Professorship for Sociology,
esp. work and employment

Brief introduction

Theoretically, our research follows the principles of analytical sociology. The central feature is the theory-based empirical analysis of work and (segmented) labor markets.

For this purpose, we adopt a social inequality perspective to explain the opportunities and risks of actors in the labor market, particularly with regard to work, occupation and health. Inequality-producing processes are not only examined using micro-analytical categories such as gender, educational qualification or social background. Rather, our research is conceptually oriented towards the life course perspective and structuralist approaches. The life course perspective aims to take into account the path dependencies generated by earlier events or decisions to explain employment status and the associated working conditions in their temporal pattern and sequence. Structuralist approaches conceptually emphasize the importance of organizational and macro-structural frame conditions for individuals and individual action. Accordingly, our research is subject to an analytical multi-level design.

Empirically, we investigate issues primarily using advanced quantitative methods for cross-sectional and longitudinal data. To this end, we draw on individual cross-sectional data from working conditions monitoring, longitudinal data from national household panel studies and retrospective life course studies as well as longitudinal process-generated data. We also conduct qualitative surveys in order to shed light on individual problem situations and challenges or to explain them biographically.

Our teaching aims to help students understand the causes of unequal working and employment conditions, their distribution and consequences. We also attempt to point out which labor market and social policy measures exist to counter social inequalities and disadvantageous living conditions. To this end, it is important to develop a theoretically sound and evidence-based approach to these topics with the students. This can only be achieved in a positive learning environment. We therefore try to combine lecturing, guided exploratory learning and open learning. The focus is on encouraging and promoting students' own initiative and active participation.

Contact:

Chair holder: Prof. Dr. Matthias Dütsch
Address: Feldkirchenstraße 21, 96052 Bamberg
Room:      F21/01.25
E-Mail:     matthias.duetsch[at]uni-bamberg.de

Secretariat: Claudia Bauersachs
Address: Feldkirchenstraße 21, 96052 Bamberg
Room:      F21/01.29a
E-Mail:     claudia.bauersachs[at]uni-bamberg.de

Our postal address is:
Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg
Professur für Soziologie,
insb. Arbeitsforschung
Feldkirchenstraße 21
96045 Bamberg