At the end of March the advisory board used its two day meeting to have a closer look at the research activities of SOCIUM. In discussions with the members of SOCIUM as well as with its board of directors detailed critique as well as high praise was coming forward. The report of the advisory board highlights these findings.
Especially in four core areas of research the advisory board identified the strengths of the research activities of SOCIUM: First, the internationally comparative research on the welfare state and on social policies, especially exemplified by the research of the Collaborative Research Center 1342 “Global Dynamics of Social Policy”. Second, the combination of both qualitative as well as quantitative research methodologies was seen as the traditional strength of Bremen social sciences which gathered national and international importance through the development and expansion of Qualiservice, the service center for qualitative research data. Thirdly, the advisory board praised the continuation of the Bremen tradition of research on life course related inequality, documented by the new chair on life course and social policy financed by a grant of the “Fördernetzwerk Interdisziplinäre Sozialpolitikforschung” of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Fourth, the advisory board underlined the importance of the research on middle classes. The board emphasized its belief that the perspective on middle classes will in the upcoming years develop into a major research field of SOCIUM.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Betina Hollstein
SOCIUM Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy
Mary-Somerville-Straße 9
28359 Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218-58512
E-Mail: betina.hollstein@uni-bremen.de
