Sociologie: Onderzoek
Social Problems in Contemporary Modernity
Globalization, Individualization, and Social Policy
The research program of the Department of Sociology studies how the twin processes of globalization and individualization spawn new social problems and transform older ones, how these problems are articulated by relevant parties, and with what (either intended or unintended) social consequences they are dealt with policywise. The substantial focus is on the origins, manifestations, and consequences of newly emerging patterns of social inequality and social exclusion (e.g., underclass formation, ethnic segregation, and welfare state reform) and newly emerged and contested discourses of meaning and identity (e.g., multiculturalism and identity politics, virtual reality and the experience economy, and the public role of therapy culture).
