Arne Kalleberg

Arne Kalleberg is the Kenan Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), affiliated with the Department of Sociology within the College of Arts & Sciences. He also holds adjunct professorships in the Department of Public Policy, Curriculum in Global Studies, and Kenan-Flagler Business School. His research focuses on labor markets, social stratification, and organizational structures, with a particular emphasis on precarious work, job quality, and comparative analyses of employment systems in the U.S., Japan, Norway, and other global contexts.

He earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin in 1975. His work examines how organizational practices and labor market structures impact workers' experiences, including studies on temporary employment, nonstandard work arrangements, and the effects of financialization on employment relations. He is Editor of Social Forces, a leading interdisciplinary journal in social research.

Kalleberg’s research highlights trends toward declining job quality in the U.S., rising precarious work, and the intersection of economic inequality with social policies. His articles frequently address global capitalism’s impact on labor markets, cross-national comparisons of work systems, and the implications of precarious employment for worker well-being and societal stability. He has contributed to policy debates on labor market flexibility, job security, and strategies to improve employment conditions for vulnerable workers.

His scholarly contributions span over five decades, with a focus on empirical studies of workforce dynamics, institutional determinants of labor outcomes, and the evolving nature of work in modern economies. Kalleberg’s work bridges sociology with economics, political science, and public policy, offering critical insights into structural challenges facing contemporary labor markets.