Hannah Arendt Visiting Chair for German and European Studies Dr. Thorsten Faas talks about his experience at CEES
What is your current research focus?
I’m a political scientist specializing in public opinion and elections, primarily on Germany but also from a comparative perspective. My research explores why people vote, the factors that influence their party choices, and the broader dynamics of voter behavior. One area of particular interest is political communication, especially how social media shapes voting decisions. Recently, my work has focused on young voters, whose diverse and evolving political behavior offers valuable insights into contemporary electoral politics.
How did your research interests evolve over time?
I began by exploring voting behavior in the European Parliament for my master’s thesis, focusing on whether Members of Parliament vote along party lines or according to their national identity. For my PhD, I shifted to studying individual voting behavior, specifically how personal experiences with unemployment shape political attitudes and actions. Later, my research expanded to political communication, examining televised debates in a North American, U.S.-style context. More recently, my work in Germany has focused on social media and election campaigns, with a particular interest in how these influence young voters. I find their voting behavior especially
compelling, and my research also engages with ongoing debates about the voting age in Germany.
You’ll be teaching some courses this year. Could you tell us what they’re about and what students can look forward to?
In the current fall term, I’m teaching a course on elections in Europe, which aligns closely with my research. We examine a range of national elections, such as those in France, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Most recently, we discussed the 2025 German election, originally scheduled for September but held earlier in February. Overall, the course explores how electoral dynamics across Europe shape broader political trends.
In the winter term, I’ll be teaching a course on youth and politics. This class focuses on young people’s political attitudes, their understanding of their role within the political system, and their voting behaviour. We’ll also study how citizens conceptualize democracy. While we often speak of “democracy” as a single model, people hold very different views of what it should look like: ranging from populist to social democratic to liberal perspectives. Understanding these differing conceptions is crucial because a political system should reflect citizens’ preferences, so long as those preferences remain consistent with democratic principles.
How do you see your time at CEES shaping your research and teaching?
We teach our students on the importance and the value of comparison, understanding political systems more deeply by examining how they differ across countries. Political institutions can take many forms and operate in diverse ways, and this comparative perspective allows us to see those variations more clearly.
For me, this approach also deepens my understanding of what shapes politics in Germany and how it contrasts with Canada. Engaging with colleagues here at CEES and viewing German and global politics from a different viewpoint has been both insightful and inspiring. It’s this broader perspective that makes my time here at the Centre rewarding.
What are you most looking forward to during your time in Canada?
We’re here as a family and it’s been a wonderful experience so far. Our daughter attends school here and has been picking up the language remarkably quickly. Overall, it’s been a very positive and enriching time for us as a family. Professionally, it’s refreshing to step outside of Berlin after eight years of working there. Berlin is the political centre and the capital of Germany, and the past year has been especially intense. Being in Canada offers a welcome change of pace and a valuable opportunity to gain a fresh perspective. It’s already been an amazing few weeks, and I’m sure the months ahead will be just as wonderful.
