Matthias Koenig

Matthias Koenig is a Professor of Sociology and holds the Chair for Empirical Macrosociology at Heidelberg University's Max Weber Institute. Previously, he was a Full Professor of Sociology/Sociology of Religion at the University of Göttingen until 2020 and has been a Max Planck Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity (2011–2021). He earned his Master's and PhD in Sociology from the University of Marburg and a habilitation from the University of Bamberg. His research focuses on sociological theory, human rights, religion, migration, and constitutional law dynamics. He has held visiting roles at institutions like École Pratique des Hautes Études (Paris), University of Toronto (Hannah Arendt Chair), and Harvard University. His work spans over 30 peer-reviewed articles and edited volumes, including 'Religion and National Identities in an Enlarged Europe' (2015). Key research projects include judicial politics of religious diversity, post-imperial societal transitions, and minority rights in constitutions. Awards include the Max Planck Fellowship and Junge Akademie membership. Grants from DAAD, DFG, and others support his work on migration, religion, and governance. He advises on interdisciplinary projects and collaborates internationally, contributing to debates on secularization, globalization, and cultural diversity.

Education:

• Master's and PhD in Sociology, University of Marburg
• Habilitation in Sociology, University of Bamberg

Research Projects:

• Judicial politics and governance of religious diversity
• Post-imperial diversities and majority-minority relations
• Changing constitutional definitions of minority rights and nationhood

Grants/Awards:

• DAAD, DFG, Volkswagen Foundation grants
• Max Planck Fellow (2011–2021)
• Member, Junge Akademie (BBAW)

Advising/Teams: Leads the Max Weber Institute's Empirical Macrosociology research group, collaborating with global networks on migration and religion studies.