Dr. Natalie Rauscher

​Research Associate

Heidelberg Center for American Studies
Curt und Heidemarie Engelhorn Palais
Hauptstraße 120
69117 Heidelberg

T: +49 (0)6221-54 38 78
F: +49 (0)6221-54 37 19
E-mail: nrauscher@hca.uni-heidelberg.de

NATALIE RAUSCHER is a research associate in the field of political science at the Heidelberg Center for American Studies. Her research interests include discourses on the future of work as well as the rise of the platform economy in the United States. She is also working on other topics like social movements, social media, American philanthropy and think tanks, and the impact of natural catastrophes in the United States. In December 2020, she successfully completed her Ph.D. in American Studies. Her dissertation is titled: The Discourse on the Future of Work in the United States under the Influence of Automation and the Platform Economy.

Together with Prof. Welf Werner she is co-teaching the seminars "Current Challenges and Controversies in U.S. Economic Policies," as well as "U.S. International Economic Policy Issues since 1945."

Natalie is co-founder and contributor of the HCA Graduate Blog.

Natalie Rauscher was awarded the Young Marsilius Fellowship 2021-2022.

Publications:

(2023) American Philanthropy in the Age of Political Polarization: Conservative Megadonors and Foundations and Their Role in Spreading Climate Skepticism. Politische Vierteljahresschrift. (peer-reviewed)

(2023) Technologischer Wandel und die Zukunft der Arbeit in den USA – Zwischen Innovation, Verunsicherung und Reform. In: Lammert, C., Siewert, M., Vormann, B. (eds) Handbuch Politik USA. Springer VS, Wiesbaden.

(2022) with Swetha Ananth. Can (Mega) Philanthropy Cure the World? Global Health, HIV/AIDS and the Gates Foundation. HCA Graduate Blog.

(2022) with Martin Thunert. Die Idee des bedingungslosen Grundeinkommens in Nordamerika – Debatten und Pilotprojekte in den USA und Kanada. Zeitschrift für Politikberatung/Policy Advice and Political Consulting. (4) 2016. 191-202.

(2022) with Welf Werner. Why Has Catastrophe Mitigation Failed in the U.S.? Zeitschrift für Politikberatung/Policy Advice and Political Consulting. (4) 2016. 149-173. (peer-reviewed)

(2022) with Martin Thunert. Economic Policy Think Tanks in Germany and the United States and their Strategies of Policy Advice. Zeitschrift für Politikberatung/Policy Advice and Political Consulting. (4) 2016. 174-190. (peer-reviewed)

(2021) "The Future of Work in the United States: Discourses on Automation and the Platform Economy." Contributions to Economics. Springer International Publishing.

(2020) with Maren Schäfer."Leveling the Playing Field – Kommunikationsstrategien und Ungleichheitsnarrative des linken Diskurses im Umfeld der Demokratischen Partei der USA." Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft, Special Issue: Narrative ökonomischer Ungleichheit. (peer-reviewed)

(2020) "The Current Wows and Woes of Silicon Valley – Big Tech, the Gig Economy and its Workers." HCA Graduate Blog.

Podcast: Corona in den USA – Folge 9: Corona und die (schöne neue) Arbeitswelt.

(2019) "Future Unknown: How Digital Technologies and the ‘Future of Work’ Are Unsettling America." In: Mobilization, Representation, and Responsiveness in the American Democracy. Ed.: Michael Oswald. Palgrave Macmillan. pp 175-189.

(2019) "Economics Month Pt. III – John Komlos on these ‘Not Normal Times.‘" On: HCA Graduate Blog.

(2019) "Welcome to Uber-Land: The ride-hailing giant from California and why it’s not coming to Germany anytime soon." On: HCA Graduate Blog.

(2018) "Von Occupy Wall Street zu den ‘nasty women’ – Digitale Kommunikation als Partizipationsmöglichkeit neuer Protestströmungen." In Strategische Politische Kommunikation im digitalen Wandel, eds. Michael Oswald und Michael Johann. Wiesbaden: Springer.

(2017, Oct.) "Inequality on the Rise – How Income Inequality and the Changing Nature of Work are Challenging the American Dream." Gewinner des Essay Wettbewerbs Understanding the Crossroads of America, Initiative Junge Transatlantiker.