Andreas Wimmer

Andreas Wimmer is the Lieber Professor of Sociology and Political Philosophy at Columbia University. He previously held positions at Princeton University and UCLA, and directed interdisciplinary research institutes in Switzerland and Germany. Educated at the University of Zurich (PhD 1992, habilitation 1994), his work spans sociology, political science, and anthropology. His research examines how states are built, nations formed, and ethno-racial boundaries influence political conflicts and war. He uses diverse methods including ethnography, historical analysis, and quantitative approaches. Wimmer is a fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He has received the Stein Rokkan Prize, multiple best article/book awards, and honorary doctorates from McGill and the University of Copenhagen. His work highlights inclusive governance as foundational for national identity and critiques methodological nationalism in social science research. Wimmer’s recent focus includes diffusion of ideas across global domains and the structural impact of ethnic boundary alignment in educational settings.