As a political scientist, she specializes in issues related to democratization, European integration, Central and Eastern Europe, and German–Polish relations. In recent years she has been involved with the Institute for European Politics, the European University Viadrina and the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). Between 2004 and 2009 she worked as a European policies advisor to the Green Parliamentary Group in the German Bundestag. Irene Hahn-Fuhr is vice-president of the European Integration Strategy Association (EISA).