A Trailblazer In The UK And Europe

An internationally-renowned researcher has been appointed as Head of Cardiff University’s School of Law and Politics. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor René Lindstädt, an expert in political economy, political institutions, formal theory and political methodology, joined the University on 1 September 2016 as Head and Professor of Law and Politics. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In his new role, Professor Lindstädt will take a strategic overview of the multidisciplinary School which is home to Law, the Centre for Professional Legal Studies, and Politics and International Relations. The School is one of the University’s largest recruiters, attracting over 1170 new students this September. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Speaking about his plans for the School, Professor Lindstädt said: “As Head of School, my main goal will be to capitalise and build on the excellent individual reputations of our three departments to make the School a trailblazer in the UK and Europe for interdisciplinary education and research in law and politics.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Originally from Hamburg, Germany, Professor Lindstädt has worked extensively in the UK and USA. Previously he was Head of the Department of Government and Director of the Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis at the University of Essex which followed time at SUNY Stony Brook, New York and Trinity College, Dublin. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

With particular interests in social learning and diffusion and political accountability, strategic communication and cooperation, Professor Lindstädt’s work has been widely published in the American Journal of Political Science, Political Analysis, the Journal of Politics, Comparative Political Studies, and NYU Law Review amongst others. He also serves as an Editor of the British Journal of Political Science, one of the top discipline-wide journals in Political Science. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In addition to Professor Lindstädt’s appointment, the School’s leadership team has seen the appointment of two new heads of department. Religious Law and Legal History scholar, Dr Russell Sandberg has been appointed as Head of Law while Dr Branwen Gruffydd Jones, who joined the School at the beginning of 2016 as a Reader in International Relations, will head up the Department of Politics and International Relations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Lindstädt replaces the School’s previous Head, Professor Daniel Wincott who continues to be the Blackwell Law and Society Chair in the Department of Law. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​