Welcome to the department of East Asian Politics

The Institute of East Asian Politics is committed to a practice-oriented approach in both teaching and research with a contemporary focus. We help develop knowledge and understanding of East Asia in Germany and Europe through well-founded research, innovative teaching concepts, and prudent policy consultation. Conceptual thinking, analytical competence, and skills of problem recognition and problem solving are the hallmarks of our scientific work.

The Department is unique in the German-speaking region for its commitment to political studies in all three major East Asian countries (China, Japan, and Korea). Founded in 1968, the Department was first directed by Professor Dr. Peter Weber-Schäfer (until his retirement in 2000). During this time emphasis was mainly on the history of political ideas and political culture in East Asia. From 2000 to 2002 Professor Dr. Wolfgang Ommerborn was acting head of the Department. Since his appointment to Chair of the Department in October 2002, Professor Dr. Xuewu Gu has broadened the scope of both teaching and research programs. Alongside political thought and political transition in East Asia, focus is increasingly on foreign policy and security and defence policy in the Asia-Pacific region. From mid-2009 until August 2011, Prof. Dr. Ommerborn has once again been acting head of the department. Since the appointment of Professor Dr. Jörn-Carsten Gottwald, the Department again broadened its scrope into the area of East Asian Political Economy.

For Information on our degree programmes, projects and our team, please browse the appropriate sections in the left-hand menu. News and announcements as well as more in-depth information are available on our German page.