Ulrich Kohler

Ulrich Kohler is a Professor of Methods of Empirical Social Research at the University of Potsdam. He has held academic positions at the University of Mannheim and served as a Senior Researcher in the Research Unit 'Inequality and Social Integration'. His work focuses on social inequality, political participation, electoral systems, and statistical methodologies. He leads the 'Life Course Risks Project', examining economic consequences of life risks across Germany and the US since the 1980s.

Education:

• Dr. phil. (2001), University of Mannheim (Dissertation: 'Der demokratische Klassenkampf')
• M.A. in Sociology (1996), University of Mannheim
• Studies in Sociology, History, and Law at Universities of Mannheim (1992-1996) and Konstanz (1989-1992)

Research Interests: Kohler’s research spans social stratification, electoral behavior, happiness inequality, and methodological advancements in survey analysis and statistical modeling. His work bridges theoretical insights with empirical rigor, often employing cross-national comparative approaches. He has contributed to Stata software applications for statistical analysis and authored influential studies on voter turnout effects and nonresponse bias in surveys.

Awards: Recipient of the Lorenz von Stein Prize 2002 for his dissertation.

Grants & Projects:

• Principal investigator of the 'Life Course Risks Project' (2009–present)
• Former Management of the 'Inequality and Social Integration' research unit