Merlin Schaeffer

Merlin Schaeffer is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Social Sciences. His research focuses on how international immigration transforms societies, particularly examining how democracies navigate ethno-racial diversity and foster social cohesion across ethnic boundaries. Currently, he investigates citizens' clashing views on ethno-racial discrimination using field experiments, surveys, and game-behavioral methods.

Education:

• Dr. in Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Amsterdam (2009-2012)
• MA in Social Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin (2006-2008)
• BA in Social Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin (2003-2006)

Schaeffer's research interests center on immigration, ethnic stratification, political sociology, quantitative methods, and discrimination. His work employs diverse social theories and research methodologies to understand challenges to equality in increasingly diverse societies. He examines how cultural distance affects immigrant integration, the relationship between ethnic diversity and social trust, and the cognitive processes behind perceptions of discrimination.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on methodological rigor in studying social phenomena, with particular attention to experimental approaches for measuring discrimination and understanding integration processes. His work spans multiple disciplines including sociology, political science, and social psychology, often employing quantitative methods to address complex social questions about diversity and cohesion.

Scientific Awards:

• ASA Outstanding Article Publication in Mathematical Sociology Award (2018)
• ASA Distinguished Contribution to Scholarship in Population Award (2017)
• DGS Anatol Rapoport Prize (2016)
• Runner-up to the ESR Prize for the Best Article of the Year (2020)

Schaeffer serves as Editor of the European Sociological Review (since 2024) and previously edited the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies (2018-2023). His research has received significant attention, with multiple publications picked up by news outlets, blogged about, and referenced in policy sources and Wikipedia pages. At KU, he teaches statistical methods, courses on race/ethnicity/discrimination, and theory-oriented sociology courses including Multiple Regression and Fundamentals of Causal Inference, and Sociology of Discrimination. He maintains an active external position as Research Fellow at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center since March 2019.