Expanding research on inequality and conflict

Sociologist Steffen Mau appointed to the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity in Göttingen – Institute embarks on strategic reorientation

It is a field of research that could not be more timely. With three director positions vacant at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity in Göttingen, the Max Planck Society has carefully considered how to realign the Institute’s focus to address pressing societal challenges. Since its founding in 2007, the Göttingen-based Institute has explored different dimensions of social diversity through a multidisciplinary approach, providing important insights into our increasingly globalised world.

The appointment of sociologist Steffen Mau marks the beginning of this reorientation. Future research will prioritise issues such as social inequality, conflicts, and the transformation of democracy. The realignment, along with two forthcoming appointments, is intended to establish an internationally visible hub for social science research within the Max Planck Society. “Steffen Mau’s appointment is a strategic step towards strengthening and expanding social science research on society and politics,” said Max Planck President Patrick Cramer. “I am delighted that this internationally renowned scholar has accepted our offer.”

Analysis of social change

Steffen Mau will assume his position on October 1, 2025 (initially part-time until April 1, 2026). His work will focus on inequality, social transformation, and conflict, using a macro-sociological approach that integrates insights from sociology, political science, and ethnology to provide a comprehensive perspective on the dynamics of societal change. His highly original, inspiring, and methodologically integrative research approach will ensure the institute’s relevance both in academia and in broader socio-political discourse.

Since 2015, Mau has been a professor of macro-sociology at the Institute of Social Sciences at Humboldt University Berlin, where he will continue to hold an affiliated professorship (S-Professorship). He also serves as a political advisor on numerous councils and committees. Mau is among the most prominent and influential sociologists of our time, known notably for his recent book “Trigger Points.” His research spans topics including the moral economies of European welfare states, comparative analyses of social structure, boundaries, mobility, and the transnational integration of European societies. He has explored the shifting political economies of the European middle class and, more recently, the social consequences of digitalization, emerging socio-political divisions, and the persistence of the East-West divide more than a generation after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The remaining director appointments are expected to be finalized soon. According to the President, talks are ongoing with other highly distinguished candidates.