Methods of Social Research
© © Marc Volk, Berlin
General Director of the Department of Sociology and
Chair of Methods of Social Research
Prof. Dr. Nina Baur
Research and Teaching Interests
- Methods of Social Research (especially Social Science Methodology, Process-Oriented Methodology, Spatial Methods and Mixed Methods Research)
- Historical Sociology, Sociology of Processes, Innovations and Risks
- Sociology of Space
- Economic Sociology (especially Consumer Goods and Labour Markets)
Profiles in Scientific Portals
ORCID: 0000-0002-6626-1997
GND: 122585054
ResearcherID: K-6240-2017
Loop profile: 505333
Scopus Author ID: 24330547100
Technische Universität Berlin
Faculty VI: Planning Building Environment
Department of Sociology
Fraunhoferstraße 33-36 (FH 9-1)
10587 Berlin
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)30 / 314 - 78547
Fax: +49 (0)30 / 314 - 79494
Office: FH 927
Office hours by appointment - Please contact the Office Management
Education
| 2005 | Dr. rer pol. (Doctor of Political Sciences, equivalent to Ph.D.) in Sociology, Otto-Friedrich-University of Bamberg (Germany) (Supervisors: Gerhard Schulze and Richard Münch) |
| 1993–1999 | Studying Sociology, specialized in Methods of Social Research, at Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg (Germany), der Universität Hamburg (Germany) und der Lancaster University (United Kingdom). Degree: “Diplom-Soziologin” (Diploma in Sociology, equivalent of a Master’s degree), with Distinction |
Academic Positions Held
| since 2009 | Full Professor (W3) for Methods of Social Research, Department of Sociology, Technical University Berlin (Germany) |
| 2006–2009 | Professor (W1) for Methods of Social Research, Department of Sociology, Technical University Berlin (Germany) |
| 2005–2006 | Assistant Professor (C1) for Sociology and Methods of Social Research, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt (Germany) |
| 2001–2005 | Research Associate and Lecturer for Sociology and Methods of Social Research at the Otto-Friedrich-University of Bamberg and the Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt (Germany) |
| 2000 | Graduate and Research Assistant, Otto-Friedrich-University of Bamberg and Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz (both Germany) |
| 1995–1999 | Student Research and Teaching Assistant, Otto-Friedrich-University of Bamberg and University of Hamburg (both Germany) |
Third Party Funded Projects
| 2020–2024 | “Global Center of Spatial Methods for Urban Sustainability” (SMUS or GCSMUS), Director together with Angela Million (Urban Planning), funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) via the DAAD program “Higher Education Excellence in Development Cooperation – exceed” |
| 2018–2025 | “Knowledge and Goods” (A03), principal investigator together with Elmar Kulke (Geography), in the DFG Collaborate Research Center “Re-Figuration of Spaces” (CRC 1265), with partners from Architecture, Arts, Communication Sciences, Geography, Planning, Political Sciences, Sociology. |
| 2021–2024 | “Apples and Flowers. Effects of Pandemics on the (Re-)Organization of Commodity Chains for Fresh Agricultural Products.” Principal investigator together with Elmar Kulke (Geography), funded by the German Research Association’s (DFG) Funding Line “Corona Effects” |
| 2020–2021 | “Urban Agriculture in Nairobi, Kenia.” Project together with Elmar Kulke (Geography), and Lech Suwala (Urban Planning), funded by the “Inaugural Call 2020/2021” of the Berlin Center for Global Engagement (BCGE) of the Berlin University Alliance (BUA) |
| 2022–2025 | “Optimising Value Chains for Vocational Rehabilitation. Coordinating Actors in the Return-to-Work Process” (Reha-Ketten). Principal investigator in a project in the funding line “Improving Job Rehabilitation” of the Federal German Pension Fund (DRV) |
| 2019–2023 | “Barriers and Potentials for Job Integration of Disabled Employees, A Typology of Labour Relations between Employers and Employees with Health Impairments” (ERMTYP), principal investigator together with Jannis Hergesell (Sociology), funded by the Research Network Provision for Old Age (FNA) of the Federal German Pension Fund (DRV) |
| 2019–2022 | “Augmented Reality-Based Ubiquitous Interaction with Ring-Based Gesture-Recognition” (UbiAct), principal investigator of the sociological sub-projects, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), with partners from Computer Sciences |
| 2012–2021 | “Innovation Society Today. The Reflexive Production of the New” (“Innovationsgesellschaft heute: Die reflexive Herstellung des Neuen”). Member of a Graduate School, with partners from Historical Sciences, Planning, Economics and Business Studies at TU Berlin, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) |
| 2011–2017 | “Local Conventions of Hairdressing. Intrinsic Logic of Cities and Economics of Convention” (Economic Conventions). Principal investigator together with Martina Löw (Sociology), in the DFG Project Group “Intrinsic Logic of Cities”, with partners from Political Sciences, Philosophy and Literature from the universities of Darmstadt, Frankfurt and Heidelberg, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) |
| 2012–2016 | “Interdisciplinarity and Innovation in a Cluster Organisation” (SIEU). Principal investigator in the DFG Excellence Cluster “Unifying Concepts in Catalysis” (UniCat) with partners from Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Engineering from various universities and research institutions in Berlin, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) |
| 2012–2015 | “New Forms of Organizing Science” (“Neue Formen der Forschungsorganisation”), part of the project network “genderDynamics. Case Studies on the Co-Evolution of Scientific Cultures and Organizational Forms in Science in Physics” (“genderDynamiken. Fallstudien zur Verschränkung von Fachkulturen und Forschungsorganisationen am Beispiel der Physik”), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) |
| 2011–2014 | “Risk Communication and Risk Behaviour” (“Risikowahrnehmung und -verhalten”), part of the project network “Anthropogenic Micropollutants and Pathogenic Organisms in Urban Water Cylces” (“ASKURIS” – “Anthropogene Spurenstoffe und Krankheitserreger im urbanen Wasserkreislauf”), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) |
| 2007–2014 | “Arranging Acquiring and Orientating within Space. On a Sociology of the Constitution of Space” (“Raumgestaltung, Raumaneignung und Orientierung. Grundzüge einer Soziologie der Raumkonstitution”), funded by Technical University Berlin |
International Experience
| since 2020 | Director of the “Global Center of Spatial Methods for Urban Sustainability” (SMUS or GCSMUS) which is based at Technische Universität Berlin and connects 48 institutional partners from 48 countries and 8 world regions |
| 2019 | Visiting Scholar at IIT Roorkee (India) as part of a DAAD Bilateral Academic Exchange |
| 2016 | Visiting Fellowship at the Japan’s Women University (Japan) |
| since 2011 | Local host for international guests in Brazil, Botswana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Namibia, Thailand, Singapore, South Africa, the U.S.A. and Zimbabwe (with research stays in Germany of 2 weeks to 2 years, amongst others funded via DAAD, IPODI and Fulbright) |
| since 2010 | Organiser or co-organiser for the whole program, or programme coordinator for part of the program at large-scale international conferences as a representative of the “Global Center of Spatial Methods for Urban Sustainability” (SMUS or GCSMUS), the “Research Committee on Logic & Methodology in Sociology” (RC33) of the “International Sociology Association” (ISA), the Collaborate Research Center “Re-Figuration of Spaces” (CRC 1265) or the Section “Economic Sociology” of the “German Sociology Foundation” (DGS), amongst them: 2nd ISA Forum of Sociology, 3rd ISA Forum of Sociology, 9th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, 1st RC33 Regional Conference: Asia and several Joint Conferences “International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Spatial Methods” (SMUS Conferences) and “RC33 Regional Conference” |
| 2009 – 2011 | Reviewer for Selecting Fulbright Scholars for the Social Sciences |
| since 2008 | Organisation of more than 35 sessions at international conferences |
| 2007 | Visiting Fellowship at Yale University (U.S.A.) |
| since 2004 | more than 35 presentations at international conferences |
| since 2000 | Extended stays of four weeks up to five months in Australia, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Georgia, Greece, India, Japan, Laos, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and to the U.S.A. |
| Many shorter trips to most European countries, Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Oman, Palau, Qatar, Samoa, Singapore, South Africa, Tonga, Tuvalu and the U.S.A. | |
| 1995 –1996 | Undergraduate Visiting Student in Sociology, Lancaster University (United Kingdom) |
| 1988 – 1990 | High School “German School London”, London (United Kingdom) |
| 1978 – 1980 | Kindergarden / 1st Grade; Elementary School, Endwell (USA) |
Scholarships and Awards
| 2015 | Price for Excellent and Good Practice, Outstanding Engagement and Commitment for Students. Fakultät VI (Planen – Bauen – Umwelt), Technische Universität Berlin |
| 2007 | Selected member of “ProFiL” (“Professionalisation of Women in Research and Teaching: Mentoring – Training – Networking”), a programme for training high potential women in science, funded by the universities of Berlin |
| 2006 | DGS Dissertationspreis (Prize of the German Sociological Association for one of the two best Ph.D. theses in German Sociology between 2004 and 2006) |
| 2005 | E.ON Kulturpreis Bayern (“E.ON Cultural Prize of Bavaria”) for the best Ph.D. thesis of Otto-Friedrich-University of Bamberg in 2004/2005 |
| 1994–2000 | Scholarship of the “Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes” (“German Scholarship Association”) |
Academic Functions (Selection)
| since 2018 | Member of the Advisory Council for Consumer Affairs (SVRV) to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) |
| since 2017 | Member of the Advisory Board for the Journal "Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie" (KZfSS) |
| since 2014 | Managing Editor of the Journal “Historical Social Research” (HSR) (Co-operating Editor 2007 – 2014) |
| since 2010 | Board Member of the Research Committee on Historical Sociology (RC56) of the International Sociology Association (ISA) (until 2016 called “Working Group on Historical and Comparative Sociology”, WG02) |
| 2018–2022 | Past President of the Research Committee on Logic & Methodology in Sociology (RC33) of the International Sociology Association (ISA) (Secretary 2010 – 2014, President 2014 – 2018) |
| 2017–2022 | Member of the DFG Scientific Network “Mixed Methods and Multimethod Social Research. An Interdisciplinary Network on the Methodology and Applications of Integrative Research Methods” (MMMR) |
| 2017–2021 | Board Member of the Collaborate Research Center “Re-Figuration of Spaces” (CRC 1265) |
| 2018–2019 | Theory Tandem “Cross-Cultural Comparison and the Constitution of Space” in the Collaborate Research Center “Re-Figuration of Spaces” (CRC 1265) (together with Angela Million) |
| 2011–2019 | Council Member of the German Sociology Association (DGS) |
| 2016–2019 | Board Member of the Section "Economic Sociology" of the German Sociology Assocation |
| 2014–2018 | Member of the Editorial Board of Current Sociology Monograph |
| 2013–2016 | Member of the Advisory Board of the DFG Research Group “Urban Climate and Heat Stress in Mid-Latitude Cities in View of Climate Change” (1736 UCaHS) |
| 2011–2014 | Board Member of ASI (“Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute e.V.” – “Consortium of German Social Research Institutes”) |
| 2011–2014 | Member of the Audit Committee of the Ethical Grievance Board (“Beschwerdestelle”) of the Council of German Market and Social Research (“Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V.”) |
| 2008–2014 | Vice President of the User Advisory Board of GESIS (“Gesellschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Infrastruktureinrichtungen e.V. ” – “Society of Social Research Infrastructural Facilities”) |
| 2009–2014 | Co-editor in the Monograph Series „Studientexte Soziologie“ („Study Texts Sociology”) |
| 2011–2013 | Member of the Advisory Board of the ZTG (Zentrum Technik und Gesellschaft, Technische Universität Berlin) |
Offices and Committee Memberships at the TU Berlin (Selection)
| since 2021 | General Director (GD) of the Department of Sociology (IfS) (2017–2021 Deputy Director) |
| since 2021 | Chairperson of the Examination Board of the Department of Sociology (IfS) |
| since 2016 | Deputy Chairperson of the Program Development Committee for Sociology (AK) of the Department of Sociology (IfS) (2009–2016 Chairperson) |
| since 2014 | Deputy Programme Coordinator at the Department of Sociology (IfS) (2011–2014 Programme Coordinator) |
| since 2012 | Start-Up Ambassador |
| since 2011 | Member of the Academical Senate (AS) |
| since 2007 | Member of the Institute Council (IR) of the Departmen of Sociology (IfS) |
Publications (Selection)
Baur, Nina (2005): Verlaufsmusteranalyse. Methodologische Konsequenzen der Zeitlichkeit sozialen Handelns (Social Pattern Analysis. On Methodological Consequences of Time in Social Action). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften (Summary in: Baur, Nina (2008): Taking Perspectivity Seriously. A Suggestion of a Conceptual Framework for Linking Theory and Methods in Longitudinal and Comparative Research. In: Historical Social Research/Historische Sozialforschung (HSR) 33 (4). 191-213)
Baur, Nina/Blasius, Jörg (Eds.) (2022): Handbuch Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung (Handbook Methods of Social Research). 3rd edition. Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien