Greetings &
thanks for coming by!
Characterization
I am a former Heisenberg-Fellow of the German Research Foundation and work as a professor at the University of Bergen. My primary research interest is theoretical sociology. This encompasses classic topoi in social theory such as the problems of double contingency and social order, the theory of social action, and social norms and institutions. With my writings I try to bridge the gap between formal accounts in social science and mainstream sociology. That is, on the one hand I attempt to show that there is much more in classic and modern sociology in terms of substantive ideas than has been recognized hitherto by the model-building community. On the other hand I strive to convince fellow sociologists that embracing positivistic methods does not put sociology's identity at risk.
Next to groundwork in social theory, I also work empirically on more applied subjects such social exchange, collective action, and educational decision-making. My papers have appeared in technical journals in both sociology and economics (e.g. Journal of Mathematical Sociology, Social Networks, Social Choice and Welfare) as well as leading outlets for general sociology (e.g. Sociological Science, Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, European Sociological Review).
Major Research Interests
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Sociological Theory
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Action Theory
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Cognitive Sociology
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Modelling, in particular Decision and Game Theory
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Social Class and Prosocial Behavior
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Experimental Social Science
Research Projects
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Interdisiciplinary Action Theory & the Status-Prosociality Nexus (Heisenberg-Grant, DFG)
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Social Status and Prosociality: A Cross-Cultural Study in Four Selected Countries (SNF & DFG)
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Ad Hoc-Sonderförderung zu Themen der Covid-19-Pandemie (Dr. Hans Riegel-Stiftung)