Welcome to the team: Madeleine Böhm and Jan Ickler strengthen research on Geoeconomics and Deglobalization

Welcome to the team: Madeleine Böhm and Jan Ickler strengthen research on Geoeconomics and Deglobalization

The Willy Brandt School of Public Policy and the Faculty of Economics, Law, and Social Sciences at the University of Erfurt are pleased to welcome Madeleine Böhm and Jan Ickler to two important new research initiatives exploring the future of the global economic order as part of the research group on Security and Capitalism.

In an era in which economics and geopolitics are becoming increasingly intertwined, trade relations are being politicized, and key industries are being reframed as matters of national security, this work has never been more important. 

Two newly launched research programs that approach these challenges from complementary perspectives:

The Erfurt Research Center for Geoeconomics (EFGeo) investigates how companies respond to and actively shape the politicization of economic relations. Funded by the Thuringian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Science and Digital Society, EFGeo will receive nearly €400,000 over the next three years. The center will conduct interdisciplinary research at the intersection of international political economy, law, international relations, and public policy, focused on the German, European, and Thuringian economies.

The DeGlobE Doctoral Program (“Deglobalization and Global Decoupling”) brings together PhD researchers who are studying deglobalization through empirical and theoretical work. The program, funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation with €567,000 until 2029.

Together, these initiatives aim to develop a deeper understanding of how economic globalization is being redefined and what this means for businesses, policymakers, and society at large.

Exploring the drivers of deglobalization

In a recent interview for the University’s WortMelder research blog, Madeleine Böhm and Jan Ickler offered initial insights into their work. Böhm, who coordinates the DeGlobE program, highlighted the complexity of the forces driving deglobalization, from shifting geopolitical loyalties and supply chain diversification to the effects of Russia’s war on Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic. Trade and investment relations are increasingly being used as tools of political pressure, she noted, and understanding these dynamics requires close interdisciplinary collaboration.

Ickler, a new post-doctoral researcher for EFGeo, emphasized the active role of economic actors. Businesses are not simply at the mercy of global shifts, Ickler said. Rather, they are shaping these developments themselves. According to Ickler, understanding how companies perceive and respond to new geopolitical risks will be crucial for developing sustainable strategies, especially here in Thuringia.

A collaborative approach

Both researchers see strong connections between EFGeo and DeGlobE. The doctoral program’s theoretical and comparative perspectives complement EFGeo’s regional and company-level analyses, while empirical findings from EFGeo will in turn inform the doctoral research. Böhm and Ickler said the collaboration allows both programs to reach broader audiences and connect diverse perspectives on one of the most consequential transformations of our time.