PD Dr. Judith Renner

Profile:

Judith Renner is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences. Before coming to Potsdam University, she worked as a Lecturer and Researcher at the Technical University of Munich and the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich where she received a Dr. phil. in Political Science in 2011.

Her research interests include questions of (global) human-animal relations and their relevance for International Relations, human rights, transitional justice, memory politics and global norms. Theoretically, she works with discursive, constructivist, historical and sociological approaches.

 

Publications:

Monographs (* peer reviewed): 

• Governing Animals, Governing Humans. Animal Protection and the Government of Human-Animal Relations in World Politics (EISA-OUP Voices in International Relations Book Series), Oxford: Oxford University Press (2025).*
• Discourse, Normative Change and the Quest for Reconciliation in Global Politics, Manchester: Manchester University Press (2013).*

 

Journal Articles (* peer reviewed): 

• “Animals in International Relations: a research agenda”, in International Relations, Vol. 37, No. 3 (2023), 389-397 [together with Joana Castro Pereira]. 
• “Animal protection as animal welfare and anti-cruelty: a genealogical re-examination of the EU seal products ban”, in International Relations, Vol. 37, No. 3 (2023), 538-563. *
• “Trump, Brexit & ‘Post-Truth’ - how Post-Structuralist IR Theories can help us understand World Order in the 21st century”, in Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft, Vol. 28, No. 2 (2018), 315-328 [together with Alexander Spencer]. 
• “Normalising Knowledge? Constructivist Norm Research as Political Practice”, in European Review of International Relations, Vol. 3, No. 3 (2016), 52-62 [together with Stephan Engelkamp and Katharina Glaab].*
• “Producing the Subjects of Reconciliation: The Making of Sierra Leoneans as Victims and Perpetrators of Past Human Rights Violations”, in Third World Quarterly, Vol. 36, No. 5 (2015), 1110-1128.*
• “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back? A Reply to Nicole Deitelhoff and Lisbeth Zimmermann”, in World Political Science Review, Vol. 10, No. 1 (2014), 45-59 [together with Stephan Engelkamp and Katharina Glaab].
• “Office Hours: How (Critical) Norm Research Can Regain Its Voice”, in World Political Science Review, Vol. 10, No. 1 (2014), 61-89 [together with Stephan Engelkamp and Katharina Glaab].*
• “The Local Roots of the Global Politics of Reconciliation: Emergence of ‘Reconciliation’ as an Empty Signifier in the South African Transition to Democracy”, in Millennium: Journal of International Studies, Vol. 42, No. 2 (2014), 263-285.*
• “Ein Schritt vor, zwei Schritte zurück? Eine Replik auf Nicole Deitelhoff und Lisbeth Zimmermann“, in Zeitschrift für Internationale Beziehungen, Vol. 20, No. 2 (2013), 103-117 [together with Stephan Engelkamp and Katharina Glaab].
• “De-Antagonising the Other: Changing Constructions of the Taliban and the Possibility of Reconciliation”, in Global Society, Vol. 27, No. 4 (2013), 475-496 [together with Alexander Spencer].* 
•  „’In der Sprechstunde’: Wie (kritische) Normenforschung ihre Stimme wiederfinden kann“, in Zeitschrift für Internationale Beziehungen, Vol. 19, No. 2 (2012), 101-129 [together with Stephan Engelkamp and Katharina Glaab].*
• “Reconciliation with Al Qaida?”, in Peace Review, Vol. 24, No. 2 (2012), 202-209 [together with Alexander Spencer].*
•  „‚Versöhnung‘ als leerer Signifikant im Kontext politischer Transitionen: Eine diskurstheoretische Konzeptualisierung“, in Die Friedens-Warte. Journal of International Peace and Organization, Vol. 86, No.1-2 (2011), 245-270.*

• “’I’m Sorry for Apologizing’. Czech and German Apologies and their Perlocutionary Effects”, in Review of International Studies, Vol. 37, No. 4 (2011), 1579-1597.*

• “Forgiving, Healing, or Simply Forgetting? The Many Faces of ‘Reconciliation’ in Political Transitions”, in The Review of International Affairs, Vol. LXI, No. 1138-1139 (2010), 23-40.*
• “Denting a Heroic Picture. A Narrative Analysis of Collective Identity”, in Perspectives. Review of International Affairs, Vol. 16, No. 2 (2008), 5-27 [together with Michel Horelt].*

 

Contributions & Special Issues (* peer reviewed):

•  Animals in International Relations, Special Issue of International Relations Vol. 37, Issue 3 (2023) [together with Joana Castro Pereira].* 
• Apology and Reconciliation in International Relations. The Importance of Being Sorry, London: Routledge (2016) [together with Christopher Daase, Stephan Engert, Michel Horelt and Renate Strassner].* 
• Book Series Politische Diskurse, Baden-Baden: Nomos (since 2014) [together with Eva Herschinger and Alexander Spencer].
• Narrative Formen der Politik, Wiesbaden: VS Verlag (2014) [together with Wilhelm Hofmann and Katja Teich].
• Diskursforschung in den Internationalen Beziehungen, Baden-Baden: Nomos (2014) [together with Eva Herschinger].
• Reconciliation after Terrorism: Strategy, Possibility or Absurdity?, London: Routledge (2012) [together with Alexander Spencer].*

 

Book chapter (* peer reviewed): 

• „Discourse“, in Jahn, Beate; Schindler, Sebastian (eds.): Elgar Encyclopedia of International Relations.Cheltenham: Edward Elgar (forthcoming) [together with Alexander Spencer].*
• “Diskursforschung in den Internationalen Beziehungen”, in Sauer, Frank; Masala, Carlo (eds.): Handbuch Internationale Beziehungen (3. Auflage), Wiesbaden: Springer (2024), 375-399 [together with Eva Herschinger].
• “Introduction: Guilt, Apologies, and Reconciliation in International Relations”, in Daase, Christopher et.al. (eds.): The Importance of Being Sorry. Apology and Reconciliation in International Relations, London: Routledge (2016), 1-28 [together with Christopher Daase and Stefan Engert].*
• “Germany – Czech Republic: Negotiating Apology”, in Daase, Christopher et.al. (eds.): The Importance of Being Sorry. Apology and Reconciliation in International Relations, London: Routledge (2016), 87-105.*
• “Czech Republic – Germany: Pioneering Apology”, in Daase, Christopher et.al. (eds.): The Importance of Being Sorry. Apology and Reconciliation in International Relations, London: Routledge (2016),106-126.
• “Germany – Poland: The Ritualization of Apology”, in Daase, Christopher et.al. (eds.): The Importance of Being Sorry. Apology and Reconciliation in International Relations, London: Routledge (2016), 51-70.
• “Poland – Germany: Balancing Competing Narratives through Apology”, in Daase, Christopher et.al. (eds.): The Importance of Being Sorry. Apology and Reconciliation in International Relations, London: Routledge (2016), 71-86.
• “Bringing Transitional Justice to Terrorism Research. Possibilities, Pitfalls and Critical Voices”, in Tellidis, Yannis; Toros, Harmonie (eds.): Researching Terrorism, Peace and Conflict Studies, London: Routledge (2015), 64-80 [together with Alexander Spencer].
• “Reconciliation with Al Qaida?”, in Mac Ginty, Roger (ed.): Peacebuilding, London: Sage Publications (2014) [together with Alexander Spencer].*
• „Einleitung: Diskursforschung in den Internationalen Beziehungen“, in Herschinger, Eva; Renner, Judith (eds.): Diskursforschung in den Internationalen Beziehungen, Baden-Baden: Nomos (2014), 9-36 [together with Eva Herschinger].
• „Versöhnung als hegemoniales Projekt in Südafrika und im Kontext internationaler Friedensmissionen“, in Herschinger, Eva; Renner, Judith (eds.): Diskursforschung in den Internationalen Beziehungen, Baden-Baden: Nomos (2104), 309-344.
• "A Discourse Theoretical Approach to Transitional Justice Ideals: 'Reconciliation' as an Empty Universal in Times of Political Transition", in Palmer, Nicole; Clark, Phil; Granville, Danielle (eds.) Critical Perspectives on Transitional Justice, Mortsel: Intersentia (2012), 51-72.*
• “Introduction: Reconciling the Seemingly Irreconcilable?”, in Renner, Judith; Spencer, Alexander (eds.) Reconciliation after Terrorism: Strategy, Possibility or Absurdity?, London: Routledge (2012),1-24 [together with Alexander Spencer].*
• “Conclusion: The (Im)possibility of Reconciliation in Afghanistan and the ‘War on Terror’”, in Renner, Judith; Spencer, Alexander (eds.) Reconciliation after Terrorism: Strategy, Possibility or Absurdity?, London: Routledge (2012),205-220 [together with Alexander Spencer].*
• "Happiness is only a Teardrop away: A Neo-Marxist Interpretation of Shrek", in Lacassagne, Aurélie; Nieguth, Tim; Dépelteau, François (eds.) Investigating Shrek: Power, Identity and Ideology, Basingstoke: Palgrave (2011), 59-72 [together with Andreas Kruck und Alexander Spencer].*