Working Groups

The Academy of Sociology welcomes and supports scholarly exchange and collaboration among its members. In addition to funding individual workshops, it also facilitates the establishment of temporary working groups. These provide a framework for collaboratively addressing specific topics in analytical-empirical sociology—such as issues related to professional policy, substantive topics, or methodology—over an extended period of time. The goal should be to develop concrete outcomes such as position papers, expert reports, or scholarly publications. In addition to being announced on the AS website and via the mailing list, the working groups have access to funding—which may be renewed—for workshops as part of our AS Workshop Program.

Working groups are designed as temporary, project-oriented formats. The Academy of Sociology expressly does not aim to establish permanently institutionalized research committees or sections.

Motion to Establish a Working Group

A written application may be submitted to the Executive Board of the Academy of Sociology at any time. The application should include the following information:

  • Name of the proposed working group
  • Contact information for a spokesperson (membership in the Academy of Sociology is required)
  • List of additional members of the core team (a working group consists of at least six people; this may also include non-members of the Academy)
  • Description of the research question and the results sought within a specified time frame (e.g., publications, position papers, teaching materials), with reference to analytical-empirical sociology.

General Guidelines for Approved Working Groups

Once approval has been granted, the following conditions apply:

  • Annual Report: Once a year, the spokesperson submits a brief written report on the working group’s activities and results and discusses the working group’s work and points of connection to the Academy with the Executive Board during a virtual meeting.
  • Visibility: The working group is featured on the Academy of Sociology’s website with a brief description.
  • Workshop Funding: Working groups can apply annually for funding for their meetings as part of the AS Workshop Program. The Executive Board decides on funding through its regular procedure. Working groups that have been active for several years may receive funding on multiple occasions.

Derzeitige Working Groups

Working Group Methodology of the Social Sciences

Duration: Since 2023

Spokesperson: Gunnar Otte

Purpose: At the initiative of Gunnar Otte, Natascha Nisic, Nico Sonntag, Hartmut Esser, and Werner Raub, the Academy of Sociology established the “Methodology of the Social Sciences” working group in 2023. It focuses on the methodological foundations of theory-building and empirical research in the social sciences. The working group aims to produce publications, position papers, and materials that reflect on social science research and teaching from an analytical-empirical perspective and further develop their methodological foundations. The working group comprises approximately 40 members.

Contact: Researchers who would like to get involved in the working group or are interested in its work should please send an email to Nico Sonntag at as-methodologie@uni-mainz.de .

Workshops:

  • 6./7.10.2022, Mainz: Wissenschaftstheoretische Grundlagen der analytisch-empirischen Soziologie (vorbereitender Workshop)
    Programm (PDF)
  • 6./7.09.2023, Mainz: Theoriebildung und Theorieprüfung in der analytisch-empirischen Soziologie
    Programm (PDF)
  • 9.-11.10.2024, Bremen: Computational Sociology. Methodologische Herausforderungen für Forschung und Lehre (gemeinsam mit der DGS-Sektion „Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung“)
    Programm (PDF)
  • 20./21.03.2025, Leipzig: Theorieentwicklung (gemeinsam mit den DGS-Sektionen „Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung“ sowie „Modellbildung und Simulation“)
    Programm (PDF)

Publications:

  • Gunnar Otte, Nico Sonntag, Heinz Leitgöb, Natascha Nisic & Werner Raub (Hrsg.): Explanation and Causality in Sociology. (Sonderheft 66 der Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie 78 (3), 2026). (22 Kapitel)

Further outcomes:

  • At the initiative of the working group, the Academy of Sociology has been awarding the AS Replication Award since 2025.
  • In memory of Hans Albert (1921–2023), the working group has compiled a personal list of recommended readings related to his work. You can find the annotated reading list here (German). For more information about Hans Albert, click here.