Rainer Eisfeld

Rainer Eisfeld (born 4 April 1941, in Berlin) is a German political scientist and professor emeritus at the University of Osnabrück.

Education and career

Eisfeld received an economics degree from the University of Saarbrücken in 1966 and his PhD in political science from the Goethe University of Frankfurt in 1971. He was assistant professor at Goethe University of Frankfurt, 1972–73, and professor of political science at the University of Osnabrück, 1974-2006 (now emeritus). His international appointments include visiting scholarships at UCLA[1] and the University of Arizona. He taught at UCLA as a visiting professor in 2002.

Eisfeld was Chair of the International Political Science Association (IPSA)’s Research Committee on Socio-Political Pluralism, 2000-2006,[2] and member of the IPSA Executive Committee (as Research Committee Representative), 2006-2012. A former reviewer for the Volkswagen Foundation (1983-1993), Eisfeld serves presently as reviewer for Political Studies, International Political Science Review, European Political Science, and as member of the Polish Political Science Yearbook’s Editorial Board. First appointed in 1994, he also continues to serve on the Board of Trustees of Concentration Camp Memorials Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora[3] (State of Thuringia, Germany).

Research, awards and honors

Eisfeld’s work has appeared in Politische Vierteljahresschrift,[4] Leviathan,[5] German Politics & Society,[6] European Political Science,[7] Government and Opposition,[8] the International Political Science Review,[9] the International Review of Sociology Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture,[10] Revista Critica de Ciências Sociais(Bibliography),[11] Iberian Studies,[12] Teorija in Praksa, the Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review,[13] and "Politicheskaja nauka". His research has focused on theories of pluralism, problems of participatory democracy, the development of the discipline in Germany and East-Central Europe, transition from dictatorship to democracy, and scientists’ compliance during the Nazi regime. Displaying a strong historical interest, Eisfeld has also, rather uncommonly for a political scientist, written about the persisting ideology of the American frontier (“progress through violence”), the projection of earthly hopes and fears on another world (the planet Mars), and teenagers’ dreams in the 1950s.

Eisfeld won a Faculty Dissertation Award[14] from Frankfurt University in 1971 and a Volkswagen Foundation Research Grant (Akademie-Stipendium) in 1989. His work Mondsüchtig on Wernher von Braun’s involvement in the infamous Nazi slave labor program was selected by the journal Bild der Wissenschaft as one of the ‘Year’s Outstanding Books on Science’ in 1997.

Books and edited volumes (selection)
  • Pluralismus zwischen Liberalismus und Sozialismus. Stuttgart, Berlin, Cologne, Mainz: Kohlhammer 1972, ISBN 3-17-231011-6 (Italian: Il pluralismo tra liberalismo e socialismo, Bologna: Il Mulino 1976;[15] Croatian: Pluralizam izmedu liberalizma I socijalizma, Zagreb: Informator 1992, ISBN 86-301-0229-2)
  • Sozialistischer Pluralismus in Europa: Ansätze und Scheitern am Beispiel Portugals. Cologne: Wissenschaft u. Politik 1984, ISBN 3-8046-8613-3.
  • Ausgebürgert und doch angebräunt: Deutsche Politikwissenschaft 1920–1945. Baden-Baden: Nomos 1991, ISBN 3-7890-2393-0.
  • Mondsüchtig: Wernher von Braun und die Geburt der Raumfahrt aus dem Geist der Barbarei. Reinbek: Rowohlt 1996 (2nd ed. [pb] 2000; 3rd ed. Springe: zu Klampen 2012; Czech: Touha po mešíci, Brno: Jota 1997, ISBN 80-7217-018-X.)
  • (with Michael Th. Greven and Hans Karl Rupp): Political Science and Regime Change in 20th Century Germany. New York: Nova Science Publishers 1996
  • Als Teenager träumten: Die magischen 50er Jahre. Baden-Baden: Nomos 1999, ISBN 3-426-27288-1.
  • Streitbare Politikwissenschaft: Studien zu Demokratisierung, politischer Kultur und wissenschaftlicher Verantwortung. Baden-Baden: Nomos 2006, ISBN 3-8329-2050-1.
  • (ed.): Pluralism. Developments in the Theory and Practice of Democracy. Opladen, Farmington Hills: Barbara Budrich 2006, ISBN 3-86649-028-3.
  • (co-ed. with Leslie A. Pal): Political Science in Central-East Europe: Diversity and Convergence. Opladen, Farmington Hills: Barbara Budrich 2010, ISBN 978-3-86649-293-6.
  • Radical Approaches to Political Science: Roads Less Traveled. Opladen, Berlin, Toronto: Barbara Budrich 2012, ISBN 978-3-8474-0028-8.
  • Mitgemacht. Theodor Eschenburgs Beteiligung an "Arisierungen" im Nationalsozialismus. Wiesbaden: Springer VS 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07215-5.
  • Political Science: Reflecting on Concepts, Demystifying Legends. Opladen, Berlin, Toronto: Barbara Budrich 2016, ISBN 978-3-847-40506-1.
  • Empowering Citizens, Engaging the Public: Political Science for the 21st Century. London: Palgrave Macmillan 2019, ISBN 978-981-13-5927-9.

Major chapters and articles (selection)
  • Portugal and Western Europe, in: Kenneth Maxwell (ed.), Portugal in the 1980s: Dilemmas of Democratic Consolidation, New York/Westport: Greenwood Press, 1986, 29–62. ISBN 0313248893
  • Myths and Realities of Frontier Violence: A Look at the Gunfighter Saga[16], Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, Vol. 3 (1995), 106–122 [repr. in: Sean E. Anderson/Gregory J. Howard (eds.), Interrogating Popular Culture: Deviance, Justice, and Social Order, Albany: Harrow & Heston, 1998, 42–54. ISBN 0911577424]
  • ‘Fortschritt’ durch Vernichtung: Raketenpioniere und KZ-Häftlinge im NS-Staat, Postscript to: Yves Béon: Planet Dora. Als Gefangener im Schatten der V 2-Ra¬kete, Gerlingen: Bleicher, 1999, 277–298. ISBN 3898069982
  • How Political Science Might Regain Relevance and Obtain an Audience: A Manifesto for the 21st Century[17], European Political Science, Vol. 10 (2011), 220-225.
  • Political Science in Great Britain and Germany. The Roles of LSE (the London School of Economics) and DHfP (the German Political Studies Institute), Polish Political Science Review (Polski Przeglad Politologiczny), Vol. 2 (2014), No. 2, 71-82 |url=http://politologia.uni.wroc.pl/politicalreview/images/5_Eisfeld.pdf.

References
  1. "UCLA CEES: Civil Rights Challenges Around the World Will Be Highlighted". Archived from the original on July 14, 2007. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  2. ""Pluraliste: tout courant l'est, qui s'oppose à l'uniformisation de la vie publique." – Stanislaw Ehrlich (1907-1997), RC 16 founder". Ipsa-pluralism.com. Archived from the original on 2013-12-31. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
  3. Stiftung Gedenkstätte Buchenwald und Mittelbau-Dora. "Foundation Committees - Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials Foundation". Buchenwald.de. Retrieved 2013-12-14.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. Der ideologische und soziale Stellenwert der Pluralismus-Theorie. - in: 3. Heft 1971 - Politische Vierteljahresschrift. Koblenz, Germany: Zeitschrift der Deutschen Vereinigung für Politische Wissenschaft. 1971.
  5. Eisfeld, Rainer (March 2005). "Iring Fetschers "realistischer Utopismus" und die heutige Politikwissenschaft". Leviathan - Berliner Zeitschrift für Sozialwissenschaft: 111–123. Archived from the original on 2007-04-19. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
  6. Stephen, Wood (2004). Germany And East-Central Europe: Political, Economic And Socio-Cultural Relations In The Era Of EU Enlargement. Farnham, United Kingdom: Ashgate Publishing Limited. ISBN 0754643093.
  7. Eisfeld, Rainer; Leslie A Pal (2010). "Political Science in Central-East Europe and the Impact of Politics: Factors of Diversity, Forces of Convergence". European Political Science. 9 (2): 223–243. doi:10.1057/eps.2010.11.
  8. Eisfeld, Rainer (July 1983). "The West German Elections: Economic Fears and the Deployment Debate". Government and Opposition. 18 (3): 291–303. doi:10.1111/j.1477-7053.1983.tb00346.x.
  9. Eisfeld, Rainer (July 1996). "The Emergence and Meaning of Socialist Pluralism". International Political Science Review. 17 (3): 267–279. doi:10.1177/019251296017003004.
  10. Eisfeld, Rainer (1995). "MYTHS AND REALITIES OF FRONTIER VIOLENCE: A LOOK AT THE GUNFIGHTER SAGA". Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture: 106–122.
  11. http://www.fflch.usp.br/dh/22009disciplinas/Lincoln.htm. Retrieved November 12, 2012. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. Josι Marνa Magone. The Developing Place of Portugal in the European Union. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  13. Eisfeld, Rainer (2011). "Towards Creating a Discipline With a "Regional Stamp ": Central -East European Political Science and Ethno-Cultural Diversity". Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review. 25: 121–128.
  14. Eisfeld, Rainer. "Pluralismus zwischen Sozialismus und Liberalismus". Liste der Preisträger des IHK-Dissertationspreises.
  15. Elena Principessa di Napoli - Rieti (2012-09-14). "IL PLURALISMO FRA LIBERALISMO E SOCIALISMO | Elena Principessa di Napoli - Rieti". Epnrieti.com. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  16. "Rainer Eisfeld - MYTHS AND REALITIES OF FRONTIER VIOLENCE: A LOOK AT THE GUNFIGHTER SAGA - JCJPC - Volume 3, Issue 5". Albany.edu. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  17. European Political Science. "European Political Science - Abstract of article: How Political Science Might Regain Relevance and Obtain an Audience: A Manifesto for the 21st Century". Palgrave-journals.com. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
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