The Center for Comparative Research on Democracy (CCRD) is a research center at the Department of Social Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Established in January 2021, the Center provides an interdisciplinary platform for the study of democracy in its diverse forms, conditions, and transformations.

CCRD’s work focuses on the comparative and critical analysis of democratic practices, institutions, and imaginaries across different contexts. Its research addresses both the enabling conditions of democratic life and the processes of de-democratization and autocratization that challenge them. The Center brings together scholars from political science, sociology, philosophy, law, and related disciplines to foster dialogue across theoretical, methodological, and regional boundaries.

Situated within Berlin’s vibrant academic and civic landscape, CCRD serves as a hub connecting researchers, public institutions, and civil society actors who engage with the challenges of democracy in contemporary societies. It collaborates with local and international partners to develop comparative and transdisciplinary perspectives on democratic imaginary, governance and practice.

The Center’s activities include collaborative research projects, workshops, and conferences, as well as public events that engage a broader audience in debates on democracy and its transformations. CCRD also supports early-career researchers and international collaborations, contributing to the development of innovative and comparative perspectives on democracy in Europe and beyond.