► Short CV
 

• 1967–1973  Study of Political Science, Chinese Studies, Social Anthropology and Philosophy at the Universities of Frankfurt/M., Göttingen, Mainz and Heidelberg
• 1977  PhD at University of Bremen
• 1977–1981  Translator and Reader, Foreign Language Press, Beijing/China
• 1989  Habilitation at University of Bremen, receiving venia legendi for Political Scienc
• 1991–1992  Professor of Chinese Economic Studies at University of Bremen for Applied Sciences
• 1992–1998  Professor of Political Sciences with a focus on East Asian politics and government at University of Trier
• 1998–2013  Chair Professor of East Asian Politics at the University of Duisburg-Essen
• Since 2013  Senior professor of Chinese Politics & Society at the University of Duisburg-Essen

Thomas Heberer is a member of the editorial boards of various international journals.

► Research Interests

The main research activities of the Chair for Politics and Society of China refer to the institutional social and political change, political culture and society of China. In recent years, the focus lies on

• Agents of change and strategic groups (entrepreneurs, peasants, ethnic minorities, etc.)
• Private entrepreneurs and institutional change
• The Chinese developmental state and authoritarian resilience
• Political culture
• Nationalities policies
• Social deviation and corruption

One peculiarity is the annual fieldwork in various regions in China since the early 1980s.

► Transfer Research Project: Gesellschaftspolitisch-Ökonomische Begleitforschung zur „Neuen Seidenstraße“

(together with Nele Noesselt and Markus Taube)

► Recent Research Projects
 

• (New) Political Representative Claims: A Global View (France, Germany, Brazil, China, India) (2016–2020)
  A German-French Joint Cooperation Project, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the French L’Agence Nationale De La Recherche (ANR)
   
• Research Network “Governing in China” –  Local governance in China: Interaction of strategic groups, policy innovation and policy implementation (2014–2016)
  Sub-Project of Prof. Dr. Thomas Heberer (University of Duisburg-Essen) and Gunter Schubert (University of Tübingen), funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)