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 Course

Institute of Sociology

Sociology - European Societies

0181c_MA120

  • The Political Unification Process in Europe and the Development of European Societies since 1945

    0181cA1.1
    • 30201 Basic Course
      Introduction to European Integration (Daniel Saldivia Gonzatti)
      Schedule: Di 10:00-12:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-14)
      Location: Garystr.55/A Hörsaal (Garystr. 55)

      Comments

      European integration has had major consequences for European societies, politics, and policy-making. The lecture gives a thorough overview of the history of the integration process and the current state of the European Union (EU). Specifically, the students will get to know the basic institutional features of the EU and the major theoretical approaches used to explain the level and scope of integration. Also, the lecture puts a spotlight on debates over the politicization of Europe, the decline of citizens’ support, and the multiple crises faced by the EU in recent years. The students will advance their understanding of the political and social implications of European integration as an important background for their further studies of contemporary European societies.

    • 30202 Advanced seminar
      The Politics of Agenda-Setting in Europe (Daniel Saldivia Gonzatti)
      Schedule: Di 14:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-14)
      Location: Garystr.55/323 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

      Comments

      This seminar introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of agenda-setting studies, incorporating perspectives from political sociology, political communication, comparative politics, and with a focus on Europe. In the initial sessions, we will explore the agenda-setting theory, the concept of "problem definition" in political communication, and other related theoretical frameworks. We will then engage with classic and recent empirical research exploring agenda-setting in the media, in policy making, in party competition, in parliament, and in public debates around protest and violence. The seminar also features two data lab sessions with R to introduce empirical, quantitative approaches to the study of agenda-setting (no prior experience with R is required). Through discussions and analyses, students will gain insights into current research trends and deepen their understanding of the political dynamics of agenda-setting in Europe.

    • 30203 Advanced seminar
      Migration and integration: main theories and their empirical applications (Céline Teney)
      Schedule: Di 14:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-14)
      Location: Garystr.55/B Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

      Comments

      Migration and integration belong to the key topics discussed in the European public debate. Moreover, empirical studies on these topics have boomed since the 2015 so-called “European refugee crisis”. In this seminar, we will review the main theories of integration and migration and discuss them in the light of empirical studies applying these theories within the European context. The students will get to know key theories of integration and migration, starting from the classical theories (e.g., assimilation theory, neo-classical economics of migration) and encompassing recent advancement in theory of integration and migration (e.g., ethnic boundary making theory, aspirations-capabilities migration framework). In the first part of the seminar, we will focus on theories of integration, while the second part will be dedicated to migration theories. In each seminar session, we will review a different theory of integration or migration and discuss its main strengths and weaknesses and its potential empirical application to the European context

      Suggested reading

      • Alba, R. & Nee, V. (2005): Remaking the American mainstream: Assimilation and contemporary immigration. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
      • Wimmer, A. (2013): Ethnic boundary making: Institutions, power, networks. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

        • 30204 Advanced seminar
          Varieties of Capitalism in Eastern Europe (Katharina Bluhm)
          Schedule: Mi 12:00-14:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-15)
          Location: Garystr.55/B Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
        • 30205 Advanced seminar
          The Transformation of West European Political Arenas (Alexander Pries)
          Schedule: Di 14:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-14)
          Location: Garystr.55/101 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

          Comments

          In recent decades, Western European democracies have undergone profound political transformations. Established party families have lost significant portions of their traditional voter bases and ideological profile. Additionally, two waves of new party families have emerged. Beginning in the late 1960s, new social movements began emphasizing issues such as environmental protection, climate change, and minority rights. Later, these were brought into the political arena by party families commonly referred to as the “New Left” or “Green Parties.” More recently, a second wave has materialized with the rise of Populist Radical Right parties, driven by increasing salience of issues such as immigration and nationalism. Several political crises—including the financial, migration, and pandemic crises—alongside long-term developments such as educational expansion, globalization, and European integration have accompanied and shaped these shifts.

          The core question of this seminar is: How can we make sense of these developments? To answer this, the seminar is structured into three blocks: We begin by examining classic understandings of West European politics using cleavage theory. What is a political cleavage, and how did it structure political competition in the post-war period? Next, we turn to empirical studies on political change. How has the political arena evolved, and how have scholars explained these changes? While some argue that we are witnessing the dealignment between social groups and political parties, others interpret these changes as signs of realignment along a new political cleavage. In the final block, we ask: What are the strengths and limitations of current approaches, and how might we better understand contemporary European politics? By the end of this course, students will have developed a solid understanding of key debates in the field and honed their skills in conceptual clarity, empirical analysis, and critical engagement with social research.

        • 30206 Advanced seminar
          Contesting Equality: The Backlash Against Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion in Academia (Kathrin Zippel)
          Schedule: Mo 16:00-18:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-13)
          Location: Ihnestr.22/UG 2 Seminarraum (Ihnestr. 22)

          Comments

          This seminar examines the rising backlash against gender and diversity studies, as well as DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies in higher education, focusing on both European contexts and the United States. While gender and diversity programs had gained institutional recognition, their implementation often faces significant political, cultural, and organizational resistance. We will explore how these fields are contested sites within universities—symbolically embraced yet structurally marginalized. Case studies will analyze attacks on academic freedom, defunding efforts, and ideological campaigns portraying DEI as threats to meritocracy or national identity. Particular attention will be paid to the paradoxes of institutionalization: how formal inclusion may coexist with epistemic devaluation and precarious labor conditions for scholars in these fields. Through interdisciplinary readings and critical discussion, students will assess how broader socio-political dynamics—such as anti-feminism, populism, and anti-intellectualism—shape the current terrain of equality struggles in academia.

      • Sociological Theories of Societal Changes and Societal Integration

        0181cA1.2
        • 30207 Basic Course
          Sociological Theory (Jayme Gomes Neto)
          Schedule: Mo 10:00-12:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-13)
          Location: HFB/D Hörsaal (Garystr. 35-37)

          Comments

          Broadly conceived, the theoretical activity can be characterized as the attempt to go beyond what is immediately given, to render it intelligible to the mind, and to articulate its parts under a certain framework so that some understanding or explanation can be achieved. To engage in “theory” is thus a crucial part of any intellectual or scientific endeavour. Yet the task of dealing with theory in the humanities and social sciences is an intricate and multifaceted one. Indeed, all sorts of social thinkers and schools of thought have developed strategies for theory construction so as to properly understand and explain the aspects of social reality they were interested in. To get to grips with social theory is the challenge of this series of lectures.

          The course has two goals. The first one is to present in a historical fashion some of the crucial theoretical traditions in sociology and social sciences – from classics to postmodern approaches – and their context of emergence. The second, more specific goal is to discuss in some detail the internal logic informing such theoretical developments in sociology. With this in mind, the expectation is that by the end of these Lectures, students can develop a fundamental repertoire so they are able to autonomously navigate theoretical discourse and use theories more competently in their own research.

        • 30208 Advanced seminar
          Democratic Backsliding and Resilience (Teresa Völker)
          Schedule: Di 14:00-18:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-14)
          Location: Ihnestr.22/UG 5 Seminarraum (Ihnestr. 22)

          Comments

          This seminar examines the causes, dynamics, and consequences of democratic backsliding, as well as the conditions that foster democratic resilience. Divided into two parts, we will first explore key concepts and theoretical approaches to understanding democratic decline and resilience. Topics include institutional decline, illiberalism, authoritarianism, and the role of actors such as political parties, civil society, and the media. These theoretical approaches provide a framework for analyzing why some democracies resist these pressures more effectively than others. In this part of the seminar, we will primarily read theoretical and empirical contributions, including textbooks and articles from comparative politics and democracy studies. In the second part of the seminar, students will work on concrete cases of democratic backsliding or resilience. Drawing on examples from Europe and beyond, we will examine how and why democratic norms and institutions are challenged - and what political, institutional, and societal responses emerge. Through group work, presentations, and independent research, students will deepen their understanding of current debates and develop their own analytical perspectives on the challenges and futures of democracy.

        • 30209 Advanced seminar
          Living Together in Difference: Classical and Contemporary Debates (Sergio Costa)
          Schedule: Mo 16:00-18:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-13)
          Location: Ihnestr.21/E Seminarraum (Ihnestr. 21)

          Comments

          Discussions about the potentialities and challenges of coexistence in societies marked by cultural and social heterogeneity have accompanied sociology since its inception. More recently, these debates have become increasingly diverse and complex – for various reasons. Firstly, research on intersectionality has emphasized the need to link cultural diversity and social inequality. Secondly, many groups previously viewed as objects of diversity research (such as minorities and migrants) have become authors, broadening the perspectives of analysis.

          This course provides an overview of classic and contemporary authors and currents that are most relevant to debates about living together in difference, from Max Weber and Norbert Elias to current discussions about belonging and conviviality. To achieve this, each session of the course will focus on a paradigmatic text or texts from each relevant author or current in these debates. The final sessions will be dedicated to comparisons of the different strands studied in relation to specific issues.

          Suggested reading

          Anthias, Floya (2020): Translocational Belongings: Intersectional Dilemmas and Social Inequalities. London/New York: Routledge

        • 30210 Advanced seminar
          Inequality beliefs: Concepts, Measurements and empirical results (Claudia Traini)
          Schedule: Mo 14:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-13)
          Location: Garystr.55/121 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

          Comments

          Beliefs about inequality are deeply connected to how individuals interpret the causes of social and economic differences as outcomes of personal effort or as consequences of structural conditions beyond individual control. Understanding these beliefs is essential to grasp how citizens relate to institutions, policy, and broader processes of social change. For students, studying inequality beliefs provides an opportunity to connect theoretical reflection with empirical investigation. It deepens their understanding of key sociological theories, fosters analytical abstraction, and encourages critical thinking about how beliefs are shaped by both individual-level factors (e.g., values, status, socialization) and macro-level structures (e.g., welfare regimes, institutions, macro-economic conditions). Comparative approaches and the close reading of empirical research are central to this work. This course is built around the critical examination of empirical studies on inequality beliefs. In the first part of the seminar, we will discuss the conceptual spectrum between meritocracy and structural inequality. The following sessions will focus on selected articles that examine how different individual and contextual determinants shape inequality beliefs across countries and time.
          The seminar also includes an experimental component involving AI tools, which students may use to assist with tasks such as summarizing literature, outlining arguments, or generating counterpoints. These activities aim to assess when and how artificial intelligence can support or potentially hinder sociological reasoning. The goal is not only to engage with content, but also to foster reflective thinking about the role of digital tools in social science research and learning.

        • 30212 Advanced seminar
          Social Change and Institutions (Katharina Bluhm)
          Schedule: Mo 12:00-14:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-13)
          Location: Garystr.55/105 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

          Comments

          The class aims to provide students with a thorough foundation in the social science scholarship on institutional change covering both its evolutionary (path dependency) and revolutionary aspects (institutional breakdowns, critical junctures and bricolages). The class introduces major schools of institutionalist thought and discusses how they interpret social change. The fact that institutions can be both formal and informal makes creating a comprehensive theory of institutional change particularly difficult. Informal institutions are of great importance for both the functioning and change of formal institutions. Moreover, in some societies, informal institutions play a more important role for “getting things done” than in others. A somewhat simplified way of classifying societies in terms of the importance of informal institutions is the “North-South” gap, or the difference between liberal market societies and democracies vs. less advanced or authoritarian countries. The seminar explores the theoretical reasoning behind the existing empirical findings on institutional change. It enables its participants to apply various scholarly concepts for studying and discussing specific cases of the interaction of formal and informal institutions, as well as blocked and accelerated change.

      • Methods of Comparative Social Research

        0181cA1.3
        • 30213 Basic Course
          Methods of Comparative Research (Bruno de Castanho Silva)
          Schedule: Do 12-14 (Class starts on: 2025-10-16)
          Location: Ihnestr.21/A Hörsaal (Ihnestr. 21)

          Information for students

          Exam: written exam (e-exam)

          Comments

          This course aims to make students familiar with the basic rules comparative research, introducing the most influential approaches and salient topics in comparative social science. It will help students evaluate the methodological merits of sociological publications that use a comparative approach, and to design their own comparative research strategy. The course is divided into two parts: the first starts from the building blocks of how to formulate a research question and hypotheses, select appropriate units of analysis, discuss matters of conceptualization, operationalization and measurement, and the selection of appropriate methods and data. Given the increasing availability of cross-national surveys for sociological research, the second part of this course will focus on methods of data analysis for large-N comparative studies. At the end, students will be able to design and conduct a social scientific study, and to correctly interpret and understand quantitative sociological analysis.

        • 30215 Advanced seminar
          Introduction to Data Analysis with R (Vivien Fabry)
          Schedule: Do 14:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-16)
          Location: Garystr.55/101 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

          Information for students

          It is advised to bring and use your own laptops and have the newest version of R and RStudio installed.

          Comments

          This course compliments the “Methods of Comparative Research” lecture and aims to introduce students to the freely available statistical programming software R. It starts from the beginning and prior programming experience is not needed. Students will learn the basics of R and how to use it for data analysis and visualization. They will also be introduced to various basic programming concepts and good practices to get the best out of R as a beginner.

        • 30216 Advanced seminar
          Introduction to causal research designs (Alessandro Ferrara & Christian König)
          Schedule: Do 16:00-18:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-16)
          Location: Garystr.55/101 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

          Comments

          This seminar offers an introduction to causal research designs commonly used in social science research. We will start by identifying common threats to causal identification in observational studies and use Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) to understand and illustrate them conceptually. In the main part of the seminar, we will cover a range of causal research designs such as matching techniques, Difference-in-Differences, Instrumental Variables, and Experimental designs. Emphasis will be placed on intuitive understanding of the logic behind each the approaches and discussing their strengths and limitations. We dedicate two seminar sessions to each approach: one textbook introduction and one empirical application from social inequality research.

        • 30217 Advanced seminar
          Introduction to Data Analysis Using Stata (Dieter Ohr)
          Schedule: Do 14:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-16)
          Location: Garystr.55/302a Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

          Comments

          This seminar’s objective is to provide an introduction into data analysis using the software Stata. Stata is a powerful and yet easy-to-use statistical package. In the seminar you will be introduced into working with Stata. During the sessions we will discuss different analytical techniques and how to perform them in the Stata environment.
          Topics: working with Do-Files; how to prepare data and variables for data analysis; graphs in stata; linear regression analysis, how to include different kinds of explanatory variables into the models, interpretation of the relevant measures in the regression framework.

        • 30218 Advanced seminar
          Data Analysis for Research Transparency: Reproducibility and Replication (Claudia Traini)
          Schedule: Di 16:00-18:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-14)
          Location: Garystr.55/C Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

          Comments

          Replication studies are a cornerstone of scientific progress. By attempting to reproduce the results of existing empirical work, researchers test the robustness, transparency, and generalizability of published findings. In recent years, concerns about the replication crisis in several disciplines have highlighted the importance of making research practices more transparent and reproducible.
          For students, engaging in a replication study is an invaluable way to understand the scientific process in practice. It fosters critical thinking about research design, data quality, and analytical choices, and it deepens technical skills in data analysis.
          This course is built around the replication of empirical studies. We will begin by working together on one exemplary article during the first part of the seminar. The initial sessions will focus on study design, challenges related to operationalization, and the theoretical underpinnings of OLS regression. In the following sessions, we will replicate the selected paper, each time altering a specific element such as a design feature, variable operationalization, or modeling choice.
          During the second part of the seminar, you will carry out a replication of a different published study, either individually or in groups. The course will rely on Stata as the main software tool for data analysis.

        • 30219 Advanced seminar
          Introduction to Data Analysis with STATA (Justyna Okrucinska)
          Schedule: Mi 14:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-15)
          Location: Ihnestr.22/UG 4 Seminarraum (Ihnestr. 22)

          Comments

          This course covers the basics of data analysis using Stata. The seminar will introduce the mechanics of STATA, allowing you to work with the software, and will cover commands and methods for preparing data, visualising it, conducting descriptive analyses and running regression models. At the same time, the seminar will also cover the more theoretical aspects of quantitative research, such as reading and understanding data (e.g. strength of effect, significance, and standard error), creating hypotheses and constructing research questions. Throughout the course, students will work on their own small projects to enable them to apply their knowledge in practice.

        • 30220 Advanced seminar
          Applied Data Analysis in R (Vivien Fabry)
          Schedule: Do 16:00-18:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-16)
          Location: Garystr.55/204 PC-Pool (Garystr. 55)

          Information for students

          It is advised to bring and use your own laptops and have the newest version of R and RStudio installed.

          Comments

          This course compliments the “Methods of Comparative Research” lecture and uses the freely available statistical programming software R. This course is meant for students who are experienced with R or have other programming experience. Students will use R for data analysis and visualization using various datasets and apply the methods learnt in the lecture on own projects.

        • 30221 Advanced seminar
          From Question to Answer: Analysing Survey Data with R (Alexander Pries)
          Schedule: Di 12:00-14:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-14)
          Location: Ihnestr.22/UG 3 Seminarraum (Ihnestr. 22)

          Comments

          This seminar provides an applied introduction to key topics in the analysis of survey data. Theoretically, students are introduced to sampling techniques and the design of survey instruments, with a focus on how these shape survey data analysis. Key questions include: What are the different types of survey questions, and when should we use them? Consequently, how do we handle survey weights, missing values, and different response types in the analysis?

          We will examine examples from contemporary political sociology and draw on data from large-scale representative surveys in Europe. In the applied sections, the course introduces essential packages and tools for analyzing survey data using the statistical software R and RStudio. It guides students through the main steps involved in the early stages of survey data analysis. By the end of the seminar, students will have a basic understanding of the key considerations in analyzing survey data and developing survey questions, as well as a foundational toolkit for conducting applied survey data analysis in R and RStudio.

      • Research Internship

        0181cC1.1
        • 30222 Lehrforschungsprojekt
          Contested Emotions (Christian von Scheve)
          Schedule: Mi 12:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-15)
          Location: Garystr.55/302a Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

          Information for students

          The research placement will be held in English. Reports can be written in English or German.

          Comments

          Emotions in social conflict are usually investigated with regard to their motivational role in conflict mobilization and participation, and as a specific mode of political discourse and communications. This Research Placement takes a novel perspective on emotions and social conflict: students will investigate the ways in which emotions become contested issues in themselves in the context of pertinent social cleavages. In conflicts around the climate crisis, for example, climate movements explicitly frame certain emotions as socially and politically inadequate (e.g., hope), and demand that other, more adequate emotions should be felt in view of the crisis (e.g., rage, panic). Another example is the war on Ukraine, where countless media reports discussed the question of which emotions should be (or not be) felt in view of the war, and several social media influencers extensively discussed their own emotions and their adequacy and legitimacy in the context of this war. A third example are groups and individuals centering on self-care and self-optimization, for example in terms of “empowerment” and “awareness”, where in therapeutic self-help meetings and conversations participants’ emotions are investigated, articulated, valued, discussed, and, ultimately, changed. In this Research Placement (RP), students will plan, design and conduct sociological studies of the phenomenon of contested emotions using qualitative research methods, for instance interviews, discourse and content analysis. Students will work in small groups and will focus on one of the following cleavages of their choice: climate change, armed conflict, feminism, race, social class, and colonialism. The RP is structured into three main parts: The first part will introduce students to select theory and research on emotions, specifically in the context of conflict and social movements. The second part will familiarize students with basics of qualitative research, in particular with regard to data acquisition and analysis techniques. The third and largest part of the class is dedicated to students carrying out their own research and regular meetings to discuss and advance this research. Basic knowledge of qualitative methods is an advantage.

        • 30223 Lehrforschungsprojekt
          Quantitative Cross-National Comparative Research (Céline Teney)
          Schedule: Mi 12:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-15)
          Location: Garystr.55/323 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

          Information for students

          Please note: Basic knowledge of applied statistics and of STATA is a prerequisite for participation and indispensable for the successful completion of the course.

          Comments

          In this research placement, we will focus on statistical methods available for the analysis of cross-national differences. We will first discuss the challenges and limitations of quantitative cross-national comparative research. We will then learn four analytical strategies: (1) Cluster-Robust Standard Errors; (2) Separate model for each country; (3) Country Fixed Effects Model and (4) Country Random Effects Model. Students will be able to deepen their knowledge of each analytical strategy with a practical application with STATA based on the European Social Survey (Round 9). In the second part of the seminar, students will carry out their own research project by analysing cross-national data from the European Social Survey with STATA. The aims of this research placement are: (1) to understand the challenges of cross-national comparative analysis; (2) to get to learn statistical methods for cross-national comparative analysis; (3) to conduct cross-national comparative analysis with own research question based on the ESS data and (4) to interpret and present own statistical results.

          Suggested reading

          • Andreß, HJ., Fetchenhauer, D. & Meulemann, H. Cross-National Comparative Research—Analytical Strategies, Results, and Explanations. Köln Z Soziol 71, 1–28 (2019).
          • Bryan, M. & Jenkins, S. (2016): Multilevel modelling of country effects: A cautionary tale, ESR, 32, 3-22.
          • Schmidt-Catran, A.W., Fairbrother, M. & Andreß, HJ. Multilevel Models for the Analysis of Comparative Survey Data: Common Problems and Some Solutions. Köln Z Soziol 71, 99–128 (2019).

            • 30224 Lehrforschungsprojekt
              Qualitative Methods (Interviews and Text Analysis) for Gender, Diversity, Science, and Organizations (Kathrin Zippel)
              Schedule: Mi 12:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-15)
              Location: Boltzmannstr.20 - Anbau Hörsaal (K 019) (Boltzmannstr. 16-20)

              Comments

              This course offers MA students an opportunity to engage deeply with qualitative research methods while exploring themes at the intersections of gender, diversity, science, and organizational studies. Through a combination of theoretical reflection and hands-on practice, students will develop their own empirical projects—gaining experience in interview techniques, text analysis, and the broader research process. The course provides a strong foundation for independent research and is particularly well-suited for those pursuing work in gender studies or related fields within the social sciences.

            • 30225 Lehrforschungsprojekt
              Working with the German Socio-economic Panel (SOEP) (Stefan Liebig)
              Schedule: Mo 12:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-13)
              Location: Garystr.55/B Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

              Comments

              The German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) is a representative panel study for the German population, collecting data on a broad variety of topics of everyday life, including general wellbeing, household composition, educational aspirations and educational status, income and occupational biographies, leisure time activities, housing, health, political orientation and more. With its long running panel structure, the breadth of topics and the representative nature of the data, the SOEP has become a central resource for quantitative research in the social sciences in Germany. This seminar offers a well-grounded and practically oriented introduction to the data of the SOEP. Participants will be introduced to the content of the study, its data-structure, sample selection and weighting strategy and they will be provided with an overview over the study documentation. Each session consists of two parts: In the first part, an introduction to the respective subject areas is given; in the second part, the contents taught are practiced directly on the computer. The practical part of each session requires familiarity with statistical methods (at least OLS-regression level) and basic programming skills in STATA.

            • 30226 Lehrforschungsprojekt
              Experimental and Observational Approaches to Discrimination and Prejudice (Eylem Kanol)
              Schedule: Di 14:00-18:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-14)
              Location: Boltzmannstr.20 - Anbau Hörsaal (K 019) (Boltzmannstr. 16-20)

              Comments

              This seminar provides students with the tools and knowledge to investigate the themes of discrimination and prejudice using both observational and experimental research designs with survey data. Discrimination refers to the unequal treatment of individuals or groups based on characteristics such as ethnicity, gender, religion, or sexual orientation, while prejudice refers to negative attitudes, stereotypes, or beliefs about these groups—often motivating discriminatory behavior. Students will begin by exploring observational approaches that rely on analyzing existing variation in survey data, such as using regression analysis to uncover patterns and estimate relationships between key variables. The seminar will then cover experimental approaches that involve actively manipulating conditions to identify causal effects, including list experiments, survey experiments, and natural experiments that leverage unexpected events within surveys. A key focus of the seminar will be on distinguishing between these two approaches and understanding their respective strengths and limitations. Students will learn the theoretical foundations and practical considerations of each approach, including randomization, ethical issues, balance checks, and power analysis for experiments, as well as considerations around model specification and confounding for observational analyses. They will also develop skills in data analysis and interpretation using R Studio. Throughout the seminar, students will work individually or in small groups to design and implement their own research project. The seminar culminates in a written research report that demonstrates their ability to apply regression analysis and/or experimental methods to investigate discrimination or prejudice.

          • Specialization – Advanced Methods of Empirical Social Research

            0181cC1.2
            • 30227 Specialization Seminar
              Qualitative analysis of experiences of displaced migrants in Europe (Céline Teney)
              Schedule: Di 10:00-12:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-14)
              Location: Garystr.55/302a Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

              Comments

              In this seminar, we will first discuss main current theories for understanding the experiences of displaced migrants. We will then review some methodological accounts on qualitative data analysis. We will then apply these theories empirically on a set of interviews conducted among displaced Ukrainians who fled from the full-scale Russian invasion of 24th February 2022 to Berlin, Warsaw and Budapest. Students are expected to carry out their own qualitative analysis on the interview selection.

          • Specialization – Special Fields of Sociological Research

            0181cC1.3
            • 30229 Specialization Seminar
              Gender inequality in education and labor markets across countries (Heike Solga)
              Schedule: Do 16:00-18:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-16)
              Location: Garystr.55/302a Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

              Comments

              Over the past century, women have overtaken men in terms of educational attainment: In many countries around the world, girls today outperform boys in school and are more likely to earn a college degree-a development that has been popularly referred to as “the rise of women” or “the boy crisis”. Despite this female advantage in education, women continue to fare worse in the labor market. In this seminar, we will explore these seemingly contradictory patterns: What are the theoretical mechanisms behind gender inequalities in school performance, college/career aspirations and choices, labor market outcomes, earnings, and career advancement? Why have some of these inequalities persisted while others have changed or even reversed over time? Are these patterns universal or are there cross-country differences? In the seminar, we will approach these questions by discussing the most prominent theories of gender inequality in education and the labor market. This will be accompanied by in-depth discussions of empirical (quantitative) studies on the topic, including questions and exercises on how to match research questions with theoretical foundations, modes of operationalization, and empirical analysis.

            • 30231 Specialization Seminar
              Family and Health across the Life Course (Lara Bister)
              Schedule: Do 10:00-12:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-16)
              Location: Garystr.55/323 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

              Information for students

              Note: All course-related correspondence will take place via Blackboard, so please register for this course on Blackboard. Blackboard password: famhealth2526

              Comments

              In this seminar, we will explore the dynamic interplay between family relationships and health outcomes from childhood to old age, with a strong empirical focus. Within the context of European societies, this seminar examines how social, cultural, and economic factors shape family structures and their impact on physical and mental health throughout different stages of life and across various family interlinkages. Drawing on sociological theories and empirical studies, students will acquire an initial understanding of key theoretical concepts and empirical applications in medical sociology, family demography, and life course research. They will critically analyse issues such as caregiving, health inequalities, and demographic change, developing a deeper understanding of the role family relationships play in health across the life course. They will also get first insights into the empirical design of a quantitative study within the topic of family, health and the life course. With the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) as an example, students will design their own empirical study guided by experts working at and with SHARE. As part of the M.A. programme in “Sociology – European Societies”, the seminar encourages interdisciplinary perspectives and active student engagement.

            • 30232 Specialization Seminar
              Digitalization and Social Inequality (Martin Ehlert)
              Schedule: Do 10:00-12:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-16)
              Location: Garystr.55/302a Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

              Comments

              Digitalization has a strong and growing impact on societies as new technologies change both our private and our professional lives. As with previous technological revolutions, there are many hopes and fears associated with digitalization that relate to social inequality. While some fear exclusion and mass unemployment due to digital technology others praise the new opportunities for flexibility at work and communication across old divisions within societies. Against this backdrop, this seminar aims to engage with digitalization and its relationship with social inequality both theoretically and empirically. Based on the concept of the “digital divide” (van Dijk, 2020), we consider social inequalities on three levels: first in access to digital technology, second in use of digital technologies and the associated skills, and third in the outcomes of digital technologies. Thus, we will cover a wide range of topics from inequalities in internet access to the consequences of technology use at workplaces. The focus will also be on the question whether digital technologies change old inequalities or generate new inequalities. The seminar provides theoretical and practical knowledge to evaluate the importance of digitalization for social inequality based mostly on quantitative analyses. We will discuss about relevant digital technologies, their prevalence, use, and outcomes. We will also learn about theoretical explanations of the “digital divide” from sociology and related fields. Course discussion will furthermore include issues on how to match research questions with theoretical foundations, modes of operationalization and quantitative empirical analysis.

              Suggested reading

              • Van Dijk, Jan 2020, “The digital divide”. Cambridge: Polity Press
              • Matzat, Uwe, and Erik van Ingen. 2020. “Social inequality and the digital transformation of Western society: what can stratification research and digital divide studies learn from each other?” Pp. 379–97 in Soziologie des Digitalen - Digitale Soziologie?: Soziale Welt - Sonderband 23, edited by S. Maasen and J.-H. Passoth. Baden-Baden: Nomos
            • 30233 Specialization Seminar
              Nation-State, Citizenship, and Globalization (Yasemin Nuhoglu Soysal)
              Schedule: Mo 12:00-14:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-13)
              Location: Garystr.55/302a Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

              Information for students

              Organization and requirements: The core of the course is class discussions. Regular participation, reading of the assigned materials and taking part in discussions are required. Each student is expected to organize and lead the discussion at least in one of the sessions. This will involve giving a short presentation (no more than 15 minutes) to orient class discussion. The purpose of the presentation is to introduce key issues and themes and pose questions to facilitate the class discussion. For the written assignment, students are expected to submit one paper (3000 words) that should grow out of the concerns of the seminar and address the issues/questions discussed.

              Comments

              This seminar is an introduction to major theoretical approaches and substantive issues in the current sociological thinking on the nation-state and citizenship, with a view on their late 20th and 21st century reconfigurations via globalization. Substantively, the seminar explores the contemporary processes that underline the inclusions and exclusions in the body of nation-state and its citizenry: territorial and cultural closure of the nation, expansion of individual (human) rights and privileges, immigration and incorporation of diversity, and the populist and nationalist backlash against globalization. The seminar aims to orient students to recent conceptualizations, and theoretical and research issues in the field. Thereby it hopes to stimulate further research on the topics to be covered in the course.

            • 30214 Advanced seminar
              Health and Social Inequality (Jan Paul Heisig)
              Schedule: Mi 14:00-16:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-15)
              Location: Garystr.55/105 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

              Comments

              People with low education, income, or occupational attainment live their lives in worse health and die younger than their counterparts with higher “socio-economic status”. These social inequalities in health persist even in the most advanced and generous welfare states. But how can they be measured and described? Does socio-economic disadvantage cause poor health (“social causation”)? Or is it the other way round, that is, is socio-economic disadvantage a consequence rather than a cause of health problems (“health selection”)? Which processes drive the potential effect of socio-economic disadvantage on health and how can we investigate them empirically? How does the magnitude of health inequalities vary across European countries, and can we identify promising policies for reducing them?

              These and related questions will be at the center of this seminar. The first part of the course covers conceptual and measurement-related issues and provides a general introduction to key explanatory frameworks, including the literature on social determinants of health, life course models of health and health inequalities, and social-biological research on how inequality “gets under the skin”. The second part of the course discusses selected specific explanations for health inequalities (e.g., health behaviors, differential access to health care, neighborhoods and environmental quality). The third and last part focuses on cross-national variation in health inequalities across Europe.

              Suggested reading

              Preparatory readings (not required):

              • Bartley, Mel. 2016. Health Inequality: An Introduction to Concepts, Theories and Methods. Second Edition. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
              • Berkman, Lisa F., Ichiro Kawachi, and M. Maria Glymour. 2014. Social Epidemiology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014.
              • Mackenbach, Johan P. 2019. Health Inequalities: Persistence and Change in European Welfare States. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
            • 30230 Specialization Seminar
              Social Inequality across the world (Carla Hornberg & Sarah George)
              Schedule: Mi 16:00-18:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-15)
              Location: Garystr.55/101 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

              Comments

              The structures and dynamics of social inequality are embedded in an increasingly globalized world. While much of the existing research has focused on the EU and Anglo-Saxon countries, this seminar broadens the perspective to examine the causes and consequences of social inequality in both OECD and non-OECD countries and also from a cross-country perspective. We will explore whether the mechanisms of social inequalities follow similar patterns across different regions of the world, both within and between countries. Our discussions will encompass diverse dimensions of social inequality, including educational and economic disparities, ethnic inequalities, residential segregation, environmental justice, and cultural perceptions of inequality.

              This seminar will be conducted through weekly sessions dedicated to in-depth discussions of carefully selected readings to familiarize participants with key concepts, theoretical frameworks, and methodological approaches in social inequality research. Based on the discussions, participants will enhance their scholarly and methodological skills and develop a nuanced understanding of diverse conceptualizations of social inequality. It is therefore crucial that students come prepared by completing and thoroughly reading the assigned materials before each session. As the studies discussed are quantitative studies, an advanced knowledge in statistical methods is required.

              “Active participation” requires, first, that the participants complete the reading for each session and participate in the discussion and group work and, second, that each student submits an “open research question” (motivated and justified on one page) during the semester. For the final paper, students will be required to design a research project focusing on a topic from the key thematic areas of the course.

          • Sociological Research

            0181cC1.4
            • 30235 Colloquium
              Colloquium (Christian von Scheve)
              Schedule: Mi 16:00-18:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-15)
              Location: Garystr.55/B Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

              Comments

              In this colloquium, we will discuss students’ MA thesis projects in various stages of planning and completion. The course provides peer and faculty-led guidance in the development of thesis research projects, with emphasis on theory and empirical design. Students can (and should) discuss their initial ideas and research questions, even before having found a concrete topic and supervisor. They can also discuss work in progress after having registered their thesis, with emphasis, for example, on overall research designs and methodology, theory as well as methods of data collection and analysis. The colloquium will also provide a general introduction and overview of how to approach the project of an MA thesis, how to find a supervisor, and how an MA thesis is typically composed and structured. In terms of research subjects, this colloquium broadly focuses on, but is not limited to topics in microsociology, social psychology, and cultural sociology, such as identity, values, cultural practices, cognition and emotion, social interaction, social relations, group processes, intergroup relations, language and nonverbal behavior. In terms of methods, the colloquium is open to various interests and approaches, from experiments to qualitative methods (e.g., interviews, discourse and content analysis) to survey research.

            • 30236 Colloquium
              Colloquium (Stefan Liebig)
              Schedule: Mo 16:00-18:00 (Class starts on: 2025-10-13)
              Location: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)

              Comments

              In this colloquium, students have the opportunity of presenting their beginning and ongoing master’s thesis projects conducted on topics relating to social stratification and survey data. The discussions will focus on how to find an adequate research question, literature, and data. Furthermore, feedback on students’ thesis progress will be offered by peers and supervisors. In addition, there will be room for discussions on common challenges faced when writing a master’s thesis.