Michael Stelzig is a doctoral candidate and assistant at the Chair of International Relations and International Political Economy. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Munich in 2022 and his master’s degree in Comparative and International Studies from ETH Zurich in 2025. His research interests include geoeconomics, economic statecraft, and the economics of conflict. In his master’s thesis, he analyzed how economic sanctions affect state-to-state lending to sanctioned countries. During his studies, Michael has gained research experience as a research assistant for Prof. Stefanie Walter on the DISINTEGRATION project and through research internships at DIW Berlin and the ifo Institute in Munich.