About

Hi!

My name is Paul Binder. I am a second-year doctoral candidate in Political Science and a Research Associate in the project PINPOINT at the Geschwister Scholl Institute of Political Science at Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, where I work under the supervision of Professor Timm Betz.

My research interests lie in the intersection of (international) political economy and conflict studies, applying a wide range of quantitative techniques. In my dissertation, I examine the various political consequences of localized economic conditions and shocks. Political consequences are understood broadly, including electoral outcomes, public opinion toward foreign policy issues, the behavior of political candidates, and political mobilization in the form of protests. A second strand of my research is centered around the armament levels of conflict parties in civil wars and their effects on conflict severity as well as duration (for details, see Research).

My teaching focuses on quantitative methods in Political Science research, aiming to equip Undergrad students with the tools to apply adequate methods in their own projects.

Before starting my current position, I completed an M.A. and a B.A. (with a minor in Economics) in Political Science at LMU Munich. During my doctoral studies, I was a Visiting Researcher at Washington University in St. Louis in spring 2025.