Patrick Theiner, Ph.D.

Patrick Theiner was Lecturer in International Relations (German: akademischer Rat) in the Department of Political Science from 2013 to 2018. He worked closely with the chair of international relations, Prof. Anja Jetschke.

The main focus of his research lies on international relations, international institutions, development, foreign aid, and global public health. In his dissertation, he sought to explain tangible institutional inputs and outcomes: Why are donors willing to provide significant financial contributions to some international organizations, but not to others? What can explain why countries are differently successful at acquiring grants, and why do the sizes of such grants vary so much? Since then, he has been most interested in processes of institutional innovation and change, and the spread of specific innovations - expert bodies, benchmarking, or non-state actor participation - through subfields and issue areas. His main theoretical lens for pathways of innovation and adaption is diffusion: inderdependent, but uncoordinated decision-making that is characterized by the voluntary adoption of institutional designs, processes, practices, and policies. The centerpiece of his research in Göttingen was the Comparative Regional Organizations Project (CROP).

Since July 2018, Patrick Theiner is Senior Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, University of Edinburgh.

A detailed CV can be found here.

Latest publications

  • Schwanholz, Julia / Theiner, Patrick / Busch, Andreas (2018) "The Interactive Parliament - Evolving Use of Digital Media by National Legislatures in the EU". In: Brichzin / Krichewsky / Ringel / Schank Soziologie der Parlamente - Neue Wege der politischen Institutionenforschung. Wiesbaden: Springer VS.
  • Theiner, Patrick (2017). "Donor Choice in Multilateral Health Aid" Journal of International Organizations Studies 8(1), 25-40.
  • Theiner, Patrick / Schwanholz, Julia / Busch, Andreas (2017) "Parliaments 2.0? Digital Media Use by National Parliaments in the EU". In: Schwanholz / Graham / Stoll Managing Democracy in the Digital Age? Internet Regulation, Social Media Use, and Online Civic Engagement. Wiesbaden: Springer.
  • Breindl, Yana / Theiner, Patrick / Busch, Andreas (2017) "Internet Censorship in Liberal Democracies: Learning from Autocracies?". In: Schwanholz / Graham / Stoll Managing Democracy in the Digital Age? Internet Regulation, Social Media Use, and Online Civic Engagement. Wiesbaden: Springer.


Teaching winter 2017/2018:

  • Introduction to International Relations (lecture, substituting for Prof. Anja Jetschke)
  • Model United Nations


Teaching summer 2017:


Teaching winter 2016/2017:

  • Introduction to International Relations (lecture, substituting for Prof. Anja Jetschke)
  • -- Evaluation (Overall quality: 87%)
  • Model United Nations
  • Research colloquium for final theses in international relations (with Kristina Kurze)


Teaching summer 2016:

  • Model United Nations
  • Research colloquium for final theses in international relations [German]
  • Deliberation and Decision-making in the European Union (with Wolfgang Pelull)


Previous teaching with evaluations:


Research Interests

  • International organizations
  • Regional organizations
  • Institutional design and innovation
  • International sports
  • Non-state actors
  • Global public health
  • Politics of development cooperation
  • Telecommunications and Internet governance
  • Governance of outer space
  • Quantitative methods


Education

  • PhD in Political Science, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, 2013. Title: "Donors, Dollars, and Diseases - State-Institution Interactions in Global Public Health" Supervisor: Dr William Phelan.
  • MA in Political Science and Sociology, University of Tübingen, Germany, 2008. Title: "Internet Governance: Collective Goods Theory and the Creation of Inclusive Institutions" Supervisor: Prof Volker Rittberger. Honors: Summa Cum Laude.


Experience

  • Department of Political Science, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Head Teaching Assistant, Introduction to International Relations, Dr William Phelan, Fall 2009-Spring 2010 and Fall 2011-Spring 2012. Guest Lecturer on "Methods in Political Science", Introduction to Political Science, Dr Jacqueline Hayden, Spring 2011 and Spring 2012. Guest Lecturer on "Political Determinants of Health", Module "Determinants of Health", Prof Malcolm MacLachlan and Dr Michael O'Toole, October 2011.
  • China-EU School of Law (CESL), Beijing, China. Head Teaching Assistant, Module "International Organization", Dr William Phelan, October 2011.
  • Department of Political Science, University of Tübingen, Germany. Head Teaching Assistant, Global Governance, Prof Volker Rittberger, Fall 2007-Spring 2008. IT Systems Administrator, April 2003-December 2007. Research Assistant, Prof Volker Rittberger, Fall 2004-Fall 2007. Teaching Assistant, Global Governance, Prof Volker Rittberger, Fall 2006-Spring 2007. Research Assistant, Prof Gerd Meyer, Fall 2004-Spring 2006. Instructor and Delegation Leader, University of Tübingen delegation to National Model United Nations (New York City), Summer 2005-Spring 2006. Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Political Science, Dr Rolf Frankenberger, Fall 2004-Spring 2005.
  • Internships at European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), Vienna, Austria, and German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany.


Honors and Awards

  • Government of Ireland Postgraduate Research Scholar (IRCHSS Postgraduate Scholarship), 2010–2012.
  • Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance PhD studentship, 2008-2010.
  • POLIS-Tübingen Annual Award for Best MA Thesis in Political Science, 2007.


Homepage
www.theiner.name