Research and Teaching

Our teaching and research programme focuses mainly on social demography, family sociology and life course and aging research. In addition, there are lectures and seminars in the Bachelor's and Master's programmes on the social structure of Germany and on sociological theory.

The current focus of research is on the study of old age. Based on two surveys in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW80+ and NRW80+ Panel Study) and a nationwide survey (D80+), we investigate the quality of life and well-being of very old people. Central topics in our aging research are the late phases of partnership and family life, lifestyles in old age and social inequality and health. More information on aging research can be found on the website of the Cologne Center for Ethics, Rights, Economics, and Social Sciences of Health (ceres).

In the area of family sociology, we are concerned with transitions in partnership and family trajectories, especially the stability of marriage and partnerships. We also analyze the spatial mobility that often accompanies transitions in partnership trajectories. Currently, we are investigating when divorce occurs after separation as well as the prevalence of multiple concurrent partnerships.

Another project, which we started many years ago in cooperation with Dietrich Oberwittler of the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law, focuses on the conditions of truancy. We want to find out to what extent the situation in the family, the social environment at school, the relationship with teachers and classmates and the circle of peers outside school contribute to young people staying away from school or classes despite compulsory school attendance.