Short Bio

Sandra Bandemer is a doctoral researcher and lecturer at the Geschwister-Scholl-Institute of Political Science at LMU Munich. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in history (major) and political science from LMU Munich in 2019 and a Master’s degree in Peace Research and International Relations from the University of Tübingen in 2022. Both times she graduated as one of the best in her year. During her studies, she received a scholarship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung). Sandra is a member of the German Political Science Association (GPSA) and co-leads the Munich section of the grassroots think tank for foreign and European affairs Polis180. She further serves as a mid-level faculty (Mittelbau) representative since 2025.

Research Interests

Norm contestation: In this strand of research, Sandra is particularly interested in how contestation dynamics shift normative boundaries in violent conflict. In her dissertation project, she approaches this question by conceiving norm contestation as an interplay between conflict actors and an arbitrating audience.

European affairs: A second research interest centers on EU foreign and security policy in the EU’s “neighborhoods” (particularly Eastern Europe and Israel-Palestine) and beyond, with particular attention to EU enlargement, mediation, and conflict management.

Nuclear security: Lastly, another area of research revolves around nuclear security norms and their evolution, especially in Europe.

Publications

  • Sandra Bandemer, Benjamin Daßler, Berthold Rittberger, Moritz Weiss, & Kathrin Will. (2026): Rule-Takers or Rule-Makers? How Regional Hubs Design Digital Governance Frameworks, Globalizations, DOI:10.1080/14747731.2026.2653368
  • Sandra Bandemer, Benjamin Daßler, Berthold Rittberger, Moritz Weiss & Kathrin Will (2025): Politics of de-risking: how the EU confronts vulnerabilities in critical digital infrastructures, Journal of European Public Policy, DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2025.2545305
    Benjamin Daßler, Sandra Bandemer, Berthold Rittberger & Moritz Weiß (2025): Navigating Regime Complexes in Turbulent Times: The EU’s Interaction with Other International Organizations in Crises. Politische Vierteljahresschrift DOI: 10.1007/s11615-024-00572-9

Public Outreach

  • October 2024: Workshop for teachers: “Der Nahostkonflikt – Fakten, Narrative, Folgen“
  • March 2025: Political education workshop for members of the German Armed Forces: “Russlands Krieg gegen die Ukraine im Spiegel von Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft“ (with Dr. Julia Baumann)

Teaching

  • Summer 2023: Einführung ins wissenschaftliche Arbeiten
  • Winter 2023/24: Basic Course International Relations
  • Summer 2024: The European Union and External Crisis Management
  • Summer 2024: The European Union and External Crisis Management
  • Winter 2024/25: Basic Course International Relations
  • Winter 2024/25: Basic Course International Relations
  • Summer 2025: The European Union and External Crisis Management
  • Winter 2025/26: Research Design in International Relations
  • Winter 2025/26: Basic Course International Relations
  • Summer 2026: The European Union and External Crisis Management (block seminar, accompanied by an excursion to Brussels)

Reviewing Activities

  • Reviewer for JEPP
  • Reviewer for JCMS