Patricia Frericks

Professor Patricia Frericks holds the Professorship for Sociology and Economics of Social Services and Institutions in the Department of Human Sciences at the University of Kassel since 2017. She previously served as Professor of Social Policy at the University of Helsinki and co-director of the second research focus of the Centre for Globalisation and Governance at the University of Hamburg. Her academic journey spans multiple prestigious European institutions including the London School of Economics, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', University of Turin, and Utrecht University.

• Habilitation in Sociology (2014, University of Hamburg)
• Doctorate in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences (2007, Utrecht University)
• Studies in Political Science and Theology (Universities of Bonn, Innsbruck, and Jerusalem)

Professor Frericks' research focuses on comparative welfare state and capitalism research, with particular emphasis on institutional change and inequality. Her work examines the tension between formal institutional norms and social realities, analyzing how social resources and life courses are readjusted within contemporary welfare systems. She has extensive expertise in European comparative sociological studies, with special attention to the economization of social areas, transformation of welfare institutions regarding old-age provision, unemployment, poverty, care, family, and institutionalized life courses. Her research explores the complex interplay between welfare state, welfare market, economic order, and social structure.

Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on family as a central redistributive principle within welfare states, examining how family structures interact with social security systems across Europe. The research shows increasing attention to the gap between intended and actual redistribution, particularly regarding family support systems and pension coverage for family care work. Her methodological contributions, including the SCQual method for systematic comparison of qualitative data, enhance comparative welfare state analysis.

• Included in AcademiaNet (European database of outstanding female researchers)

Professor Frericks has led and collaborated on numerous European research projects across the 5th, 6th, and 7th Framework Programmes for Research. Her work often involves comparative analysis of European welfare systems with particular attention to gender dimensions, family structures, and the evolving relationship between public and private responsibility in social security. She has developed innovative methodological approaches for comparing welfare state institutions across countries.

Her research has established important connections between family policy and pension systems, particularly examining how family care work is recognized and compensated within social security frameworks. She has contributed significantly to understanding the gender dimensions of social policy and pension reforms across Europe.