Welcome to the Institute for Sociology and Economics

The Institute for Sociology and Economics includes four professorships: Sociology and Sociological Theory, Sociology of Globalization, Socio-Economics, and Development Economics and Policy.

The professorship for Sociology and Sociological Theory conducts research and teaches in the fields of sociological theory and social change. We offer courses on classical and contemporary sociological theory as well as on topics from sociological subfields such as cultural sociology, political sociology and sociology of religion. We see sociology as a multiparadigmatic discipline.

The professorship for Sociology of Globalization focusses on the political sociology of world society from the perspective of everyday life. In teaching as well as in various research works we pursue the question, how macrostructures and –dynamics in the process of globalization will be (re-)produced and challenged in concrete life worldly contexts.

Research in Socio-Economics deals with economically relevant questions at the intersection with other social sciences such as psychology, political science or sociology. A research focus lies on behavioural economics and subjective well-being research in the areas of green behaviour and identity, civic engagement, as well as forms of self-employment and identity and their implications for human well-being.

Issues of sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development are at the core of the professorship for Development Economics and Policy. A particular focus is on the interactions of human security and sustainable human development. Regionally, the focus is on Southeast Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.

Our Profile in Teaching and Research

The professorship for Sociology and Sociological Theory offers courses and is doing research covering a broad variety of sociological theories and approaches and their connection to empirical fields and puzzles.

 

The research work of the professorship for Sociology of Globalization mainly deals with phenomena of globalization from the perspective of everyday life. Therefore we focus less on movements of circulation and networking dynamics but instead on the question how globality is articulated in concrete lifewordly contexts and cultural practices. Among the main empirical research topics we analyze political violence and armed conflicts, the transformation and technologically based network building in life worlds as well as the challenges of postcolonial diversity in politics, science and society.

 

A main focus of research at the professorship for Socio-Economics looks at human decision-making under conditions of scarcity and their implications for human well-being, both in traditional economic contexts as well as beyond. Both in teaching and research, the empirical analysis of these research questions via survey data or experimental approaches is center-stage.

 

In general, the thematic research at the professorship for Development Economics and Policy is conducted in the context of the United Nations' "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". A special research focus is on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 "Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions", as sustainable development appears impossible without peace and stability. The scientific approach is problem-oriented and therefore transdisciplinary.