The University of Siegen was founded in 1972 and has quickly developed into a center of quality research and teaching in the “three-border-region” of the states Hesse, Rhineland Palatine and North Rhine Westphalia, with approx. 12.000 enrolled students. It maintains extensive cooperation with numerous universities and research institutions all over the world and partnerships with over 130 European universities.

Department of Sociology / Professorship of Sociology

The Department of Sociology is part of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and has developed a strong profile in two areas of research: political sociology, and social integration, both in regard to migration and the labor market. Research is being funded, amongst others by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, the Volkswagenstiftung, and the "Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung" at the German Labor Agency. Close working relationship are in place with the University of Siegen's own Center of Planning and Evaluation of Social Services, which is specialized in evaluation of health services, labor market and social policies, disability and rehabilitation, and youth work and services. The Department of Sociology is well experienced with international, also EU-funded research projects in the realm of social exclusion, political participation and civil society.

Christian Lahusen will be the principal investigator for the German team. He is Professor for Sociology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. He studied in Düsseldorf and Madrid, and received his PhD in sociology at the European University Institute (Italy) in 1994. He taught at the University of Düsseldorf and Bamberg (Germany), where he habilitated in 2002 in sociology. His research interests include: sociological theories, political sociology, European studies, unemployment and social exclusion. He has been awarded fellowships by the German Academic Exchange Service.

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Christian Lahusen (37 Kb, )

Bettina Grimmer is research assistant for the German team. She holds a M.A. degree in Sociology, Political Science and History. In 2007 she graduated from the University of Constance with a dissertation on civic engagement in the context of new social movements. Before joining the Younex project, she did empirical fieldwork on social capital and communities in precarious regions in East Germany. Her research interests are Cultural and Political Sociology, social exlusion, civil society, and communities.