The working group is responsible for training in quantitative methods at the Mainz Institute of Sociology. Our teaching covers the entire social science research process: from foundational questions in the philosophy of science and the development of theoretical frameworks, to the derivation of hypotheses, the selection of suitable research designs, data collection and processing, statistical data analysis using a range of methods, and finally, the interpretation and effective presentation of results. The focus is on enabling students to apply methods thoughtfully and to conduct responsible, self-directed research. We aim to foster a spirit of curiosity and strengthen students’ enjoyment of independent research.

Our methodological approach in both research and teaching is grounded in the principles of analytical sociology. We emphasize theory-driven empirical inquiry and the identification of causal mechanisms. Our methodological strengths lie in confirmatory techniques and methods of causal analysis, including panel data analysis, multilevel and structural equation modeling, as well as (quasi-)experimental designs such as factorial surveys and natural experiments. In exploratory research, we also employ structure-discovering techniques such as correspondence analysis, factor analysis, and latent class analysis. In addition to secondary data analysis, we conduct primary data collection and address fundamental questions of data quality and survey methodology – with a particular focus on integrating classical test theory and item response theory for the measurement of latent constructs (e.g., attitudes and competencies) in survey research.

Substantively, our research centers on work and the economy, particularly in relation to their intersections and interactions with other domains of life and society – such as household, family, and partnership, education, social networks, religion, culture, and sustainability. For instance, we study the determinants and consequences of job-related spatial mobility in partnership and household contexts, (regional) gender wage gaps, and the effects of temporal work flexibility (e.g., remote work) on workers’ life situations and social integration. Ongoing projects also address the forms and dynamics of paid and unpaid care work, as well as processes of professionalization and remuneration in the personal services sector. One current DFG-funded project examines the demand for household and family support services within varying cultural, socioeconomic, and welfare-state contexts. Other research explores educational processes in higher education, transitions from training to employment, the role of continuing education and lifelong learning for labor market success, occupational closure processes, sustainable food consumption, and the role of religion in economic development.

Accordingly, our teaching also includes courses on theoretical approaches in analytical sociology as well as topical seminars aligned with our research themes..