Jan Wehrheim

Prof. Dr. Jan Wehrheim serves as Professor of Sociology at the Institute for Social Work and Social Policy at the University of Duisburg-Essen since 2013. His academic career spans over two decades with significant contributions to urban sociology, critical criminology, and social control studies. Prior to his current position, he was Research Associate at the Institute for Criminological Social Research at the University of Hamburg (2008-2012) and Acting Professor of Sociology at the University of Duisburg-Essen (2012-2013).

Prof. Wehrheim earned his Diplom in Social Economics from Georg-August University of Göttingen and his Diplom in Development Policy (focusing on NGOs) from the University of Bremen. He received his doctorate in Political Science from Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg in 2002 after being a doctoral scholarship holder of the Hans Böckler Foundation (1999-2002). He completed his habilitation at the same university in 2008 with venia legendi in Sociology.

His research critically examines urban systems, social control mechanisms, and the changing nature of contemporary societies. He investigates how security discourse, policing practices, and spatial organization contribute to social exclusion in urban environments. His work on 'problem neighborhoods,' gentrification processes, and social work's role in negotiating urban poverty reveals a consistent concern with power structures in urban contexts. Methodologically, he combines qualitative and quantitative approaches, including a recent large-scale survey of German cities regarding outreach social work.

Prof. Wehrheim's publication record demonstrates a clear trajectory from early work on gated communities and urban surveillance to contemporary investigations of housing displacement and racialized policing. His scholarship consistently addresses how marginalized populations navigate systems of control while examining institutional practices that maintain urban inequality.

His notable recognition includes:

• Kommunalwissenschaftliche Prämie 2001 for his dissertation 'Die überwachte Stadt'

Prof. Wehrheim actively mentors junior researchers, with significant collaborations including Moritz Rinn, Lena Wiese, and Christina Schlepper. He serves as co-editor for 'Social Problems' and 'Kriminologisches Journal,' and is on the Scientific Advisory Board of 'sub\urban.' His work has been supported by major research institutions including the German Research Foundation, Swiss National Science Foundation, and Fritz Thyssen Foundation.

Embedded in extensive academic networks, Prof. Wehrheim is a member of the German Sociological Association (DGS) and its sections on 'Social Problems and Social Control,' 'Social Inequality and Social Structure Analysis,' and 'Urban and Regional Sociology.' His research group at Duisburg-Essen examines critical urban studies, focusing on social work's intersection with urban poverty and spatial marginalization.