Research Themes

Inequality & social demography

Trends and patterns of educational, labour market and health inequalities by social class, gender and ethnicity; social mobility; cumulative and compensatory advantage; family change and family dynamics; life course research.

Professors: Fabrizio Bernardi, Juho Härkönen 

Analytical sociology

Micro foundations of social life: trust; conflict & cooperation; collective action; norms; status, and social networks – and how they explain employment, gender differences, development, crime, corruption, informal economy, migration, ethnic conflict, movements, science practices. 

Professors:  Klarita Gërxhani, Arnout Van de Rijt

Impact on welfare states of globalization, deepening EU market integration and financialization, changing life-course risks; Dynamics and consequences of tax competition; diversity of European capitalisms and their capacity for adaptation to post-crisis challenges.

Professors:  Dorothee Bohle, Philipp Genschel, Miriam Golden, Anton Hemerijck, Ellen Immergut

Trends and patterns in institutional design (also historical); electoral and party competition, electoral behavior, the rise of populism and authoritarianism; political protest, contentious politics, political events; policy responsiveness.

Professors:  Elias Dinas, Miriam Golden, Ellen Immergut

IR and security 

International relations theory; humanitarian intervention; civil wars; comparative foreign policy; international and European security; Europe’s external relations and “Europe in the world”.

Professors: Jeff Checkel

Political Economy of Development

How political institutions change with economic development; politics and policy issues in developing nations; interactions of politicians and voters in developing nations; differences between developing and developed countries.

Professors: Miriam Golden