Dr. Peter Thiery

Heidelberg University
Institute of Political Science 
Bergheimer Str. 58 | D-69115 Heidelberg, Germany 
Office: 03.010

E-Mail: peter.thiery[at]ipw.uni-heidelberg.de 
Phone: +49 6221 54 2874 

Office hour: by appointment (via mail).

Peter Thiery studied Political Science, Communication Studies, German Philology and Philosophy at Mainz University, graduating with a Master of Arts degree in 1988 and a thesis on decentralization and democratization in Spain in 1988. He completed his PhD at Mainz University in 1998 with a thesis on “Transformation in Chile“. He has been Lecturer and Researcher at several Institutes of Political Science (Mainz, 1990-1998; Heidelberg, 1999-2002; Munich, 2002-2010; Würzburg, 2008-2012). In 2012-2013 he was Fellow at the Centre for Global Cooperation Research in Duisburg. Since June 2014 he is Researcher at the research project "Bertelsmann Transformation Index“ in cooperation with the Bertelsmann Foundation.

His research focuses on democracy and democratization, the rule of law, and Latin America (especially Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Peru). Since 2002, he has been working with various teams on the Bertelsmann Transformation Index, for which he was also regional coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean until 2024.

• Macias-Weller, A. & Thiery, P (2024). Lost in Transformation? From one crisis to the next. BTI Regional Report for Latin America and the Caribbean. Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung 2024. Verfügbar unter: 

  https://bti-project.org/fileadmin/api/content/en/downloads/reports/glob…

• Thiery, P. (2020). Moderne politikwissenschaftliche Theorie. In: H.-J. Lauth & C. Wagner (Hrsg.), Politikwissenschaft: Eine Einführung (10., aktualisierte Auflage) (202-240). Paderborn: Ferdinand Schöningh. 202-240.
• Thiery, P. (2017). Soziale Gerechtigkeit in Lateinamerika. In A. Croissant, S. Kneip & A. Petring (Hrsg.), Demokratie, Diktatur, Gerechtigkeit. Festschrift für Wolfgang Merkel (721-744). Wiesbaden: Springer VS.
• Thiery, P. (2016). Political rule in revolutionary Cuba between legitimation, co-optation, and repression. In U. Backes & S. Kailitz (Hrsg.), Ideocracies in comparison. Legitimation – Cooptation – Repression (243-267). London: Routledge.
• Thiery, P. (2016). Staat und Rechtsstaat in der Vergleichenden Politikwissenschaft. In H.-J. Lauth, M. Kneuer & G. Pickel (Hrsg.), Handbuch Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft (S. 303-318). Wiesbaden: Springer VS.
• Thiery, P. (2026). Das politische System: Verfassung, Staat und Demokratie. In I. Paap & F. Schmidt-Welle (Hrsg.), Peru heute (S. 143-177). Frankfurt: Vervuert.
• Merkel, W., Puhle, H.-J., Croissant, A., Eicher, C. & Thiery, P. (2003). Defekte Demokratie, Band 2: Regionalanalysen. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.
• Merkel, W., Puhle, H.-J., Croissant, A., Eicher, C. & Thiery, P. (2003). Defekte Demokratie, Band 1: Theorie. Opladen: Leske+Budrich.
• Thiery, P. (2000). Transformation in Chile. Institutioneller Wandel, Entwicklung und Demokratie (1973-1996). Frankfurt am Main: Vervuert.
• Thiery, P. (1989). Der spanische Autonomiestaat. Die Veränderung der Zentrum-Peripherie-Beziehungen im postfrankistischen Spanien. Saarbrücken/Fort Lauderdale: Breitenbach-Verlag.