My eight-week internship at the Institute for Parliamentarism Research (IParl) began on 21 September 2020. I came across the IParl because of my studies and the associated subject matter. As I had chosen to specialise in the field of parliamentarianism, the prospect of working at a research institution that deals with precisely this topic was very exciting. Now I was finally able to take a look behind the scenes of research and science, which I otherwise knew mainly from books and essays.
The friendly and warm welcome at the institute ensured that I very quickly felt at home despite the corona-related circumstances in which the internship took place (contact restrictions, distancing rules, etc.). I was also immediately accepted as a fully-fledged colleague with regard to the topics I was allowed to work on. For a large part of the internship, I worked on a project on the coalition negotiations in Germany. Here I learnt new methods of analysis, which I used to examine the coalition agreements of the last 20 years in terms of their binding nature. At the same time, I analysed the media coverage of the coalition talks after the 2005, 2013 and 2017 federal elections. For this project, I was able to experience large parts of the research process - from the research idea to the preparation of the publication. It was particularly positive that I was perceived as a colleague whose suggestions and ideas were seriously discussed and taken on board.
In addition to my involvement in another research project dealing comparatively with parliamentary party rules of procedure, my activities also included research work. This covered a wide range of topics from party membership figures in the Weimar Republic to the new draft law on the right to mobile working. As most of the research provided background information and templates for media interviews, I was able to see the benefits of my work straight away and also witness how the exchange between the IParl and the public is created - another exciting aspect!
My own creativity was also in demand. I was allowed to draw up a research concept for a new project. Based on theoretical considerations, I designed my own analysis grid and carried out initial analyses.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the last two weeks were spent working from home. Nevertheless, I was still very well looked after so that I was able to continue working on the projects without any major restrictions.
In conclusion, I can only recommend such an internship to anyone who would like to take a closer look at political science research. You learn a lot about the different aspects of research, not least because of the varied working day. Above all, the very pleasant working atmosphere and the friendly atmosphere made the time fly by.
Sign up to receive updates, promotions, and sneak peaks of upcoming products. Plus 20% off your next order.
