Working Groups
The department consists of three working groups. They share a strictly comparative alignment to research, an interest in the historical development of welfare states and make use of a wide portfolio of methods.The working group analyses the political economy of the welfare state, in OECD states in particular. Research includes the analysis of welfare state institutions under the condition of changing political systems and economic problems since the beginning of the industrialization. Read more ...
Head: NN
Historical and Comparative Welfare State Research
The working group researches the political-institutional and socio-economic determinants in the development, the expansion, modification and structural form of the welfare state. Read more ...
Head: Prof. Dr. Herbert Obinger
Global Social Policy
The working group analyses the determinants and outcomes of different configurations of social protection from a global perspective. Read more ...
Head: Prof. Dr. Sarah Berens
The "Activating Welfare State" - a Political and Social History of German Social Policy, 1979 - 2017
The Interdisciplinary Junior Research Group will define the concept as a socio-political reaction to a fundamental, longterm societal change and the transformation of international welfare paradigms since the late 1970s. Read more
Head: Dr. Nikolas Dörr
Economics of Social Policy
The research group has two main research areas: 1. Design and impact analysis of social policy programs (mainly in the Global South) and 2. Game theoretical modeling and experimental investigation of strategic decisions (especially group decisions).Read more...
Head: Prof. Dr. Sebastian Fehrler
