Christoph Arndt (1981-2023)

We are very sad to announce the untimely death of Christoph Arndt, Associate Professor in Comparative Politics.

Christoph was diagnosed with cancer this summer and died in hospital after a brief illness. He is survived by his parents and his brother Andreas.

He will be much missed by friends, colleagues, and students in the School of Politics, Economics, and International Relations.

Career

Christoph joined the University in 2017 as a Lecturer in Comparative Politics. He had previously been a PhD student, postdoctoral researcher, and Assistant Professor at Aarhus University in Denmark. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2022.

At the time of his death he was Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Politics and International Relations, having previously served as Admissions Tutor.

Research

Christoph was a prolific and accomplished researcher, known especially for his work on voting behaviour, party politics, public opinion, the welfare state, public policy, comparative politics, German politics, and Scandinavian politics.

He collaborated widely with colleagues from a number of European countries and at all levels: from Professor to PhD student. He also spent a year as a Consultant in the German Bundestag in 2018-19.

In recent times, much of his intellectual focus had been on energy politics and attitudes towards climate change, on which he had been working closely with two friends who were also former University of Reading colleagues: Prof Daphne Halikiopoulou and Dr Christos Vrakopoulos.

At the time of his death he was working with another colleague, from Finland, on a paper on ‘eco-social attitudes’, exploring how attitudes towards climate change are linked to states’ welfare regimes.

Teaching

Christoph was a committed teacher who really cared about his students.

As the longstanding convenor of the core Part 1 module in Comparative Politics – Introduction to Contemporary Democracy – he helped to shape the intellectual life of every new undergraduate studying Politics and/or International Relations, including those from other Schools.

He shared with them not only his high intellectual standards and understanding of his subject but also his humanity, for example by helping to organize film and pizza nights for his new undergraduates.

Christoph was also known as a conscientious and supportive Academic Tutor and dissertation supervisor. He was described by one former student as ‘a great person and a very good tutor’.

Remembering Christoph

Christoph’s funeral will be held in his home town in Germany.

There will also be a short memorial event at the University, organised by the Department of Politics and International Relations. This will take place on 25 October at 4.30pm, in the Sorby Room in Wager building, Whiteknights campus.

All colleagues and students are welcome to attend.