Dr. Volkan Çıdam is the first researcher to be awarded the newly established Hessian Paulskirchen professorship for democracy research. Starting in the 2026–27 winter semester, the democracy theorist of Turkish origin will spend one year conducting research and teaching at Hochschule RheinMain – University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSRM). The Paulskirchen professorship is part of the “Strengthening Democracy Research in Hesse” program. Through this initiative, the Hessian Ministry of Science supports outstanding research projects at universities that have an impact on society, are highly applicable in practical experience, and connect researchers with key stakeholders. Minister of Science Timon Gremmels introduced Dr. Çıdam today in Wiesbaden alongside Prof. Dr. Eva Waller, President of HSRM, and presented him with his certificate of appointment.
Outstanding theorist of democracy
“The basics of our parliamentary democracy were laid in Frankfurt’s Paulskirche nearly 180 years ago. This landmark in German democratic history is an ideal namesake for the new visiting professorship. With Dr. Volkan Çıdam, we are bringing an outstanding theorist and researcher in the field of democracy to Hesse. He is committed to peace and democracy in Turkey—and has not been deterred by the state repression that often accompanies such efforts. By awarding the Paulskirche professorship to Volkan Çıdam, we are sending a clear signal in support of freedom of expression and academic freedom. The professorship provides innovative impetus for research and democratic life in Hesse. I wish Dr. Volkan Çıdam every success in his work,” said Minister of Science Timon Gremmels.
Prof. Dr. Eva Waller, President of Hochschule RheinMain – University of Applied Sciences and Arts: “I am very pleased that the ministry has nominated Dr. Volkan Çıdam. In addition to his professional qualifications and his work on democratic theory, Dr. Volkan Çıdam’s history of political dissent is an inspiration. An inspiration for our students, for civil society, and for democracy. With the Paulskirchen professorship, we as a university of applied sciences aim to have an impact on urban society and beyond, so that the university and the public interested in democracy can grow closer together.”
Dr. Volkan Çıdam taught political science at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul until the end of 2025. He conducts research on the connection between democratic theory and critical theory. Among other things, Dr. Çıdam promotes and teaches the legacy of the Frankfurt School in Turkey and internationally. Dr. Çıdam obtained his doctorate at Goethe University Frankfurt.
“I look forward to contributing my international experience”
Prof. Dr. Volkan Çıdam: “We are living today in a global era of increasingly authoritarian states, in which academia and academic freedom are coming under considerable pressure. Such developments cannot be ruled out even in established democracies. A key counterstrategy is to make the social significance of scholarship tangibly visible and to not only teach students analytical skills but also familiarize them with democratic organizations and political debates. The events planned as part of my research project are focused on this intersection between theory and practical experience. “I am delighted to be the first holder of the Paulskirchen professorship and to bring my many years of experience at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul—which has a strong international network—to my work in Wiesbaden.”
The applications submitted by universities for the Paulskirchen professorship were evaluated in a research-based process by recognized scholars from outside Hesse. The application from Hochschule RheinMain – University of Applied Sciences and Arts stood out for its emphasis on democratic resilience. Through his work, he succeeds in building a bridge from Turkey to Germany. The fact that this first Paulskirche professorship is to be awarded to a scholar who has been politically persecuted is in keeping with the tradition of the Paulskirche and the deliberations on the draft constitution.
Prof. Dr. Çıdam’s Plans
In addition to teaching a course on “Modern Democracy” and conducting a research project on the “Dialectics of Memory,” Prof. Çıdam plans to use the visiting professorship to engage with the broader public. Proposed initiatives include a public lecture, a democracy festival, and a discussion forum. The central question is how a democratic counter-public sphere can be organized even in the face of repressive conditions. The visiting professorship aims to produce, as a lasting outcome, a prevention concept for the institutionalization of democracy promotion through the applied sciences.
About the Paulskirchen professorship
The Paulskirchen professorship is aimed at scholars who conduct research on democracy—both historically and in the present—and who bring an international perspective to their work. They have the opportunity to spend one year conducting research and teaching at a university in Hesse. The Ministry of Science provides up to 330,000 euros per year for the professorship, which the host university uses to fund not only the scholar but also a supporting program that extends into civil society.