Short Vita
I am a MA Sociology student at Freie Universität Berlin. Previously, I have obtained my bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences at University of Cologne. Besides working as a student assistant in this research project (research unit Subjects of Cohesion), I am also a student research assistant at Deutsches Zentrum für Integrations- und Migrationsforschung (DeZIM).
What I find exciting about this research initiative
As a student, working in an interdisciplinary team with many experienced researchers is extremely enriching. Besides, I especially like the project’s endeavour to conceive of cohesion as an interaction-based phenomenon on multiple levels: between individuals, at the organizational level and the society as a whole. Building upon already existing theoretical knowledge and gaining more insights trough our own data collection and analysis, I hope that we will be able to answer questions such as What kind of interactions within civil society foster or break cohesion?, How do current challenges and conflicts, such as the climate crisis or increased rent prices affect people’s attitudes and perception of each other?.
What my discipline can contribute to this research initiative
The core interest of sociology is the observation and understanding of society. By placing the individual within interdependent political, economic and cultural systems, we can broaden our vision and understand complex relations, in order to comprehend the emergence and functioning of cohesive societies. Some scholars see cohesion as a normative ideal, some as a product of social relations and networks, others define it as cooperation, solidarity or trust…however you may want to define it, sociology gives us the framework and the tools to investigate it.