Schulz, Sarah

While studying political science at the University of Leipzig, I chose to specialise in socio-legal studies. I continued this focus in my thesis, examining the historical and legislative origins and political impact of the legal concept of the ‘free democratic basic order’ (fdGO). The fdGO is a term used in the German Constitution and is at the heart of the concept of a militant democracy.
These research interests at the intersection of social and legal sciences led me to the Department of Social and Health Law, Rehabilitation and Disability Law of Prof. Dr. Felix Welti at the University of Kassel. Since 2018, I have been taking on various teaching and coordination duties and also working on third-party funded projects. I am currently completing the NEXT research project funded by the Volkswagen Foundation on the question of social backgrounds and decision-making in German social courts. I am writing my postdoctoral thesis on this topic (habilitation). From November 2025, I will be a research assistant in the JUST doctoral programme ‘Just and sustainable transformation’. I have been involved with the doctoral programme since the application was submitted to the Hans Böckler Foundation in 2022 and am supervising two doctoral theses in the programme. The contract is part-time (65%) and limited until November 2027. Please find it attached and let me know if you need further information.

Area(s) of expertise: democracy theory, right wing extremism, socio-legal studies, social law and politics