Jens Beckert

Jens Beckert is a leading sociologist and Professor at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne, where he has served as Director since 2005. He holds dual affiliations at the University of Cologne, as a member of both the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. His interdisciplinary research bridges sociology, economics, and political science, focusing on the role of expectations, markets, and inequality in capitalist societies.

• Born: July 21, 1967, Frankfurt am Main
• Dr. phil. in Sociology, Freie Universität Berlin, 1996
• Habilitation in Sociology, Freie Universität Berlin, 2003
• MBA and M.A. in Sociology, Freie Universität Berlin and New School for Social Research
• Visiting Fellowships: Harvard University, Princeton University, Sciences Po, European University Institute

Beckert’s research centers on economic sociology, particularly the sociology of markets, wealth and inheritance, and the role of imagined futures in shaping economic action. He investigates how fictional expectations—beliefs about uncertain futures—drive investment, innovation, and market dynamics. His work on climate change critically examines why societal action lags despite scientific consensus, emphasizing institutional inertia and powerful economic interests.

His recent publications highlight a shift toward environmental sociology and the political economy of climate inaction. The trend in his work shows a move from micro-foundations of economic action to macro-sociological critiques of capitalism and sustainability.

• Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (DFG), 2018
• Member of Academia Europaea, 2021
• Member of Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
• Karl Polanyi Prize, 2018
• Nominated for Leipzig Book Fair Prize and German Non-Fiction Prize, 2024

Beckert has supervised numerous research projects and PhD candidates, though specific student names are not listed. He has secured significant research funding through the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the Max Planck Society. His editorial roles include co-editorship of the European Journal of Sociology and membership on boards of major journals like Socio-Economic Review and Historical Social Research. He leads a major research team at MPIfG focusing on markets, institutions, and future imaginaries.