Junior-Professur für Demographie
News
Knowledge Transfer
ZDF WISO Deals (January 2026) : “Künstliche Befruchtung: Können auch nur Gutverdiener ein Baby leisten [Fertility Treatment: Is Having a Baby Becoming a Luxury for the Wealthy]?”
Uni Im Rathaus Rostock (November 2025): “Allein oder einsam? Warum Alleinsein (nicht) Einsamkeit bedeuten muss [Alone or Lonely? Why Being Alone Does Not (Necessarily) Mean Loneliness]”
Tagesspiegel Fachforum Gesundheit “Wenn der Kinderwunsch unerfüllt bleibt“ (October 2025) : “Zwischen Wunsch und Wirklichkeit [Between desire and reality]”
DIE ZEIT online (June 2025): "Sinkende Heiratszahlen in Deutschland [Declining marriage numbers in Germany]"
Current Sepcial Issues organized
"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.
Current research projects
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.
Current conferences organized
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.
29.-30. June 2026
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 abortion in the context of reproductive justice, with a specific focus on developing new interdisciplinary research collaborations.
Upcoming Presentations and Panels
On 26. February 2026, I am presenting together with Tabea Naujoks (University of Rostock/Hertie School) a poster on the "Acceptance of Egg Donation in Germany" at the FACES conference, Munich, Germany.
On 28. Mai 2026, I am giving a talk together with Heike Trappe (University of Rostock) the "Couples Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization in Germany: Women’s Perception of Stress" the conference “Assisted Reproductive Technology and Social Sciences: Thinking about what’s missing. Inventing possibilities”, Aubervilliers, France.
Interested in more news? Follow me on Instagram: @akkuhnt