

  • Civic Duties in Modern Democracy
  • Theories of State Institutions from Hegel to Skocpol
  • Twentieth Century American Political Thought
  • Introduction to the History of Political Thought
  • Republicanism: Historical and Contemporary Theories