The Research Unit Orders investigates how liberal political orders respond to deep contestations and how these responses shape processes of adaptation, transformation, and erosion. During the first funding phase, the RU showed that contestations of liberal orders are closely linked to conflicts over democratic legitimacy, authority, and institutional design. In the second phase, Orders focuses on the consequences of contestation: it examines the range of possible trajectories—from stabilization and progressive or regressive re-scripting to de-scripting and replacement by illiberal models.

 The RU studies how crises are interpreted and mobilized by political actors, including governments, populist movements, and transnational networks. Crisis framing is analyzed as a mechanism through which legitimacy is challenged or reinforced, expectations are shaped, and social trust is eroded or restored. A second research strand investigates how protest and mobilization in times of crisis alter the depth and direction of contestations. A third strand examines institutional counter-strategies, including emergency measures, regulatory reforms, and democratic innovations intended to stabilize political authority.

 Drawing on political theory, comparative politics, sociology, international relations, and law, Orders aims to clarify the institutional and societal conditions under which liberal orders maintain or regain resilience. The RU thereby provides analytical tools for understanding how liberal governance evolves under conditions of crisis.

Research Projects

From Populist to Dictator: How and When Populist Leaders Erode Liberal Democracy
Prof. Dr. Heike Klüver, Prof. Dr. Christoph Trebesch, Prof. Dr. Michael Zürn
Sep 01, 2026 — Aug 31, 2029