Biography
Dr Dilling is an assistant professor in political science and qualitative methods. His research is on the emergence and resilience of democratic institutions, political parties, and the far right. He is particularly interested in how political parties change and adapt to new challenges and what this means for the future of democracy.
Dr Dilling is the author of 'Parties under Pressure: The Politics of Factions and Party Adaptation', published by the University of Chicago Press. His sole- and co-authored work has been published or is forthcoming in the British Journal of Political Science, Political Research Quarterly, Political Studies Review, Social Science History, German Politics and Society, Journal of Political Science Education, and edited volumes on party politics.
Before joining Trinity, Dr Dilling worked at Oxford University and Swansea University. He also was a visiting researcher at Yale University and the University of Vienna. Dr Dilling holds a PhD from Oxford University (Nuffield College). His doctoral thesis is the recipient of the Walter Dean Burnham Award by the American Political Science Association for the best dissertation in the field of politics and history.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Matthias Dilling, Parties under Pressure: The Politics of Factions and Party Adaptation, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2024
Matthias Dilling; Felix Krawatzek, The populist radical right as memory entrepreneur? The prominence, sentiment, and interpretations of history in the German parliament, British Journal of Political Science, 54, (4), 2024, p1296 - 1317
Matthias Dilling; Leah Owen, Designing politics and IR assessments in the era of AI: An empirical investigation into ChatGPT's output across Bloom's revised taxonomy, Journal of Political Science Education, 2024
Matthias Dilling, Political Parties and Interest Incorporation: A New Typology of Intra-Party Groups, Political Studies Review, 22, (1), 2024, p193 - 206
Matthias Dilling, Denominational conflicts and party breakthrough: The negative case of the All-German People's Party, Social Science History, 46, (3), 2022, p505 - 529
Matthias Dilling, Kanzlerwahlverein no more? Failed internal coalition building and the CDU/CSU" 2021 campaign, German Politics and Society, 40, (3), 2022, p88 - 109
Sukriti Issar; Matthias Dilling, Analyzing failed institutional change attempts, Political Research Quarterly, 75, (1), 2022, p203 - 215
Matthias Dilling, Two of the same kind? The rise of the AfD and its implications for the CDU/CSU, German Politics and Society, 36, (1), 2018, p84 - 104
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Matthias Dilling, Hartwig Pautz, Chantal Sullivan-Thomsett, and John Callahan, Authenticity Over Imitation: Lessons from the 2025 German Election, Political Insight, 16, (1), 2025, p4 - 7
Matthias Dilling, Introduction to Archival Research, 2023, -
Matthias Dilling, Review of Germany and the Confessional Divide. Religious Tensions and Political Culture, 1871 " 1989, by Mark Edward Ruff; Thomas Großbolting , German Politics and Society, 41, (3), 2023, p113-117
Matthias Dilling, Introduction to Process Tracing, 2023, -
Die CDU: Repräsentationsgarantien und -defizite einer Volkspartei in, editor(s)Elmar Wiesendahl , Parteien und soziale Ungleichheit, Springer, 2017, pp89 - 121, [Matthias Dilling]
Das Wählerpotential von Rechts- und Linksaußenparteien: Unideologische Protestwahl? in, editor(s)Gerhard Hirscher; Eckhard Jesse , Extremismus in Deutschland: Schwerpunkte, Vergleiche, Perspektiven, 2013, pp397 - 434, [Matthias Dilling; Viola Neu]
Research Expertise
Description
I have an active research agenda and growing publication record on the study of the resilience of democratic institutions, with a particular focus on political parties, the far right, and German politics. E. E. Schattschneider"s (1942) verdict that the fate of democracy is inseparably linked with the state of political parties seems more alive today than ever. Many mainstream parties have been unable to make voters feel like their concerns are being addressed. Their decline has gone beyond all expectations, being pushed aside by far-right parties that threaten the very foundations of liberal democracy. The rise of the far right and decline of mainstream parties points toward a major puzzle in the study of contemporary democracies and party politics. On the one hand, research on populism, radicalism, and the far right often portrays mainstream parties as paralyzed organizations, pushed aside by new parties and movements. On the other hand, the party politics literature highlights that mainstream parties often have the experience and resources to adapt. However, why some mainstream parties have been more successful in responding to and containing the far right has remained an open question. My research uses qualitative and mixed-methods research to answer that question by pursuing two strands of work. The first research strand seeks to unpack the grievances and strategies that underpin the far right"s success. The second research strand investigates the origins, development, and effects of mainstream parties" strategic responses to new challengers like the far right. Germany is a prominent case in my work and often embedded in a comparative design for its methodological advantages and empirical importance.Recognition
Awards and Honours
Walter Dean Burnham Award, American Political Science Association for the best dissertation in the field of politics and history
UKRI Seedcorn Fund, Swansea University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (£9,456.00)
John Fell Fund, OUP Research Fund (Co-I, with G. Capoccia and F. Krawatzek, £9,977.94)
International Association for the Study of German Politics (£1,000.00)
Research fund, Oxford University, Department of Politics and IR (£809.00)
Completion grants, University of Oxford, Nuffield College and Department of Politics and IR (£3,000 overall)
Travel grants, Nuffield College and American Political Science Association (£1,955 overall)
Nuffield - Yale Exchange Program
DPhil studentship, Oxford University, Nuffield College and Department of Politics and IR
PhD studentship, London School of Economics and Political Science (declined)
PhD studentship, European University Institute (declined)
MPhil studentship, Oxford University, Nuffield College
Scholarship holder, Konrad Adenauer Foundation
Memberships
Co-convenor, German Politics Specialist Group, Political Studies Association, United Kingdom
Political Studies Association
Political Studies Association of Ireland
American Political Science Association
International Association for the Study of German Politics
Council for European Studies, Historical Study of States and Regimes Research Network
Reactionary Politics Research Network