News from the Academy

“Latest developments and news”

In this section you can find selected public statements by social scientists and reports on current questions of analytical-empirical sociology that have been published in different media formats.

Article published: 05.02.2024
New AS-Board 2024-25 elected

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At the regular general meeting of the Academy of Sociology, a new board was elected for the years 2024-2025. The board includes: Rolf Becker (Bern, chair), Katrin Auspurg (LMU Munich, deputy chair), Felix Wolter (Konstanz, treasurer), Malte Reichelt (Nuremberg-Erlangen, secretary) and, as assessor, Martin Abraham (Nuremberg-Erlangen), Gunnar Otte (Mainz), Anina Schwarzenbach (Bern) and Richard Traunmüller (Mannheim).

Article published: 24.10.2023
Hans Albert passed

The German sociologist, philosopher and scientific theorist Hans Albert passed away on October 24, 2023, at the age of 102. Born on February 8, 1921 in Cologne as the son of a Latin and history teacher, he studied business administration at the University of Cologne, where he also received his doctorate and completed his habilitation in social policy. From 1963 to 1989, he held a chair for sociology and scientific studies at the University of Mannheim as the successor to Eduard Baumgarten, a nephew of Max Weber.

Along with Karl Popper, Hans Albert is considered one of the most important representatives of “Critical Rationalism”. One of his central contributions to this is what he calls the “Münchhausen Trilemma,” which contains a criticism of classical reasoning. He became internationally known above all with the so-called “Positivismusstreit” (Positivism Controversy), in which Karl Popper and Hans Albert discussed with the two representatives of Critical Theory, Theodor W. Adorno and Jürgen Habermas. In addition to …

…  Hans Albert’s most important work, “Traktat über kritische Vernunft” (Treatise on Critical Reason, 1968), his “Traktat über rationale Praxis” (Treatise on Rational Practice, 1978), the “Kritik der reinen Erkenntnislehre” (Critique of Pure Epistemology, 1987) and his ” Kritik der reinen Hermeneutik” (Critique of Pure Hermeneutics, 1994) are among his most important publications.

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Article published: 22.09.2023
AS 2023 Dissertation Award

Dr. Bujar Aruqaj (FU Berlin) received the Academy of Sociology Award for the best sociological dissertation 2022/23. Dr. Aruqaj was honored for his monograph on “Social Cohesion in European Societies. Conceptualizing and Assessing Togetherness.” The jury, consisting of Josef Brüderl, Marita Jacob, Malte Reichelt, and Pia Schober, highlighted his innovative approach to conceptualize and measure social cohesion in Europe. The book was published by Routledge in 2023. The dissertation prize, which was handed over at the Academy congress 2023 in Bern, is endowed with 1,500 euros.

Dissertations created in 2023 and 2024 can be submitted for the next AS award in 2025.

Article published:
Call: Visiting Fellowships 2024

The Academy of Sociology supports young researchers in their academic careers and offers funding for research stays. The visiting scholarships are designed to foster research exchanges with other scholars both abroad and in Germany or the respective country of scholarly affiliation. With this fellowship program, we address young researchers who are committed members of the AS – with already existing research contacts and affiliations to German analytical-empirical sociology. Individuals who join the AS just when applying for the fellowship must demonstrate credibly that they intend to become a committed member who contributes to the AS well beyond the duration of the planned visiting fellowship.
We are now accepting applications for research visits taking place in 2024. The deadline is October 31, 2023. For details click here.

Article published: 13.03.2023
Working Group ‘Methodology of the Social Sciences’

In February 2023, the Academy of Sociology established the new working group ‘Methodology of the Social Sciences’. The working group focuses on fundamental methodological issues concerning social science theory construction and empirical research. The working group aims at facilitating research publications and position papers, including contributions on how to integrate topics in the methodology of the social sciences in teaching programs in analytical-empirical sociology. To that end, over a period of two to three years, several workshops will be held.

The first workshop on theory construction and testing theories is scheduled for September 6 and 7, 2023 at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. The working group has been initiated by Gunnar Otte, Natascha Nisic, Nico Sonntag, Hartmut Esser, and Werner Raub. Colleagues who would like to join the working group or to receive updates on workshops and other activities, including Calls for Papers, should send an email to as-methodologie@uni-mainz.de.

Article published: 06.02.2023
Visiting Fellowships

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(c) pexels/O. Pidvalnyi

The Academy of Sociology supports young researchers in their academic careers and offers funding for research stays. The visiting scholarships are designed to foster research exchanges with other scholars both abroad and in Germany or the respective country of scholarly affiliation.
The grants cover travel and accommodation costs with up to 2,000 EUR, considering the duration of  stay.

Since February 2023 we are accepting applications for research visits.
Here you find the 2023 call.
Decisions on grants will be made by the Board of the Academy of Sociology. Applicants will be notified as soon as possible.

Article published: 29.01.2023
AS Dissertation Award 2023

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For the third time, the Academy for Sociology is awarding its biennial prize for the best dissertation in the field of analytical-empirical sociology. The award comes with 1,500€ prize money.

Eligible to apply are researchers whose doctoral thesis (German or English) was successfully de-fended between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022.

Dissertation advisers of outstanding analytical-empirical candidates are invited to encourage their doctoral candidates for submission.

AS membership is not required for application.

Submissions should be made to dissertationspreis@soz.ak by March 31, 2023.

For detailed submission information click here.

Article published: 26.01.2023
CfP AS Conference “Knowledge Societies”

We are pleased to draw your attention to the Call for Papers of our 4th AS Conference. The conference will take place from August 28th to 30th in Bern/Switzerland. Its topic is “Knowledge Societies”. In addition to relevant submissions on the main topic, we also very welcome talks on other topics of analytical-empirical research (open sessions). The conference language is English.

The deadline for submitting abstracts is April 15, 2023. Please submit your extended abstract (2-3 pages) via “conftool” at the conference website.

Early career researchers who do not have a travel budget from their home organization can apply for travel grants. Registration and information on participation fees and accommodation will follow soon. Check out our conference website https://www.as23.unibe.ch/ for any details.

We look forward to your submission and hope to see you in Bern in August 2023!

Article published: 22.07.2022
Funding of Workshops 2023

As in former years, we subsidize workshops or small conferences organized by Academy members, providing up to EUR 2500 per event. Proposals that correspond to the goals of the Academy are given priority: e.g. the promotion of good scientific practice, replication and reproduction, open science, interdisciplinarity, equality, internationality and the promotion of young researchers in analytical-empirical research. Non-members are also welcome in the organization team of the conference or workshop.

Since July 2022 we are accepting suggestions for workshops on an ongoing basis. The Board of Directors will review your proposal and inform you of the decision in a timely manner. You can find the call for applications here.

Article published: 07.09.2021
AS Dissertation Award

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Academy of Sociology Dissertation Award 2021 goes to Dr. Katrin Paula (TU München)

The Academy of Sociology is proud to highlight an outstanding dissertation submitted in 2019/2020 which contributes to the discipline in terms of originality of research, stringent argumentation, transparency of results, and the scientific and societal (if applicable) impact. The award comes with 1,500€ prize money.

This year, Dr. Katrin Paula (TU München) is the winner of our 2021 dissertation prize. Her dissertation is about ‘Micro-Dynamics of Mobilization: Evidence from the German Democratic Republic’. She wrote her dissertation at the Graduate School of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Mannheim. She is now a Professor of Global Security & Technology at TU München.

The committee received 15 excellent dissertation theses from 11 universities. The committee run by Professor Sonja Drobnič (Bremen), Professor …

… Stefanie Kley (Hamburg), Professor Karl-Dieter Opp (Leipzig), and Professor Peter Schmidt (Giessen) evaluated the dissertations submitted to the Academy of Sociology.

Dr. Paula will have the floor to present thoughts and insights of the thesis at our 2021 0nline AS conference (Wednesday, September 29, 18:00 – 19:30). All sociologist are welcome to join the ceremony. For details register here.
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