Prof. Dr. Achim Kemmerling

achim.kemmerling@uni-erfurt.de

Prof. Dr. Achim Kemmerling

Research Area

Development and Socio-Economic Policies

Short Biography

Achim Kemmerling is the Gerhard Haniel Chair of Public Policy and International Development and currently the Vice Director of Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, University of Erfurt, while having served as its Director from 2019 until 2022. Before coming to the Brandt School, Achim Kemmerling worked as a Professor of Political Economy at the Department of Public Policy, Central European University Budapest teaching courses on methodology, public policy and development.

He holds a PhD in Political Science from Freie Universität Berlin, and an M.A. in International Political Economy from Warwick University. He has published in academic journals of various disciplines (e.g. World Development, Journal of Common Market Studies, Socio-Economic Review) on a wide range of issues from taxation and fiscal policies, to social and labor market policies, and official development aid. He has worked as a consultant to the German parliament, the German Society for Technical Cooperation (former GTZ, now GIZ), the Open Society Foundation and the European Investment Bank. Currently, he works on the consequences of digitalization in middle-income countries and is writing on a book about human progress and the role of public policy.

Research

  • The Political Consequences of the Future of Work                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
  • The Instability of Policy Reforms                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
  • The Politics and Economics of Myanmar’s Multiple Transitions                                                                                                                                                                                                           

  • Politics and the Future of Work in Middle-Income Countries (PolDigWork) 

  • German Political Science Association (DVPW)
  • American Political Science Association (APSA)
  • ECPR Standing Group on Political Economy and Welfare State Politics
  • European Journal of International Relations and Policy Sciences (Editorial Board member)
     

Publications

Journal article
Marius R. Busemeyer, Martin B. Carstensen, Achim Kemmerling, & Jale Tosun. (2025). Foundations for a green economy: how institutions shape green skills. npj Climate Action. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44168-025-00234-5
Matteo Fumagalli, & Achim Kemmerling. (2024). Development aid and domestic regional inequality: the case of Myanmar. Eurasian Geography and Economics. https://doi.org/10.1080/15387216.2022.2134167
Achim Kemmerling, & Kristin Makszin. (2023). Repackaging in South–North Policy Learning: The Chilean Model of Pension Reform as a Lopsided Exportschlager. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/13876988.2023.2169606
Achim Kemmerling. (2023). Commissioned Book Review: Torben Iversen and Philipp Rehm, Big Data and the Welfare State: How the Information Revolution Threatens Social Solidarity. Political Studies Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/14789299221126806
Kemmerling, A. (2023). Special Issue: Policy Innovation in the Global South and South–North Policy Learning. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/13876988.2023.2248031
Silja Häusermann, Achim Kemmerling, & David Rueda. (2020). How Labor Market Inequality Transforms Mass Politics. Political Science Research and Methods. https://doi.org/10.1017/psrm.2018.64
Marius Busemeyer, & Achim Kemmerling. (2020). Dualization, stratification, liberalization, or what? An attempt to clarify the conceptual underpinnings of the dualization debate. Political Science Research and Methods. https://doi.org/10.1017/psrm.2019.47
Duman, A., & Kemmerling, A.. (2020). Do you feel like an insider? Job security and preferences for Flexibilization across Europe. Social Policy and Administration. https://doi.org/10.1111/spol.12573
Angeles, R.C., & Kemmerling, A.. (2020). How redistributive institutions affect pay inequality and heterogeneity among top managers. Socio-Economic Review. https://doi.org/10.1093/ser/mwz048
Berens, S., & Kemmerling, A.. (2019). Labor Divides, Informality, and Regulation: The Public Opinion on Labor Law in Latin America. Journal of Politics in Latin America. https://doi.org/10.1177/1866802X19843362
Kemmerling, A., & Neugart, M.. (2019). Redistributive pensions in the developing world. Review of Development Economics. https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.12582
Meseguer, C., & Kemmerling, A.. (2018). What do you fear? Anti-immigrant sentiment in Latin America. International Migration Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/imre.12269
Michael Howlett, & Achim Kemmerling. (2017). Calibrating climate change policies: the causes and consequences of sustained under-reaction. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning. https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2017.1324772
Kemmerling, A. (2017). Left without choice? Economic ideas, frames and the party politics of value-added taxation. Socio-Economic Review. https://doi.org/10.1093/ser/mww034_old
Bodenstein, T., & Kemmerling, A.. (2017). The European Union as a Collective Actor: Aid and Trade in African Public Opinion. Development Policy Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12196
Bodenstein, T., & Kemmerling, A.. (2015). A Paradox of Redistribution in International Aid? The Determinants of Poverty-Oriented Development Assistance. World Development. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.08.001
Kemmerling, A., & Stephan, A.. (2015). Comparative political economy of regional transport infrastructure investment in Europe. Journal of Comparative Economics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jce.2013.08.002
Kemmerling, A. (2015). The end of work or work without end? How people’s beliefs about labour markets shape retirement politics. Journal of Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0143814X14000324
Kemmerling, A. (2014). How Labour ended up taxing itself and why it matters: The long-term evolution of politics in German labour taxation. Journal of European Social Policy. https://doi.org/10.1177/0958928713517918
Bodenstein, T., & Kemmerling, A.. (2012). Ripples in a rising tide: Why some EU regions receive more structural funds than others. EIOP European Integration Online Papers. https://doi.org/10.1695/2011007
Genschel, P., Kemmerling, A., & Seils, E.. (2011). Accelerating Downhill: How the EU Shapes Corporate Tax Competition in the Single Market. Journal of Common Market Studies. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5965.2010.02136.x
Kemmerling, A. (2010). Does europeanization lead to policy convergence? The role of the single market in shaping national tax policies. Journal of European Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2010.499250
Kemmerling, A., & Neugart, M.. (2009). Financial market lobbies and pension reform. European Journal of Political Economy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2008.12.003
Kemmerling, A., & Seils, E.. (2009). The regulation of redistribution: Managing conflict in corporate tax competition. West European Politics. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402380902945433
Kemmerling, A. (2008). When ’no’ means ’yes, but’: Why some poles voted against enlargement but for Eu accession. Rationality and Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043463108090134
Hartlapp, M., & Kemmerling, A.. (2008). When a solution becomes the problem: The causes of policy reversal on early exit from the labour force. Journal of European Social Policy. https://doi.org/10.1177/0958928708094894
Kemmerling, A. (2007). Diffusion and interaction in labour market policy? Positive and negative effects of contagion exemplified by two debates on policy reforms,Diffusion und Interaktion in der Arbeitsmarktpolitik?* -Positive und Negative Ansteckungseffekte am Beispiel Zweier Reformdiskussionen. Politische Vierteljahresschrift.
Kemmerling, A., & Bruttel, O.. (2006). ’New politics’ in German labour market policy? The implications of the recent Hartz reforms for the German welfare state. West European Politics. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402380500389273
Kemmerling, A., & Bodenstein, T.. (2006). Partisan politics in regional redistribution: Do parties affect the distribution of EU structural funds across regions?. European Union Politics. https://doi.org/10.1177/1465116506066264
Kemmerling, A. (2005). Tax mixes, welfare states and employment: Tracking diverging vulnerabilities. Journal of European Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350176042000311880
Kemmerling, A., & Stephan, A.. (2002). The contribution of local public infrastructure to private productivity and its political economy: Evidence from a panel of large German cities. Public Choice. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020821624682

Publications (Selection)

Awuni, E.T., & Kemmerling, A. (2023). Taking Gerschenkron to the Field: Attitudes toward Digitalization Hopes and Fears about the Future of Work in Ghana. Telecommunications Policy, 102680.

Fumagalli, M. & Kemmerling, A. (2022). Development aid and domestic regional inequality: the case of Myanmar. Eurasian Geography and Economics. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.

Duman, A., & Kemmerling, A. (2019). Do you feel like an insider? Job security and preferences for Flexibilization across Europe. Social Policy and Administration.

Angeles, R., & Kemmerling, A. (2019). How redistributive institutions affect pay inequality and heterogeneity among top managers. Socio-Economic Review.

Kemmerling, A., Häusermann, S., & Rueda, D. (2019). Special Issue on New Labour Market Divides. Political Science Research Methods. 
Introduction: Häusermann, S., Kemmerling, A., & Rueda, D. (2019). How Labor Market Inequality Transforms Mass Politics. Political Science Research and Methods, 8(2), 344-355.

Berens, S., & Kemmerling, A. (2019). Labor Divides, Informality,and Regulation: The Public Opinion on Labor Law in Latin America. Journal of Politics in Latin America, 11(1), 23-48.

Kemmerling, A., & Neugart, M. (2019). Redistributive pensions in the developing world. Review of Development Economics, 23(2), 702-726.

Howlett, M., & Kemmerling, A. (2017). Calibrating climate change policies: the causes and consequences of sustained under-reaction. Journal of Environmental Planning and Policy Special Issue, 19(6), 625-637.

Kemmerling, A. (2017). Left Without a Choice? Why Left Politicians Accept VAT as a Source of Revenue. Socio-Economic Review, 15(4), 776-796. Received SER Annual Best Paper Award 2017.

Bodenstein, T., & Kemmerling, A. (2016). European Aid and Trade in African Public Opinion. Development Policy Research, 35(4), 567-586.

Meseguer, C., & Kemmerling, A. (2016). What do you fear? Anti-Immigrant Sentiment in Latin America. International Migration Review, 52(1), 236-272.

Kemmerling, A. (2016). The End of Work or Work Without End? Journal of Public Policy, 36(1), 109-138.

Kemmerling, A., & Bodenstein, T. (2015). A Paradox of Redistribution in International Aid? World Development, 76, 359-369.

Kemmerling, A. & Stephan, A. (2015). The Comparative Political Economy of Regional Transport Infrastructure Investment in Europe. Journal of Comparative Economics, 43(1), 227-239.

Busemeyer, M., Marx, P., Kemmerling, A. &  van Kersbergen K. (eds.) (2022). Digitalization and the Welfare State. Oxford University Press.

Kemmerling, A., Häusermann, S., & Rueda, D. (2019). Special Issue on New Labour Market Divides. Political Science Research Methods. 

Board member of the Journal of International Relations and Development and Policy Sciences. (Links)

Courses taught

  • Advanced Methods
  • Project Group: Coop_IT – Digital Safe Space Repository for Activists in Illiberal Regimes
  • Public Administration and Finance

  • Policies for Fighting Poverty and Inequality
  • Reading Evidence: How to Deal with Advanced Statistics in Contexts of Public Policymaking?
  • Research Colloquium
  • The Politics and Policies of Aid

  • Advanced Methods
  • Economic Analysis and Modeling

  • Policies for Fighting Poverty and Inequality
  • How to Make Policies of Development and Humanitarian Aid Smarter?
  • Research Colloquium
  • EIPCC Colloquium

  • Economic Policy Analysis and Modeling
  • Advanced Methods
  • Project Group: The Business Case for a Venture Capital University in Egypt

  • Die Europameisterschaft 2020/2021 aus sozialwissenschaftlicher Perspektive
  • Policies for Fighting Poverty and Inequality
  • Research Colloquium

  • Economic Modelling and Analysis
  • How to make aid policies smarter?
  • Public Administration and Finance  
  • Project Group: Best Practices in Technical and Vocational Education and Training in the Context of Digitalization and Informality

  • Financial Management in the Public Sector
  • Policies for Fighting Poverty and Inequality  
  • Research Colloquium

  • Economic Modeling
  • Project Group on the Future of Work
  • Do Aid Policies Work?

  • Policies for Fighting Poverty and Inequality
  • Quantitative Methods for Public Policy
  • Research Colloquium

  • Economic Modelling and Analysis
  • Do Aid Policies Work?
  • Project Group Harmful Tax Practices and Tax Administration in Developing Countries in cooperation with WEED e.V. and the Tax Justice Network

Office Management

Kathrin Eisenhauer
Kathrin Eisenhauer
Secretary Gerhard Haniel Professor for Public Policy and International Development
(Willy Brandt School of Public Policy)
C19 – research building "Weltbeziehungen" / C19.02.13
+49 361 737-4690
kathrin.eisenhauer@uni-erfurt.de