Magda Nico

Magda Nico is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Research Methods at ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon and an Integrated Researcher at CIES-Iscte - Center for Research and Studies in Sociology. She holds a PhD in Sociology from ISCTE-IUL and has a strong background in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Her academic work is deeply rooted in the life course perspective, focusing on youth, family, social inequalities, and biographical research.

• PhD in Sociology, ISCTE-IUL (2011)
• Postgraduate in Data Analysis in Social Sciences, ISCTE-IUL (2008)
• Master’s in Family and Society, ISCTE-IUL (2006)
• Bachelor’s in Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (2001)

Her research interests include the sociology of the family, transitions to adulthood, longitudinal methods, and social mobility. She critically examines the interplay between structure and agency in shaping life trajectories, especially among young people. She has published extensively in high-impact journals and with leading academic publishers, contributing to debates on de-standardization, reflexivity, and biographical research.

The analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on life course dynamics, biographical methods, and social inequalities. Her work combines empirical rigor with theoretical depth, often employing mixed-methods and longitudinal designs. She frequently explores how macro-level events like the economic crisis and the pandemic affect individual life paths.

• CEEC Assistant Researcher (2017, FCT)
• Co-editor, Journal of Youth Studies
• Local Coordinator, COORDINATE (Horizon 2020 project)

Magda Nico actively mentors and collaborates with researchers, having co-organized the 'Biographies and Trajectories' seminar series since 2017. She has led and co-led multiple funded research projects, including 'Linked Lives' and 'Biographical Echoes.' She is also a member of the Society for Longitudinal and Life Course Studies and contributes to public sociology through opinion pieces in platforms like Público and Barómetro Social.

She is affiliated with CIES-Iscte, where she conducts interdisciplinary sociological research, and is involved in national and international research networks focused on youth, family, and life course studies.