Articles by Simon Bein

October 16, 2025

🦋 Democracy between anywhere and nowhere

Simon Bein

Do we need a paradigm shift in democracy research? Simon Bein broadens the current western-led perspective on searching for, and researching, democracies. Nevertheless, he warns, theorists should avoid making it more difficult to undertake comparative analyses of democratic systems

🦋 What identity does democracy need? The necessity and danger of political polarisation

Simon Bein

Simon Bein postulates a new perspective on the multiplicity of understandings of democracy and political identities in democratic societies. He argues that democracies which recognise and balance competing political identities are less polarised

Simon Bein

Associate Professor, Institute of Political Science, Chair of Comparative Politics, University of Regensburg

Simon's main research interests are modern democratic theories, empirical democratic research, political culture and political parties.

He is the author of two monographs, has edited several books on current challenges of democracies, and has published in the German Journal of Comparative Politics, and German Political Science Quarterly, among others.

ORCiD

Identity and Democracy: Polarisation and Balance in the Conflict between Liberalism and Republicanism
Springer VS, 2023 (German edition)

Demokratie zwischen normativem Postulat und empirischer Realität: Herausforderungen und Krisen in der Debatte
Springer, 2025 (German edition)

The Loop

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