In his latest work, the emeritus researcher addresses the question of how Western democracies can be strengthened in times of increasing populism.
"As a counter-program to the resurgence of populist Pied Piper slogans," says the 84-year-old academic, "I develop in detail the model of a more egalitarian, participatory, expanded political, economic, cultural and ethnic pluralism." Since his retirement in 2006, Eisfeld has either written or co-edited half a dozen books in German and English with colleagues in Germany and abroad. Streiten gegen die Erosion der Demokratie is the penultimate title, published in English in 2019 (Empowering Citizens, Engaging the Public) and in German in 2023 (a "stringently conceived, prudently argued and yet bold draft" according to the review in the Politische Vierteljahresschrift).
"Heil Höcke? Ethno-cultural pluralism as a political horizon and the return of nationalist counter-forces" is the title of the concluding chapter of Eisfeld's new book. For one thing, according to the political scientist, can hardly be denied: "The difficult, ever-present problem of living together in a democratic way is currently being posed anew with unprecedented acuteness. If neither academics, politicians nor the media think about necessary reforms, they will fail to materialize."
Rainer Eisfeld: Pluralism, concentration of power, democratization. New horizons for the German debate on pluralism. Nomos-Verlag, Baden-Baden 2025.
Further information for editorial offices:
Prof. Dr. Rainer Eisfeld, Osnabrück University
School of Cultural Studies and Social Sciences
Tel. 0541 969 4149
rainer.eisfeld@uni-osnabrueck.de
