Hannah Zagel

Hannah Zagel is Professor of Life Course Sociology at TU Dortmund University and former Head of the Emmy Noether Research Group 'Varieties of Reproduction Regimes' at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. She has held visiting and interim professorships at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, and Harvard University’s Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies. Her research is situated at the intersection of sociology, demography, and social policy.

Education and Career Highlights:

• Professor of Life Course Sociology, TU Dortmund University (since 10/2024)
• Head of Emmy Noether Research Group, WZB Berlin (2022–2028)
• Visiting Researcher, Harvard University (2024)
• Interim Professor, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (2021–2022)
• Guest Professor, Freie Universität Berlin (2020–2021)
• Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Hamburg, University of Bremen, and Yale University

Research Interests:
Hannah Zagel's work centers on life course sociology, reproductive regimes, family policy, and social inequality. She investigates how institutional frameworks and social norms shape reproductive decisions, family formation, and economic vulnerability across different welfare states. Her research emphasizes comparative analysis across Europe, with a focus on Germany, and integrates micro-level behavior with macro-level policy.

Publication Trends:
Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on reproductive policy, household structures, and poverty dynamics. She develops conceptual tools like the International Reproduction Policy Database and analyzes how non-teleworkable jobs, single-earner status, and migration status affect household resilience. Her work combines qualitative policy analysis with quantitative social research, often in interdisciplinary collaborations.

Scientific Awards:

• Emmy Noether Research Group Grant (DFG)

Advising and Grants:
As Principal Investigator of the Emmy Noether Group, Dr. Zagel leads a major research project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) from 2022 to 2028. She has also co-led projects funded by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. While she collaborates widely and mentors junior researchers, no formal PhD or Master’s students are listed in the provided materials.

Labs and Research Groups:
Dr. Zagel leads the Emmy Noether Research Group 'Varieties of Reproduction Regimes: Institutions, Norms and Inequalities' at WZB Berlin. She was previously associated with the Completed Research Group 'Demography and Inequality' at the same institution. Her work is embedded in a network of collaborations across German and international social science research centers.