Networks of Interest Mediation

The fourth module under the direction of Prof. Dr Ludger Pries analyses strategies of interest mediation based on the actor networks surrounding particular statutes. The caselaw selection is from the areas of environmental, social, and migration law, and includes:


  • the Renewable Energies Act (EEG) of 29 März 2000,

  • the Renewable Energies (European Law) Amendment Act (EAG EE) of 12 April 2011,

  • the Fourth Modern Services in the Labour Market Act of 24 Dezember 2003,

  • the Act Amending the Second and Twelth Social Security Code (Rule Requirements) of 24. März 2011,

  • the Immigration Act (Control and Restrict Immigration and Regulate Residence and Integration of EU Citizens and Aliens) of 20. Juni 2002, and

  • the Act Implementing the EU Directive on Entry and Residence of Highly Qualified Workers of 1. Juni 2012.


Central to the analysis are the actors and interest groups involved in the parliamentary hearings (either through invited or unsolicited submissions). Through the analysis of their egocentric networks as well as the attributes of these actors, the characteristics of the organisational networks and the usage of the varying arenas are determined. In doing so, the following action strategies for interest mediation will be recorded and comparatively analysed:

  1. exerting direct infludence on the parliamentary standard setting process,

  2. discursive participation in public media, such as newspapers,

  3. use of legal forums,

  4. participation in civil society and

  5. network relations with other actors in their particular organisational fields.


The aim is to develop methods to empirically analyse and understand the composition of actor networks of political interest mediation. We reconstruct the egocentric organisation networks combining the results from the analysis of the other three arenas (media, law and parliament), with expert interviews and written questionaires conducted with the identified actors, as well as examination of their official internet websites. From this research we can compute and visualize the statute specific actor networks, identify their centrality indices and comparatively discuss their characteristics.

Ludger Pries GB 04/43 32-25429   Head of Module
Kerstin Rosenow-Williams GB 04/45 32-25161   Research Associate
Anna Gansbergen GB 04/46 32-24067   Research Associate
Tristan Bauer GB 04/45 32-25161   Scientific Assistant
David Friedrich GB 04/44 32-22796   Scientific Assistant