A. K. M. Skarpelis

A. K. M. Skarpelis is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at CUNY Queens College, holding the Inaugural Richard Lachmann Chair of Sociology. They are also a Digital Postdoctoral Fellow at the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB) and a NOMIS Fellow at eikones - Center for the Theory and History of the Image (University of Basel). Previously, they held postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and completed their Ph.D. in Sociology at New York University.

Skarpelis specializes in cultural and comparative-historical sociology, focusing on racialized authoritarianism, institutional transformation (e.g., citizenship and welfare states), and the intersection of race, violence, and artificial intelligence. Their research employs qualitative and computational methods to analyze large-scale social systems.

They received the 2015 FFJ/SASE Best Paper Award for their work on the origins of Japan’s welfare state. Their research has also explored themes such as care-led innovation, global cities, and the sociology of technology.

Skarpelis has collaborated with institutions like the FFJ (Fondation Maison des Sciences de l’Homme) and actively participates in interdisciplinary research networks, including the Migration, Integration, Transnationalization Research Group at WZB.