Career Biography

After his PhD at the London School of Economics, he taught at the University of Aberdeen for 16 years. Roland joined the Department in 2005.

Research

Roland has published widely in the areas of democracy, globalization and macro-political change. He has recently taken up again his previous research interests in the History of Political Thought, and 'Political Thinking in Germany in the 20th Century', in particular. In this field, he has published on, amongst others, Max Weber, Carl Schmitt, Hannah Arendt, and Norbert Elias. He is currently pursuing a research project on ‘The idea of the republic in German thought’, focusing on thinkers such as Ernst Cassirer, Hans Kelsen, Ernst Fraenkel and Dolf Sternberger as well as Carl Schmitt and Eric Voegelin.

Roland also serves as Director of the Centre for the Study of Culture and Politics.

Book publications include:

• Axtmann, R. (2007) Democracy: Problems and Perspectives (Edinburgh University Press).
• Axtmann, R. (eds) (2003) Understanding Democratic Politics: Concepts, Institutions, Movements (London: Sage).
• Axtmann, R. (eds) (2001) Balancing Democracy (London and New York: Continuum)
• Autoritaet, Staat und Nationalcharakter. Der Zivilisationsprozess in Oesterreich und England, 1700-1900 (with H.Kuzmics), (2000), published in English in 2007: Authority, State and National Character: The Civilizing Process in Austria and England, 1700 - 1900
• Axtmann, R. (eds) (1998) Globalisation and Europe (London and New York: Continuum).
• Axtmann, R. (eds) (1996) Liberal Democracy into the Twenty-First Century (Manchester University Press).

He has also published in scholarly journals such as History of Political Thought; History of the Human Sciences; Review of International Studies; International Political Science Review; International Politics; Theory, Culture and Society; German History; and Leviathan.