Ulrich Kohler

Ulrich Kohler is a Professor for Methods of Empirical Social Research at the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Potsdam, a position he has held since 2012. His work bridges sociology, political science, and quantitative methodology, with a strong focus on social inequality and democratic participation. He leads a research team involved in multiple funded projects and contributes actively to open science through software development and teaching materials.

His research interests center on the causes and consequences of social inequality, particularly in education, political participation, and life risks. He employs advanced quantitative methods, including longitudinal analysis, decomposition techniques, and survey methodology. His work often compares Germany and the USA, examining how institutional contexts shape inequality. He has developed influential tools like the KHB method and PSID data access packages, widely used in social sciences.

The recent publications and projects reflect a consistent focus on inequality across domains: educational choices (Latin/Greek), political non-participation, health disparities, and environmental decision-making. His methodological contributions include web scraping, survey coding, and multilevel modeling tools, showing a strong commitment to reproducible and transparent research. He also emphasizes teaching, offering courses and online materials in empirical methods.

• Lorenz von Stein Prize 2002

Kohler supervises bachelor’s and master’s theses and has led major research projects funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), including studies on life risks, educational transitions (EDUCHANGE), and citizen participation. His team includes research assistants and project staff, and he collaborates with institutions like the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. He does not list specific PhD students, but his mentorship is evident through thesis supervision and project leadership.

He leads the Chair of Methods of Empirical Social Research, which conducts ongoing research on social inequality, voting behavior, and educational transitions. The team develops software tools (e.g., Stata packages khb, twostep, psidtools) and maintains online teaching resources. The chair is involved in both national and international collaborations, particularly in longitudinal data analysis and comparative social research.