I want to begin by thanking Mr. Harry Samuel for enabling me to pursue this ARIA. This summer, I had the opportunity to work as an ARIA intern at the Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship (CSDC) under the supervision of Professor Dietlind Stolle thanks to the generous support of Mr. Harry Samuel. My research contributions spanned multiple projects aimed at eventual academic publication, allowing me to engage with diverse topics in political science. One project examined the relationship between hypermasculinity and far-right voting behavior across 15 countries, revealing that hypermasculine men are significantly more likely to vote for populist far right parties than non-hypermasculine men- a gap exceeding the male-female vote gap in ten countries. Another focused on the war in Ukraine, for which I created my accompanying ARIA research poster.
This study analyzed discrepancies between European governments鈥� military aid to and refugee intake from Ukraine and public opinion on their governments鈥� performance. By analyzing the differences between policy and public opinion across countries, we hope to gain insights about how elite cues and public opinion influence each other in wartime. This project honed my skills in data analysis, particularly using R, and challenged me to interpret counterintuitive findings- a process I found deeply rewarding, and which I will continue with the CSDC.
Perhaps the most unconventional initiative was the development of a democratic backsliding tracker, designed to catalog instances of institutional erosion during U.S. President Trump鈥檚 second presidency. Starting with the judiciary, the tracker will gradually expand to include journalism, legal professions, and universities, serving as both a tool for the public to better understand how backsliding occurs, and a dataset for future quantitative research. With a large enough set of events, we will in the future be able to train a machine learning model to automatically process new backsliding events as they unfold, making this particular project an interesting blend of Political Science, Programming, and Math.
My interest in ARIA stemmed from a long-standing desire to engage in academic research. Working directly under Professor Stolle provided an invaluable mentorship experience, and the thrill of uncovering new knowledge was immensely fulfilling. Before this internship, I lacked a clear understanding of how research evolves from idea to publication; the CSDC鈥檚 collaborative environment demystified this process, offering hands-on exposure to every stage.
The internship鈥檚 highlights included my regular meetings with Professor Stolle, where we reviewed my progress and brainstormed new directions for the projects. The CSDC鈥檚 weekly paper presentations were another standout. These sessions fostered a culture of constructive feedback, and I even had the opportunity to present the backsliding tracker to the group. At this stage, Professor Stolle and I were still unsure about some of the conceptual aspects of this project. The presentation sparked a lively discussion, with researchers offering ideas and insights. This collaborative spirit, common in CSDC meeting rooms, not only strengthened the project but made me feel valued as a contributor. Beyond formal work, the lab鈥檚 sense of community left a lasting impression. At a potluck event, I connected with professors and researchers over shared experiences, including Professor Stolle鈥檚 reflections on growing up in East Germany during the Cold War. These interactions humanized academia and reinforced my enthusiasm for the field.
ARIA has profoundly influenced my academic and career trajectory. Professor Stolle and I have discussed my continued involvement with the CSDC, an opportunity I eagerly anticipate. Whether I pursue Political Science research long-term or explore adjacent paths, this internship has been pivotal- not only for the technical skills I gained but also for the mentorship and professional relationships it fostered. Without ARIA, I might never have discovered my passion for research or connected with a supervisor as supportive as Professor Stolle.
I am deeply grateful to Professor Michael Hilke for setting me on the initial path to this internship, to Professor Stolle and the CSDC researchers for their mentorship, and to collaborators from other institutions who enriched my learning. And above all, I am thankful to 91丝瓜视频鈥檚 Faculty of Arts Internship Office and Mr. Harry Samuel for funding the Harry Samuel Research Internship Award and for making this ARIA possible.
