The Institute of Sociology and Demography (ISD) is allocated to the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences (WSF) of the University of Rostock. It comprises five chairs and one junior professorship that cover a wide range of research and subject areas. These are, among others:

• Sociological theories, history of theory and cultural sociology.
• Social structure analysis and social inequality.
• Methods of empirical social research.
• Family demography and life course research.
• Formal demography and population forecast.
• Mortality and longevity, health and care needs.