Max Kaase in Memoriam (1935-2026)

Photo: Max Kaase addresses guests at the celebration marking the 10th anniversary of IPSA’s permanent Secretariat in Montréal, Canada, on 30 March 2016.

The IPSA family mourns the passing of its Past President Max Kaase, who died on 27 October 2026 at the age of 91. IPSA extends its sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues, as well as to the political science community.

Prof. Kaase served as a member of the IPSA Executive Committee from 1997 to 2000, First Vice-President from 2000 to 2003, and President from 2003 to 2006. During his presidency, IPSA established its permanent Secretariat in Montréal in 2006, giving the association a permanent home and a stable foundation for its operations. This milestone also marked an important step in the professionalization of IPSA.

Max Kaase (1935-2026) was a German political scientist known for his contributions to comparative politics, democratic theory, mass communication, and political sociology. He also made important contributions to the development of electoral research in Germany.

Prof. Kaase studied economics, sociology, and political science at the University of Cologne, where he earned his M.A. degree in 1959 and completed his Ph.D. in 1964. He later joined the University of Mannheim, holding various academic positions between 1966 and 1971, and obtained his venia legendi (habilitation) in political science in 1972. 

Supported by fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies (1965-1966) and the Ford Foundation (1971-1972), he conducted research at various universities in the United States. He also received fellowships from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Volkswagen Foundation.

From 1993 to 2000, he served as Research Professor for Democratic Studies at the Berlin Social Science Center. From 2000 to 2006, Professor Kaase was Vice-President and Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the newly established International University Bremen (IUB). In 2007, he was appointed Wisdom Professor of Political Science at the Jacobs Center for Lifelong Learning and Institutional Development at Jacobs University Bremen (formerly IUB), a position he held until 2010. In 2013, he received the University of Mannheim’s Golden Medal in recognition of his contributions.

He held leadership roles in several major academic institutions and associations, serving as Vice-President of the European Science Foundation (1999-2003), Chair of the Board at the Center for Surveys, Methods, and Analyses (ZUMA) (1980-2001), and Secretary of the Society for Comparative Research (1994-1997). His contributions were recognized with numerous honors, including the Federal Cross of Merit of Germany (2000) and honorary doctorates from City University London (2004) and the University of Bremen (2007).

Prof. Kaase’s major books include Quality Criteria for Survey Research (editor, 1999); Politisches System (co-authored with Andreas Eisen et al., 1996); Estranged Friends: The Transatlantic Consequences of Societal Change (co-authored with Andrew Kohut, 1996); Beliefs in Government (co-authored with Kenneth Newton, 1992); Politische Psychologie (co-edited with Hans-Dieter Klingemann, 1981); Political Action: Mass Participation in Five Western Democracies (co-authored with Samuel H. Barnes et al., 1979); and Elections and Parties (co-edited with Klaus von Beyme, 1978).