Dr. Fabian Engler
Contact & Office Hours
Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg
Institute of Political Science
Bergheimer Straße 58 | 69115 Heidelberg
Office: 03.041
Phone: +49-6221-54-2880
E-Mail: fabian.engler[at]ipw.uni-heidelberg.de
Office hours are held digitally in the online office.
Office hours in the summer term 2026: Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Research Profile
Dr Fabian Engler has been a research fellow at the IPW since 2014. After studying political science and economics at the University of Heidelberg, he obtained his PhD from the University of Bremen.
His teaching and research focus on political economy, economic and social policy in established democracies, politics and party competition in Germany, the voting behaviour of MPs, and quantitative methods.
Curriculum Vitae
Table
| Year | Position / Degree |
|---|
| Year | Position / Degree |
|---|---|
since 04/2022 | Senior lecturer and research fellow at the Institute of Political Science, University of Heidelberg |
10/2020 – 03/2021 | Stand-in for the Chair of Political Science (especially Comparative Analysis of Political Systems), University of Heidelberg (part-time) |
04/2020 – 03/2022 | Senior research fellow in the research project ‚ The Transformation of Government Intervention in the Economy in Advanced Democracies’, University of Heidelberg |
10/2019 | PhD in political science (Dr. rer. pol.), University of Bremen |
03/2016 – 03/2020 | Member of the committee for the selection of applicants for the BA and MA degree programs, Institute of Political Science, University of Heidelberg |
03/2014 – 02/2020 | Lecturer and research associate, University of Heidelberg |
03/2014 – 02/2016 | Member of the commission for the use of quality assurance funds, Institute of Political Science, University of Heidelberg |
03/2014 – 03/2015 | Assistant to the head of the department, Institute of Political Science, University of Heidelberg |
09/2011 – 02/2014 | Master of Arts in political science (major) and economics (minor), University of Heidelberg |
10/2008 – 08/2011 | Bachelor of Arts in political science (major) and economics (minor), University of Heidelberg |
Teaching
Courses in the summer term 2026
- S: Introduction to Empirical and Quantitative Methods (four classes) (BA)
- S: Is the State in Retreat? – Economic Policy in International Comparison (BA)
- S: Politics in Germany – An Explanation of Key Decisions since the 2000s (MA)
- S: Presentation of Research Results (MA)
- C: Seminar on the Presentation of Theses (Colloquium) (BA/MA)
Supervision of theses
If you are interested in the supervision of your thesis, please visit my office hours in advance of the respective lecture term.
Possible topics:
- Explanation of policy-making (individual cases or international comparison)
- Policy preferences and vote intention of individuals’
- Politics and party competition in Germany
- Voting behavior of members of parliament
Selected Publications
- Zohlnhöfer, R./Engler, F./Jathe, J. (i.E.). Liberalizing the Economy? The Transformation of Government Intervention in Advanced Democracies. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Zohlnhöfer, R. & Engler, F. (Hg.). (i.E.). Die Ampel-Koalition zwischen Fortschrittsversprechen, Dauerkrise und Polarisierung. Eine Bilanz der Regierung Scholz, 2021-2025. Springer VS.
- Engler, F., Jathe, J. & Zohlnhöfer, R. (2025). Partisan politics and economic intervention: evidence from an aggregating approach. West European Politics, 48(6), 1361-1388.
- Zohlnhöfer, R., Jathe, J. & Engler, F. (2025). A return of economic intervention in advanced democracies after the financial and economic crisis (2008/2009)? Governance, 38(1), 1-22.
- Zohlnhöfer, R. & Engler, F. (Hg.). (2022). Das Ende der Merkel-Jahre. Eine Bilanz der Regierung Merkel 2018-2021. Springer VS.
- Engler, F. (2021). Political parties, globalization, and labour strength: assessing differences across welfare state programs. European Journal of Political Research, 60(3), 670-693.
- Engler, F. & Zohlnhöfer, R. (2019). Left parties, voter preferences, and economic policy-making in Europe. Journal of European Public Policy, 26(11), 1620-1638.
- Engler, F. & Herweg, N. (2019). Of Barriers to Entry for Medium and Large n Multiple Streams Applications: Methodological and Conceptual Considerations. Policy Studies Journal, 47(4), 905-926.
- Zohlnhöfer, R., Engler, F. & Dümig, K. (2018). The Retreat of the Interventionist State in Advanced Democracies. British Journal of Political Science, 48(2), 535-562.
- Engler, F. & Dümig, K. (2017). Political Parties and MPs’ Morality Policy Voting Behaviour: Evidence from Germany. Parliamentary Affairs, 70(3), 548-568.