About
Prof. Dr. Sérgio Costa is a University Professor of Sociology of Latin America at the Institute of Sociology and the Latin America Institute of Freie Universität Berlin since February 2008. He holds a prominent position in German-Latin American academic relations and has made significant contributions to sociological theory with a focus on Latin America.
His research interests span Racism and Anti-racism, Living together in diversity, Social inequality, and Postcolonial theories. Costa's work bridges German and Latin American academic traditions, with particular attention to the Black Atlantic, conviviality frameworks, and entangled inequalities. His theoretical contributions have shaped contemporary discussions on social cohesion in unequal societies.
Costa's scholarly output reveals consistent focus on the interconnections between conviviality and inequality, with recent work examining these dynamics during the pandemic, in middle-class formations, and in intersectional politics. His publications demonstrate interdisciplinary reach across sociology, political science, and area studies.
- Iberoamericano Buchpreis der Latin American Studies Association (2021) for 'Entre el Atlántico y el Pacífico Negro'
- Preis der Dahlem Research School für Exzellente Betreuung (2020)
Costa has supervised 24 completed PhD dissertations and currently advises 10 doctoral candidates at Freie Universität Berlin, in addition to numerous master's theses. His research is supported by multiple grants including the Maria Sibylla Merian Centre for Advanced Studies on Conviviality in Unequal Societies, where he serves as Speaker, and the Berlin University Alliance project 'Beyond Social Cohesion: Repertoires of Living Together.'
He leads the International Graduate College 'Temporalities of Future' and the 'Minor Cosmopolitanisms' Graduate College, demonstrating his leadership in shaping next-generation scholarship on global inequalities and alternative futures.
