Junior-Professur für Demographie

"Contemporary Changes in Medically Assisted Reproduction: The Role of Social Inequality and Social Norms", Call for Abstract Submissions to the Open Access Journal Social Inclusion

Editor(s): Anne-Kristin Kuhnt (University of Rostock), Jörg Rössel (University of Zurich), and Heike Trappe (University of Rostock)

This thematic issue focuses on how the social context, in particular social inequalities and social norms, shapes attitudes towards these technologies, their use, and their impact. We are interested in articles that explore how attitudes and public discourse on these technologies are shaped by prevailing gender norms and moral orientations in societies. Furthermore, the research presented in this issue should cover how such attitudes, but also the opportunities for the uptake and the actual use of these technologies, are shaped by social inequalities, not only along class and education, but also gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity.

We are open to studies from different methodological backgrounds, using, e.g., survey data, qualitative interviews, content/text analysis, and case studies. We particularly welcome studies that take a cross-country or longitudinal approach, focusing on the German-speaking countries (Austria, Germany, Switzerland).

The current status of the Special Collection is available here.

Research collaboration on loneliness
Together with Sabine Diabaté (Federal Institute of Population Research, Wiesbaden), I am working in an project on the topic of social and emotional loneliness.

Research collaboration on reproductive justice
Together with Dana-Sophia Valentiner (Universität Rostock) and Henrike von Scheliha (Bucerius Law School), I am working on an interdisciplinary project on the topic of reproductive justice .

Paper on the socio-demographic characteristics and stress perceptions among IVF patients
Together with Heike Trappe (University of Rostock), Georg Griesinger (UKSH Lübeck), and Sören von Otte (UKSH Kiel), I am working on a paper that examines socio-demographic characteristics and stress perceptions among IVF patients. The data come from the pilot study SOFIA-1, which involved a digitally administered survey integrated into routine clinical practice at two fertility clinics in northern Germany (Lübeck and Kiel).

Paper on interethnic partnerships
Together with Monika Obersneider (University of Duisburg-Essen), I am working on an article on the characteristics of interethnic partnerships in Germany based on the German Family Panel data.

Paper on stability and change in family climate during the pandemic
Together with Sandra Krapf (Federal Institute of Population Research), I am working on an article on stablity and change of the family climate caused by the current pandemic based on the German Family Panel data.

Paper on the stability and the change of fertility intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic
Together with Ruth Overmann (Universität der Bundeswehr München), I am working on a paper on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fertility plans in Germany based on data of the German Family Panel.

Joint conference FACES -  Families And Challenges in Evolving Societies in the D-A-CH Region and beyond 

26–27 February 2026
German Youth Institute (DJI), Munich, Germany

Togehter with several researchers from the D-A-CH region and beyond I am organizing an international conference on families and challenges in recent societies. The call is now open.

Workshop Reprogerecht "Reproduktive Selbstbestimmung im gesellschaftlichen Wandel" 

1.-2. September 2025
Bucerius Law School, Hamburg, Germany

Together with Dana-Sophia Valentiner (University of Rostock) and Henrike von Scheliha (Bucerius Law School), I am organizing an interdisciplinary networking workshop on the topic of reproductive justice, with a specific focus on developing new interdisciplinary research collaborations.
 

Session on “Family diversity in recent societies” at the German-Israeli Conference “Embracing Complexity:Perspectives on the Human Mosaic”, funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

14.-17. September 2025

Together with Kinneret Lahad (Tel Aviv University, Israel), I am organizing a session on interdisciplinary approaches to family diversity in recent societies. Ad-hoc panels and Sessions at the 42nd Congress of the German Sociological Association

Ad-hoc panels and Sessions at the 42nd Congress of the German Sociological Association

22.-26. September 2025
University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany 

 Together with different scholars, I am organizing at the 42nd Congress of the German Sociological Association the following panels and sessions:

- Ad-hoc panel "All the lonely people – Einsamkeit im Kontext gesellschaftlicher Transitionen" (together with Sabina Diabaté, Federal Instittue of Population Research)

-Ad-hoc panel "Familiengründung und -erweiterung im Kontext (medizinisch) assistierter Reproduktion" (together with Heike Trappe and Tabea Naujoks, both University of Rostock)

- Session "Aktuelle Projekte familiensoziologischer Forschung" (together with Ayhan Adamas, University of Bielefeld)

- Session "Längsschnittliche Perspektiven auf familiale Dynamiken"  (together with Bettina Huenteler, DIW Berlin)

On 18. September 2025, I am giving a talk on"Climate change denial in Europe:Exploring the role of threatened masculinity and subgender backlash" at the conference on "International Conference on Conflict and ­Violence Research", Bielefeld, Germany.  

On 25. September 2025, I am giving a talk together with Christiane Lübke (TH  Ostwestfalen-Lippe) on "Klimawandelleugnung in Europa: Die Rolle von Geschlecht, bedrohter Männlichkeit und antifeministischen Einstellungen" at the 42nd Congress of the German Sociological Association, Duisburg, Germany. 

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