Professor Kurt Richard Luther
- Title
- Emeritus Professor of Comparative Politics
- Location
- CBB2.028
- Phone
- + 44 1782 733103
- r.luther@keele.ac.uk
Biography
Honours
2009: Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Arts (Österreichisches Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst).
Education
In Switzerland, the UK and Germany. My PhD was on Comparative Federalism in Western Europe.
Positions at Keele
- June 2019: I decided to move to the position of Professor Emeritus.
- January 2015: appointed Keele University's first Dean for Internationalisation. As part of the Vice Chancellor’s team, I had overall responsibility to provide strategic leadership of Keele’s international agenda. Successes during my four year tenure included developing with Beijing Foreign Studies University an innovative joint programme offering Bachelor degrees in International Diplomacy (BFSU) and in International Governance and Public Policy (Keele).
- 2010: appointed to a Chair in Comparative Politics
- 2000: established and thereafter convened the Keele European Parties Research Unit (KEPRU)
- 1993: joined the then “Department of Politics”
Visiting Positions (selection)
- 2017- : Distinguished Research Professor, Center for German Studies at Tongji University, Shanghai
- 2014-17: Guest Professor (高端外国专, or ‘High-End Foreign Expert’) at Tongji University, Shanghai under China’s ‘Recruitment Program of Global Experts 1000 Talent Plan’
- 2008-09: Visiting Professor, Department of Government, Vienna University
- 2007: Visiting Researcher, Institute for Advanced Studies, Vienna
- 2004: Visiting Researcher, Institute for European Integration Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna.
Academic Networks (selection)
- 2003-2016: Convenor of the European Consortium for Political Research’s Standing Group on Political Parties, which has in excess of 400 members on five continents. I played a major role in initiating and then (co)-directing the Group’s highly-regarded multinational PhD Summer School, held annually since 1990.
- Since 1980: Member of the International Association for the Study of German Politics (IASGP) and was elected to its Executive Committee on several occasions.
Research and scholarship
Topics
• In recent years, my research has focused in particular on political parties’ organization and strategy, on party competition and on the role of political parties in deeply divided societies.
• I have been a member of international research networks that have published on topics such as the effect of European Union membership on the internal organization and power of EU Member States’ national political parties; the impact of the 2007-2009 ‘Great Recession’ on European Populism and on the changing relationship between left of centre parties and trade unions.
• I continue to research into the organizational adaptation of radical right-wing (or ‘populist’) parties and into the strategies of those parties and of their competitors.
• Of late, I have started to undertake fieldwork in China to observe the organizational adaptability of the Chinese Communist Party.
Conferences Organised Recently (selection)
• 2017: co-organised with Fudan University’s Center for Party Building and State Development an international academic conference (co-sponsored by KEPRU) on ‘Parties in a Globalised World. Challenges and Responses in the Internet Age’.
• 2015: Co-organised at Tongji University an international academic conference on ‘Parties and Governance in China and in the West’, co-sponsored by KEPRU.
Media
My research has been reported on in a wide range of electronic and print media both in the UK (e.g. BBC World News: BBC World Tonight; Sky News) and overseas (e.g. Austrian Broadcasting Corporation; Dagens Nyheter; Der Standard; Deutschlandfunk; Die Presse; Euronews; Kurier; Österreich; Reuters; The Conversation; Wiener Zeitung).
Teaching
Keele: for over 25 years I taught undergraduate and postgraduates Comparative Politics, including on Comparative Political Analysis; Political Parties: Origins and Organization; Party Systems and Elections; Comparative European Politics; Right-Wing Radical Parties in Western Europe; German Government and Politics and on Austrian Politics. Since becoming an Emeritus Professor, I no longer have teaching responsibilities.
Overseas: I have taught in numerous European countries and the USA. In China, I have lectured at Peking, Fudan, Renmin and Tongji Universities, at East China University of Political Science and Law; Guangzhou University and at Shanghai Normal University. I have also spoken at the Beijing Administration Institute, the Shanghai Administration Institute and the Zhejiang Party School.
-
Luther, K. R. (2020) ‘Austrian History’, in Europa Publications (ed.), Western Europe 2020, 22nd edition London: Routledge, in print.
- Luther, K. R. (2017) ‘A dying embrace? Interlocked party-union directorates in Austria’s cartel democracy’, in Allern E. H. and Bale, T. (eds) Left-of-Centre Parties and Trade Unions in the Twenty-First Century, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 70-92.
- Luther, K.R. (2016) ‘Austria’ in Lewis, D. S. and Slater, W. (eds) The 2016 Annual Register: World Events, 257th edition, (Ann Arbor, UI: ProQuest), 49-51.
- Luther, K. R. (2015) ‘Austria and the not-so-Great Recession: the primacy of politics’, in Kriesi, H. and Pappas, T. S. (eds) Populism in the Shadow of the Great Recession, Colchester: ECPR Press, 204-232.
- Luther, K. R. (2013) ‘Demand, Supply and the Media: Themes from the work of Fritz Plasser’, in Karlhofer, F., Jeschke, S. and Pallaver, G. (eds) Medienzentrierte Demokratien: Befunds, Trends Perspektiven, Festschrift für Univ.-Prof. Dr. Fritz Plasser, Vienna: Facultas.wuv, 295-302.
- Luther, K. R. (2012) ‘Of goals and own goals: A case study of right-wing populist party strategy for and during incumbency’, Party Politics 17(4) 453-80
- Bale, T., Green-Pedersen, C., Krouwel, A., Luther, K. R. and Sitter, N. (2010) 'If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them? Explaining Social Democratic Responses to the Challenge from the Populist Radical Right in Western Europe', Political Studies, 5(3): 410-426
- Luther, K. R. (2009) Governing with right-wing populists and managing the consequences: Schüssel and the FPÖ, in: G. Bischof and F. Plasser (eds) The Schüssel Years in Austria (New Orleans: University of New Orleans Press), 79-118
- Luther, K. R. (2009) 'The revival of the radical right: The Austrian parliamentary election of 2008', West European Politics, 32, pp. 1049-1061.
- Luther, K. R. (2009) Austria, in: D. Sagar, (ed.) Political Parties of the World (London, John Harper Publishing), 7th edn, pp.28-35.
- Luther, K. R. (2009) Austrian History, in J. Love, (ed), Western Europe 2010, 12th edition (London: Routledge), 68-75
- Luther, K. R. (2008) ‘Towards stratarchy? European integration and the intra-party power of Austrian MEPs and delegation leaders’, Österreichische Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft, 37/3, 253-272.
- Luther, K. R. (2008) ‘The Austrian parliamentary election of 2006: From bipolarism to forced marriage?, West European Politics, 31/5, 1005-1015.
- Luther, K. R. (2008) 'Electoral Strategies and Performances of Austrian Right-wing Populism, 1986-2006', in Gunter Bischof and Fritz Plasser (eds.) The Changing Austrian Voter. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Publishers, 104-122.
- Poguntke, T. Aylott, N, Ladrech, R. and Luther, K. R. (2007) 'The Europeanization of national party organizations. A conceptual analysis', European Journal for Political Research, 46/6, 747-771
- Poguntke, T, Aylott, N., Carter, E. and Ladrech, R. (2007) (eds) The Europeanization of National Political Parties: Power and Organizational Adaptation, London, Routledge.
- Luther, K. R. (2006) ‘Wahlstrategien und Wahlergebnisse des österreichischen Rechtspopulismus, 1986-2006’, in Fritz Plasser and Peter A. Ulram (eds) Wechselwahlen. Analysen zur Nationalratswahl, Vienna: facultas.wuv, 231-254.
- Luther, K. R. (2006) 'Strategien und (Fehl-)Verhalten: Die Freiheitlichen und die Regierungen Schüssel I und II', in Emmerich Tálos, (ed.), Umbau in Schwarz-Blau (-Orange). Eine Bilanz, Vienna: Lit Verlag,19-37.
- Luther, K. R. (2006) 'Die Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ) und das Bündnis Zukunft Österreich (BZÖ)' in Herbert Dachs, Peter Gerlich, Herbert Gottweis, Helmut Kramer, Volkmar Lauber, Wolfgang C. Müller and Emmerich Tálos (eds), Politik in Österreich. Ein Handbuch, Vienna: Manz, 364-388.
- Luther, K. R. and Müller-Rommel, F. (eds) (2005) Political Parties in the New Europe: Political and Analytical Challenges, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2nd edition.
- Luther, K. R. (2003) 'The FPÖ: From Populist Protest to Incumbency', in Peter Merkl and Leonard Weinberg (eds) Right-Wing Extremism in the Twenty-First Century, London: Frank Cass, 191-219.
- Luther, K. R. (2003) 'The Self-Destruction of a Right-Wing Populist Party? The Austrian Parliamentary Elections of 2002', West European Politics, 26/2, 136-152.
- Luther, K. R. (2001) 'Parteistrategische Herausforderungen der Regierungsbeteiligung: Die FPÖ vor und nach ihrer Regierungsbeteiligung', Österreichische Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft, Special Issue on Anlassfall Österreich: Die Europäische Union auf dem Weg zu einer Wertegemeinschaft, Nomos: Baden-Baden, 69-88.
- Luther, K. R. (2000) 'Austria: A Democracy under Threat from the Freedom Party?', Parliamentary Affairs, 53/3, 426-442.
- Luther, K. R. and Deschouwer, K. (eds) (1999) Political Elites in Divided Societies: Political Parties in Consociational Democracy London: Routledge,
- Luther, K. R. (1999) 'From Moderate to Polarized Pluralism? The Austrian party system in transition', in David Broughton & Mark Donovan (eds), Changing Party Systems in Western Europe, London: Pinter, 118-142.
- Luther, K. R. and Ogilvie, I, (eds) (1998) Austria and the European Union Presidency: Background and Perspectives, Keele: Keele European Research Centre.
- Luther, K. R. and Pulzer, P. (edS) (1998) Austria 1945-95: Fifty Years of the Second Republic, London: Ashgate.
- Luther, K. R. and Müller, W. C. (1992) Politics in Austria: Still a Case of Consociationalism?, London: Frank Cass, (This volume also appeared as a special issue of West European Politics, 15 (1).)
Selected Publications
-
2015. ‘Austria and the not-so- Great Recession: the primacy of politics’. In Populism in the Shadow of the Great Recession. ECPR Press.
Full Publications Listshow
Books
-
Poguntke P, Aylott N, Carter E, Ladrech R (Eds.). 2007. The Europeanization of National Political Parties: Power and Organizational Adaptation. Abingdon: Routledge.
-
Luther KR and Müller-Rommel F (Eds.). 2002. Political Parties in The New Europe. Political and Analytical Challenges. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
-
Luther KR and Deschouwer K (Eds.). 1999. Party elites in divided societies. Political parties in consociational democracy. Routledge.
-
Luther KR and Pulzer PGJ (Eds.). 1998. Austria 1945-95. Fifty years of the Second Republic. Ashgate Publishing.
-
Luther KR and Ogilvie I (Eds.). 1998. Austria and the European Union presidency. background and perspectives. Keele European Research Centre, Keele University.
-
1992. Politics in Austria. Still a case of consociationalism?. Routledge.
Journal Articles
-
2008. Towards Stratarchy? European Integration and the Intra-party Power of Austrian MEPs and Delegation Leaders. Osterreichische Zeitschrift fur Politikwissenschaft, 253-272, vol. 37(3). link>
-
2007. Austrian Consociationalism: Victim of its own success?. West European Politics, 201-206, vol. 15(1). doi>
-
2007. Austria’s Future and Waldheim’s Past: the Significance of the 1986 Elections. West European Politics, 379-399, vol. 10(3). doi>
-
2007. Consociationalism and the Austrian political system. West European Politics, 3-27, vol. 15(1). doi>
-
2007. Consociationalism, parties and the party system. West European Politics, 45-98, vol. 15(1). doi>
-
2007. Dimensions of party system change: The case of Austria. West European Politics, 3-27, vol. 12(4). doi>
-
2005. Austria's European Union Presidency: Mountains to Climb. The World Today, 21-22, vol. 61(12).
-
2003. The self-destruction of a right-wing populist party? The Austrian Parliamentary Election of 2002. West European Politics, 136-152, vol. 26(2). doi>
-
2002. Small and new, but nonetheless competent: Austria and the EU Presidency. Journal of Common Market Studies, 65-67, vol. 37(1). doi>
-
1998. Le développement de l'extrême-droite en Europe de l'Ouest, Forum. Revue Internationale de Politique Comparée, 445-465, vol. 5(2).
-
1997. Des piliers et des voûtes de l’architecture politique autrichienne. Revue International Des Politiques Comparée, 531-559, vol. 4.
-
1995. An End to the Politics of Isolation? Austria in Light of the 1994 Elections. German Politics, 122-140, vol. 4(1). doi>
Chapters
-
2015. ‘Austria and the not-so- Great Recession: the primacy of politics’. In Populism in the Shadow of the Great Recession. ECPR Press.
-
2009. Governing with right-wing populists and managing the consequences: Schüssel and the FPÖ. In The Schussel Era in Austria. Bischof G and Plasser F (Eds.). New Orleans, Luisiana: University of New Orleans Press.
-
2009. Austrian History. In Western Europe 2010. Publications E (Ed.). Routledge.
-
2009. Austria. In Political Parties of the World. Sagar DJ (Ed.). (7th ed.). John Harper Pub.
-
2008. Austrian History. In Western Europe 2009. Love J (Ed.). (6th ed.). Europa Publications.
-
2008. Electoral Strategies and Performance of Austrian Right-Wing Populism, 1986-2006. In The Changing Austrian Voter: 16 (Contemporary Austrian Studies). Bischof GPF (Ed.). Transaction Publishers.
-
2007. European Integration and Internal Party Dynamics. In The Europeanization of National Political Parties: Power and Organizational Adaptation. Poguntke T, Aylott N, Carter E, Ladrech R, Luther KR (Eds.). Abingdon: Routledge.
-
2007. Structural adjustment and incumbent elite empowerment: Austrian parties' adaptation to European integration. In The Europeanization of National Political Parties: Power and Organizational Adaptation. Poguntke T, Aylott N, Carter E, Ladrech R, Luther KR (Eds.). Routledge.
-
2007. Wahlstrategien und Wahlergebnisse des Rechtspopulismus, 1986-2006. In Wechselwahlen. Analysen zur Nationalratswahl 2006. Plasser F (Ed.). facultas.wuv Universitäts.
-
2006. Strategien und (Fehl-)Verhalten: Die Freiheitlichen und die Regierungen Schussel I und II. In Schwarz - Blau. Eine Bilanz des "Neu-Regierens". Tálos E (Ed.). LIT-Verlag.
-
2005. Die Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ) und das Bündnis Zukunft Österreich (BZÖ). In Politik in Österreich. Ein Handbuch. Dachs H, Gerlich P, Gottweis H, Kramer H, Lauber V, Müller WC, Tálos E (Eds.). Vienna: Manz.
-
2003. The FPÖ: from populist protest to incumbency. In Right-Wing Extremism in the Twenty-First Century. Merkl P and Weinberg L (Eds.). Frank Cass, London.
-
2002. Parties and party research in the New Europe. In Political Parties in the New Europe. Political and Analytical Challenge. Luther KR and Müller-Rommel F (Eds.). Oxford University Press, Oxford.
-
2002. Political parties in a changing Europe. In Political Parties in the New Europe. Political and Analytical Challenges. Luther KR and Müller-Rommel F (Eds.). Oxford University Press, Oxford.
-
2001. Consociatioanlism. In Encyclopedia of democratic thought. Clarke PAB and Foweraker J (Eds.). Taylor & Francis.
-
2001. Parteistrategische Herausforderungen der Regierungsbeteiligung: Die FPÖ vor und nach ihrem Eintritt in die Bundesregierung. In Anlassfall Österreich: Die Europäische Union auf dem Weg zu einer Wertegemeinschaft. Karlhofer F, Melchior J, Sickinger H (Eds.).
-
1999. A framework for the comparative analysis of political parties and party systems in consociational democracy. In Party elites in divided societies. Political parties in consociational democracy. Luther KR and Deschouwer K (Eds.). Routledge.
-
1999. From moderate to polarized pluralism? The Austrian party system in transition. In Changing party systems in Western Europe. Broughton D and Donovan M (Eds.). Pinter Pub Ltd.
-
1999. Must what goes up always come down? Of pillars and arches in Austria’s political architecture. In Party elites in divided societies. Political parties in consociational democracy. Luther KR and Deschouwer K (Eds.). Routledge.
-
1999. Prudent leadership to successful adaptation? Pillar parties and consociational democracy thirty years on. In Party elites in divided societies. Political parties in consociational democracy. Luther KR and Deschouwer K (Eds.).
-
1999. The Austrian Social Democratic Party. In Social democratic parties in the European Union. Ladrech R and Marlière P (Eds.). Palgrave Macmillan.
-
1999. The politics of asymmetrical change: Austrian parties during the “Vranitzky Era". In The Vranitzky era in Austria. Bischof G, Pelinka A, Karlhofer F (Eds.). Transaction Pub.
-
1998. From West European periphery to the centre of Europe?. In Austria and the European Union presidency. Background and perspectives. Luther KR and Ogilvie I (Eds.). Keele European Research Center Keele University.
-
1998. From accommodation to competition: the ‘normalisation’ of the Austrian party system?. In Austria 1945-95. Fifty years of the Second Republic. Luther KR and Pulzer PGJ (Eds.). Ashgate Publishing.
-
1998. Public attitudes to European integration: Is the honeymoon over?. In Austria and the European Union presidency. Background and perspectives. Luther KR and Ogilvie I (Eds.). Keele European Research Centre Keele University.
-
1997. Bund-Länder Beziehungen: Formal- und Realverfassung. In Handbuch des politischen Systems Österreichs. Die zweite Republik. Dachs H, Gerlich P, Gottweis H, Kramer H, Lauber V, Müller WC, Tálos E (Eds.).
-
1997. Die Freiheitlichen. In Handbuch des politischen Systems Österreichs. Die zweite Republik. Dachs H, Gerlich P, Gottweis H, Kramer H, Lauber V, Müller WC, Tálos E (Eds.).
-
1995. Friedrich Peter. In Die Politiker. Karrieren und Wirken bedeutender Repräsentanten der zweiten Republik. Dachs H, Gerlich P, Müller WC (Eds.). Vienna: Manz.
-
1995. Norbert Steger. In Die Politiker. Karrieren und Wirken bedeutender Repräsentanten der zweiten Republik. Dachs H, Gerlich P, Müller WC (Eds.). Vienna: Manz.
-
1995. Zwischen unkritischer Selbstdarstellung und bedingungsloser externer Verurteilung: Nazivergangenheit, Anti-Semitismus und Holocaust im Schrifttum der Freiheitlichen Partei Österreichs. In Schwieriges Erbe. Der Umgang mit Nationalsozialismus und Antisemitismus in Österreich, der DDR und der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Bergmann W, Erb R, Lichtblau A (Eds.). Frankfurt: Campus Verlag.
-
1991. Bund-Länder Beziehungen: Formal- und Realverfassung. In Handbuch des politischen Systems Österreichs. Dachs H, Gerlich P, Gottweis H, Horner F, Kramer H, Lauber V, Müller WC, Tálos E (Eds.). Vienna: Manz.
-
1991. Die Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs. In Handbuch des politischen Systems Österreichs. Dachs H, Gerlich P, Gottweis H, Horner F, Kramer H, Lauber V, Müller WC, Tálos E (Eds.). Vienna: Manz.
-
1986. The Revitalization of Federalism and Federation in Austria. In Federalism and Federation in Western Europe. Burgess MD (Ed.). Beckenham: Croom Helm.
Other
-
1998. From accommodation to competition: The 'normalization' of the Second Republic's party system?. AUSTRIA 1945-95 (pp. 121-158). link>
PhD Supervision
Having moved to a Professor Emeritus position, I no longer offer PhD supervision, but supervisory opportunities in Comparative Politics exist with other Keele colleagues. Prospective research students should consult the relevant individual academic staff pages and outline research clusters of the School.
Mandarin Biography
库尔特理查德路德教授在瑞士、英国和德国接受教育，是基尔大学比较政治学教授，同时担任基
尔大学欧洲政党研究中心（KEPRU）主任，同济大学客座教授和德国研究中心杰出教授，中国政府
“千人计划”的高端外国专家。
路德教授自1980 年以来一直是（全球）德国政治研究协会成员，并多次当选为执行委员会成员。
2003 至2016 年间，他担任欧洲政治研究协会政党研究主任，该协会在五大洲拥有超过300 名成员。
自1990 年以来，路德教授每年举办备受推崇的跨国政党研究博士暑期学校。
路德教授的研究成果发表于多份国际知名期刊，并由包括牛津大学出版社和剑桥大学出版社在内的
多个国际著名出版社出版。他尤其关注政党的组织和战略、政党竞争以及政党在深刻分裂的社会中
扮演的角色。路德教授与国际同行一道关注并研究欧盟对成员国政党内部组织和权力的影响、2007
至2009 年“大衰退”对欧洲民粹主义的影响、左翼政党与工会之间关系的变化等问题。他还就极右
翼政党的组织适应性以及这些政党及其竞争对手的策略等问题深入开展研究。近年来，路德教授开
始在中国开展实地调查，关注中国共产党的组织适应性。
路德教授担任维也纳高级研究所和奥地利科学院的兼职研究员。2008 年，他被任命为维也纳大学的
客座教授。他还在多个欧洲国家、美国和中国等多地发表学术演讲，其中中国高校包括北京大学、
复旦大学、中国人民大学、北京外国语大学、同济大学、华东政法大学、广州大学和上海师范大学。
路德教授还曾在北京行政学院、上海行政学院和中共浙江省党校发表客座演讲。
2015 年，路德教授领导的基尔大学欧洲政党研究中心与同济大学共同主办了“中西方政党与治理”
国际学术会议。2016 年，他与同济大学杨云珍教授合作，获得了中国外交部指南针项目“欧洲政治
生态变化及其对中欧关系的影响研究”。2016 年9 月，路德教授作为英国高等教育部长乔·约翰逊
访华代表团成员，参加了上海浦江创新论坛。 2017 年5 月，路德教授与复旦大学“党的建设与国
家发展研究中心”共同举办了“信息化、全球化背景下政党面临的挑战”国际学术会议。
2018 年4 月，路德教授在同济大学举办的“一流人才培养研讨会”上发表了题为“国际化对一流人
才培养的重要性：英国的视角”的演讲，此次活动的参与方包括中国教育部相关负责人、高等教领
域的专家学者和中国的高校校长。2018 年10 月，路德教授作为英国大学代表团成员，与欧盟讨论
英国脱欧后英国与欧盟之间在高等教育方面的合作。
路德教授因在高等教育的教学与研究国际化方面的丰富经验，于2015 年1 月被任命为基尔大学国际
合作与交流事务副校长，为基尔大学的国际化作出了重要贡献。在四年副校长的任期内，路德教授
成功促成基尔大学与北京外国语大学创建联合办学项目——“国际外交”学士学位，并获得中国教
育部的批准，于2018 年9 月成功招收第一批优异的高中生。
路德教授曾获得奥地利科学与艺术荣誉十字勋章。
2019 年10 月31 日
School of Social, Political and Global Studies
Chancellor's Building CBA1.039
Keele University
Staffordshire, ST5 5BG
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 734346
Undergraduate and postgraduate enquiries
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 734346
Email: spgs.office@keele.ac.uk
