Team > Prof. Dr. Alexander Stroh-Steckelberg


Faculty of Humanties and Social Sciences
African Politics and Development Policy
CV
2022 – today | Professor of Political Science: African Politics & Development Policy |
2015 – 2021 | Junior Professor of African Politics and Development Policy |
2006 – 2015 | Researcher at the German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA), Institute for African Studies, hamburg; in addition, teaching assignments at the universities of Abomey-Calavi, Heidelberg and Lüneburg |
2012 | Doctorate at the University of Hamburg |
2005 | Master of Political Science, Public Law / International Law and Political Science of South Asia at the University of Heidelberg |
Services & Memberships
- Programme Advisor and Chair of Examinors, Master's programmes in Development Studies; Chair of Examinors, European Interdisciplinary Master of African Studies
- Deputy Head of the Bayreuth International Graduate School in African Studies (BIGSAS)
- Member of the supporting association and research committee of the Arnold-Bergsträsser-Institute (ABI) at the University of Freiburg
- Member of the scholarship selection committee for outgoing students and graduates, German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD)
- American Political Science Association (APSR)
- German Political Science Association (Deutsche Vereinigung für Politikwissenschaft, DVPW)
- International Political Science Association (IPSA)
- Association for African Studies in Germany (VAD)

Faculty of Humanties and Social Sciences
African Politics and Development Policy
Research Focus
Research Subjects:
- Comparative Democracy Research / Regime Research
- Institutions in democratization processes
- Political role of constitutional courts
- Parties, party system and elections in Africa
Geographic Focus:
- particularly francophone West Africa
Publications (selection)
- Dressel, Björn, Raul Sanchez-Urribarri, and Alexander Stroh. 2014. 'Informality and Courts: Comparative Perspectives'. 2024. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
- Kisakye, Diana, and Alexander Stroh. 2024. ‘Informality and Relations in International Judicial Appointments: Evidence from Sub-Regional Courts in Africa’. The African Review 1(aop): 1–27.
- Sabbi, Matthew, Alexander Stroh, and Dieter Neubert. 2022. ‘Paradoxes of Local Self-governance: Legitimation Strategies of Rural Councillors Under National and Global Influences in Africa’. In Local Self-Governance and Varieties of Statehood. Edited by Dieter Neubert, Hans-Joachim Lauth, and Christoph Mohamad-Klotzbach. Springer.
- Stroh, Alexander. 2021. 'Traces of socialism in Burkina Faso’s party system: the trajectory of Sankarism in times of political liberalization'. Canadian Journal of African Studies 55 (2), 351-371.
- Sabbi, Matthew, and Alexander Stroh. 2020. 'The 'Numbers Game': Strategic Reactions to Results-Based Development Assistance in Ghana'. Studies in Comparative International Development 55 (1), 77-98.
- Stroh, Alexander (2020). Political Parties and Party Systems. In Lynch, G., VonDoepp, P. (eds.) Routledge Handbook of Democratization in Africa. Routledge London.
- Stroh, Alexander. 2018. 'Sustaining and Jeopardizing a Credible Arbiter: Judicial Networks in Benin’s Consolidating Democracy', IPSR 39 (5), 600-615.
- Björn Dressel, Raúl Sánchez Urribarrí & Alexander Stroh (2017): The Informal Dimension of Judicial Politics: A Relational Perspective, ARLSS 13: 413-440.
- Stroh, A. (2014). Erfolgsbedingungen politischer Parteien im frankophonen Afrika : Benin und Burkina Faso seit der Rückkehr zum Mehrparteiensystem. Opladen, Berlin, Toronto: Budrich.

Faculty of Humanties and Social Sciences
African Politics and Development Policy
Publications
Stroh, Alexander; Kisakye, Diana
Major structural elements and appointment criteria to African Regional Courts with references to Tre ...
2024
doi:10.15495/EPub_UBT_00007471 ...
2022
Sabbi, Matthew; Stroh, Alexander; Neubert, Dieter
Paradoxes of Local Self-governance : Legitimation Strategies of Rural Councillors Under Nationa ...
Local Self-Governance and Varieties of Statehood : Tensions and Cooperation
Cham : Springer, 2022. - page 51-74
doi:10.1007/978-3-031-14996-2_3 ...
2020
Stroh, Alexander
Ruanda – Rheinland-Pfalz : zum politischen Kontext einer Nord-Süd-Partnerschaft
2020
"Blickwechsel auf eine Partnerschaft im Wandel", Ingelheim am Rhein
Sabbi, Matthew; Stroh, Alexander
The "Numbers Game" : Strategic Reactions to Results-Based Development Assistance in Ghana
in Studies in Comparative International Development volume 55 (2020) issue 1. - page 77-98
doi:10.1007/s12116-019-09296-z ...
Stroh, Alexander
Political Parties and Party Systems
Routledge Handbook of Democratization in Africa
London : Routledge, 2020. - page 232-245
2019
Stroh, Alexander
Demokratie auf dem afrikanischen Kontinent : ein Einstieg
2019
"Demokratie auf dem afrikanischen Kontinent: zum Scheitern verurteilter Werteimperialismus oder effektiver Entwicklungsmotor?", Würzburg
Stroh, Alexander
Benin
Africa Yearbook 15 : Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara in 2018
Leiden : Brill, 2019. - page 46-53 . - (Africa Yearbook; 15)
doi:10.1163/9789004417663_005 ...
2018
Stroh, Alexander
Pure Inszenierung in Fassadendemokratien? : die Qualität von Wahlen in Subsahara-Afrika
2018
Zahlenzauber, Techniktricks und verdeckte Einflussnahme : Wahlmanipulation und Wahlfälschung, Politische Akademie Tutzing, Tutzing
Stroh, Alexander
Verfassung : Garant für Stabilität oder Spielball der Mächtigen?
2018
Verfassungspolitik in Subsahara-Afrika, Entwicklungspolitisches Forum, München
Stroh, Alexander
Benin
Africa Yearbook 14 : Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara in 2017
Leiden : Brill, 2018. - page 48-55 . - (Africa Yearbook; 14)
doi:10.1163/9789004367630_005 ...
Stroh, Alexander; von Soest, Christian
Comparisons across World Regions : Managing Conceptual, Methodological, and Practical Challenge ...
Comparative Area Studies : Methodological Rationales and Cross-Regional Applications
New York : Oxford University Press, 2018. - page 66-84
Stroh, Alexander; von Soest, Christian
Comparisons Across World Regions : Managing Conceptual, Methodological, and Practical Challenge ...
2018
ECPR General Conference, Hamburg
Dressel, Björn; Sanchez-Urribarri, Raul; Stroh, Alexander
Courts and Informal Networks : towards a Relational Perspective on Judicial Politics Outside We ...
in International Political Science Review volume 39 (2018) issue 5. - page 573-584
doi:10.1177/0192512118807065 ...
Stroh, Alexander
"Incumbent Losers" and the Deepening of Democratic Rule in Africa
2018
Grenzen der Demokratie - Frontiers of Democracy : 27. Kongress der Deutschen Vereinigung für Politikwissenschaft (DVPW), Frankfurt am Main
Makulilo, Alexander; Stroh, Alexander; Henry, Rodrick
An institutional mission that nobody wants to accomplish : Actors and interests in the genesis ...
in The African Review volume 45 (2018) issue 2. - page 96-114
http://tar.udsm.ac.tz/index.php/ar/article/view/23 ...
Stroh, Alexander; Makulilo, Alexander; Rodrick, Henry
An Institutional Mission that Nobody Wants to Accomplish? : Actors and Interests in the Genesis ...
2018
2nd Workshop "Steering Regional Development through Regional Economic Communities in Africa", Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Stroh, Alexander
Political Change by Elections in Burkina Faso : from "revolutionary energy" to politics as usua ...
2018
61st Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Stroh, Alexander
Sustaining and Jeopardizing a Credible Arbiter : Judicial Networks in Benin’s Consolidating Dem ...
in International Political Science Review volume 39 (2018) issue 5. - page 600-615
doi:10.1177/0192512118805366 ...
2017
Budniok, Jan; Stroh, Alexander
The appointment of top level national judges across West Africa : the usual Anglophone-Francoph ...
2017
7th European Conference of African Studies (ECAS7), Basel
Stroh, Alexander
Benin
Africa Yearbook 13 : politics, economy and society south of the Sahara in 2016
Leiden : Brill, 2017. - page 45-53 . - (Africa Yearbook; 13)
doi:10.1163/9789004355910_005 ...
Stroh, Alexander
Changement politique par la voie des élections? : Dynamiques au "scrutin d'ouverture" Burkinabè ...
2017
Élections en Afrique, Les Afriques dans le Monde (LAM), Sciences Po Bordeaux, Bordeaux
von Soest, Christian; Stroh, Alexander
Comparing Across World regions : Assets and Pitfalls
2017
Unlike twins?! comparing autocracies and democracies : Conference of the Section "Comparative Politics" German Political Science Association (DVPW), Tübingen
Dressel, Björn; Sanchez-Urribarri, Raul; Stroh, Alexander
The Informal Dimension of Judicial Politics : A Relational Perspective
in Annual Review of Law and Social Science volume 13 (2017) . - page 413-430
doi:10.1146/annurev-lawsocsci-110316-113750 ...
Stroh, Alexander
Regional Economic Communities in Africa : a perspective from political science
2017
1st Workshop "Steering Regional Development through Regional Economic Communities in Africa", Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2016
Stroh, Alexander
Benin
Africa Yearbook 12 : Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara 2015
Leiden : Brill, 2016. - page 45-52 . - (Africa Yearbook; 12)
doi:10.1163/1872-9037_ayb_ayb2015_COM_0004 ...
Stroh, Alexander
Courts and Informal Networks : Towards a Relational Perspective on Judicial Politics beyond Wes ...
2016
APSA Annual Meeting, Philadelphia
Stroh, Alexander
Formalizing Social Ties : Quantitative Network Analysis in the Judiciary
2016
Point Sud Workshop "Courts in Africa", Ouagadougou
Llanos, Mariana; Tibi Weber, Cordula; Heyl, Charlotte; Stroh, Alexander
Informal interference in the judiciary in new democracies : a comparison of six African and Lat ...
in Democratization volume 23 (2016) issue 7. - page 1236-1253
doi:10.1080/13510347.2015.1081170 ...
Stroh, Alexander
"Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose?" : Continuités et discontinuités dans les élections ...
2016
La démocratie au Burkina Faso : Modèle en Afrique de l’ouest ou cas isolé?, Freiburg i.Br.
2015
Stroh, Alexander
Les partis politiques, les présidents et le peuple : Participation électorale en Afrique de l‘O ...
2015
Workshop "Les élections dans l'espace ouest-africain de 1990 à nos jours", Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Grand-Bassam, Elfenbeinküste
Stroh, Alexander
Zur aktuellen politischen Lage in Burkina Faso
2015
Engagement Global/Servicestelle Kommunen in der Einen Welt (SKEW): 2. Runder Tisch Burkina Faso, Hofheim am Taunus
Stroh, Alexander
The consequences of appointment policies for court legitimacy in Benin : A network analysis app ...
2015
ECPR General Conference, Montréal
Stroh, Alexander
Judicial Independence, Informal Interference, and Judicial Networks
2015
Bergen Exchanges on Law & Social Transformation, Bergen
Stroh, Alexander
Demokratisierung in Afrika : Erfolge und aktuelle Herausforderungen
2015
Nürnberger Sicherheitstagung "Die Europäische Union und Afrika", Nürnberg
Stroh, Alexander
Appointment Policies, Judicial Networks, and Their Consequences for Democratic Consolidation in ...
2015
Informal Networks in Non-Western Judiciaries, Canberra, Australien
Stroh, Alexander
Assessing Formal Independence of Constitutional Review Bodies Across Regions
2015
Weltregionen im Vergleich: Polity, Politics und Policy : Tagung der Sektion "Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft" der DVPW, Hamburg
Stroh, Alexander
Benin
Africa Yearbook 11 : Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara 2014
Leiden , 2015. - page 41-47 . - (Africa Yearbook; 11)
doi:10.1163/1872-9037_ayb_ayb2014_COM_0004 ...
Stroh, Alexander; Heyl, Charlotte
Institutional Diffusion, Strategic Insurance, and the Creation of West African Constitutional C ...
in Comparative Politics volume 47 (2015) issue 2. - page 169-187
doi:10.5129/001041515814224453 ...
Stroh, Alexander
Parteiensysteme und Wahlwettbewerb in Afrika : Nationale Aggregate und lokale Realitäten
2015
Neopatrimonialismus, Demokratie- und Parteienforschung : Symposium zum Gedenken an Gero Erdmann (GIGA), Hamburg
2014
Stroh, Alexander
Democratic Consolidation at Risk? : The Consequences of Judicial Appointment Policies in Benin
2014
African Courts : Actors, Institutional Developments and Governance, Niamey, Niger
Stroh, Alexander
Putting democratic consolidation at risk : The consequences of appointment policies for key pol ...
2014
Point Sud Workshop "Courts in Africa", Niamey
Stroh, Alexander
Demokratisches Westafrika? : Burkina Faso im regionalen Vergleich
2014
Engagement Global/Servicestelle Kommunen in der Einen Welt (SKEW): Runder Tisch "Kommunale Partnerschaften" mit Burkina Faso, Lahnstein, Deutschland
Stroh, Alexander
Zwanzig Jahre Demokratisierung : Ruandas politischer Sonderweg
2014
Seminar „Ruanda: 20 Jahre nach dem Genozid“, Ingelheim
Stroh, Alexander
Assessing Formal Independence of Constitutional Review Bodies
2014
International Workshop Courts Under Pressure : Formal und Informal Dynamics of Political Intervention in New Democracies, Hamburg, Deutschland
Stroh, Alexander
Burkina Faso
Africa Yearbook 10 : Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara 2013
Leiden : Brill, 2014 (Africa Yearbook; 10)
doi:10.1163/1872-9037_ayb_ayb2013_COM_0006 ...
2014
Stroh, Alexander
Erfolgsbedingungen politischer Parteien im frankophonen Afrika : Benin und Burkina Faso seit de ...
Opladen, Berlin, Toronto : Budrich, 2014. - 326 page . - (Parteien in Theorie und Empirie; 5)
Stroh, Alexander
Politische Parteien in Afrika : Erkenntnisse aus der vergleichenden Forschung zu Wählerpräferen ...
2014
Invited Talk, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg
2013
Stroh, Alexander
Party Institutionalization in Africa
2013
International Seminar in African Politics, Hradec Kralóvé,Czech Republic
Stroh, Alexander
Diffusion vs Strategy? : The creation of West African
2013
5th European Conference on African Studies ECAS 2013 : African Dynamics in a Multipolar World, Lissabon, Portugal
Stroh, Alexander
La différence entre la compétition et la compétitivité électorale
2013
Atelier Avenir, Cotonou, Benin
Stroh, Alexander
Burkina Faso
Africa Yearbook 9 : Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara 2012
Leiden : Brill, 2013 (Africa Yearbook; 9)
doi:10.1163/1872-9037_ayb_ayb2012_COM_0006 ...
2012
Stroh, Alexander
The Judiciary's Autonomy and Power in Flux : Political Interference in Comparative Perspective
2012
22nd World Congress of Political Science, Madrid, Espagna
Stroh, Alexander
Burkina Faso
Africa Yearbook 8 : Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara 2011
Leiden : Brill, 2012 (Africa Yearbook; 8)
doi:10.1163/1872-9037_ayb_ayb2011_COM_0005 ...
Basedau, Matthias; Stroh, Alexander
How ethnic are African parties really? : Evidence from Francophone Africa
in International Political Science Review volume 33 (2012) issue 1. - page 5-24
doi:10.1177/0192512110391770 ...
2011
Stroh, Alexander
Burkina Faso
Africa Yearbook 7 : Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara 2010
Leiden : Brill, 2011 (Africa Yearbook; 7)
doi:10.1163/1872-9037_ayb_ayb2010_COM_0006 ...
Basedau, Matthias; Stroh, Alexander
Do Party Systems Make Democracy Work? : A Comparative Test of Party System Characteristics and ...
Regression of Democracy? : Zeitschrift für Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft; Comparative Governance and Politics. - Editors: Gero Erdmann, Marianne Kneuer
Berlin u.a. : Springer, 2011. - page 173-199
doi:10.1007/978-3-531-93302-3_7 ...
Basedau, Matthias; Erdmann, Gero; Lay, Jann; Stroh, Alexander
Ethnicity and Party Preferences in sub-Saharan Africa
in Democratization volume 18 (2011) issue 2. - page 462-489
doi:10.1080/13510347.2011.553366 ...
Stroh, Alexander
Some Competition, Little Change : The 2005 Elections in Burkina Faso
Abdoulaye Saine ; Boubacar N'Diaye ; Mathurin Houngnikpo (Hrsg.): Elections and Democratization in West Africa, 1990-2009
Trenton : Africa World Press, 2011. - page 273-302
2010
Stroh, Alexander
Burkina Faso
Africa Yearbook 6 : Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara 2009
Leiden : Brill, 2010 (Africa Yearbook; 6)
doi:10.1163/1872-9037_ayb_ayb2009_COM_0006 ...
Stroh, Alexander
Electoral rules of the authoritarian game : Undemocratic effects of proportional representation ...
in Journal of Eastern African Studies volume 4 (2010) issue 1. - page 1-19
doi:10.1080/17531050903550066 ...
Stroh, Alexander
Interne Machtdynamiken in afrikanischen Parteiorganisationen
Uwe Jun; Benjamin Höhne; Elmar Wiesendahl (Hrsg.): Parteien als fragmentierte Organisationen : Erfolgsbedingungen und Veränderungsprozesse
Opladen : Budrich, 2010. - page 153-178
Stroh, Alexander
The Power of Proximity : A Concept of Political Party Strategies Applied to the Case of Burkina ...
in Journal of Contemporary African Studies volume 28 (2010) issue 1. - page 1-29
doi:10.1080/02589000903542566 ...
2009
Stroh, Alexander
Burkina Faso
Africa Yearbook 5 : Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara 2008
Leiden : Brill, 2009. - page 65-71 . - (Africa Yearbook; 5)
2008
Stroh, Alexander
Burkina Faso
Africa Yearbook 4 : Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara 2007
Leiden : Brill, 2008 (Africa Yearbook; 4)
doi:10.1163/1872-9037_ayb_ayb2007_COM_0005 ...

Faculty of Humanties and Social Sciences
African Politics and Development Policy
Prof. Dr. Alexander Stroh-Steckelberg
Chair for Political Science
University of Bayreuth
Universitätsstraße 30 Bldg. GW 2
D-95447 Bayreuth (Germany)
Mobile: +49 160 9531 6844
Phone: +49 921 55 4185
E-mail: alexander.stroh@uni-bayreuth.de