Our area of research under the supervision of Prof. Petra Böhnke focuses on how life chances are distributed in society. We want to know what impact social inequalities have on people's everyday lives and well-being. Why do family and social background continue to have such a lasting impact on educational and career opportunities? Why is it so difficult for certain population groups, such as people living in poverty or migrants, to leave difficult life situations behind? What role do political institutions such as the welfare state play in this, and which socialization experiences during our childhood and youth shape our life paths? We want to know what holds modern contemporary societies together and what tendencies toward division can be identified.

We offer courses in the B.A. Sozialökonomie and the M.A Arbeit, Wirtschaft, Gesellschaft – Economic and Sociological Studies.

Methodologically, the focus of our work is on the quantitative analysis of representative population surveys, including panel and international comparison studies. In addition, we address specific issues using qualitative social research methods or mixed methods designs.

Our main areas of research are the study of social inequality and the analysis of social structures:

• Poverty and marginalization
• Social capital, social networks, participation
• Life satisfaction, life quality, subjective well-being
• Workforce integration and precarization
• Social mobility, determinants of social advancement