The project links the research units “Democracy and Democratization”(Director: Wolfgang Merkel),“Migration, Integration, Transnationalization” (Director: Ruud Koopmans) and “Global Governance”(Director: Michael Zürn).

We investigate the extent to which globalization generates a cleavage pitting those in favor of open borders and socio-political integration against those favoring closure and demarcation. We analyze conflict patterns surrounding the issues of climate change, human rights, migration, regional integration and trade in Germany, Poland, Turkey, the USA and Mexico as well as at the international level within the European Union and the United Nations. Our data consists of party manifesto data, survey data, an elite survey and quantitative content analysis of mass media and plenary debates. Finally, we investigate how and to what extent such societal conflicts are related to cosmopolitanism and communitarianism and what the implications for democracy are. More information about the project can be found here.

Intermediary findings have been presented at invited talks and international conferences in Bremen, Chicago, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leuven, Madrid, Mainz, San Francisco, Vienna. We have also provided University courses in ‘Introduction to Globalization’ and ‘The Political Sociology of Cosmopolitanism and Communitarianism’ at bachelor and master level at the Free University and Humboldt University Berlin.