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Departments

The five research departments of the Centre for Social Policy Research reflect the institute’s expertise in all aspects of social policy. The departments respectively focus on different areas of social policy, ranging from theoretical studies to practice-oriented research ventures.

The Centre is subdivided into the following departments:

Theory and Constitution of the Welfare State
Head of Department: Prof. Dr. Frank Nullmeier
Fields of activity within this department are fundamental issues of social welfare development in descriptive, explanatory and normative perspective, particularly issues of legitimacy, management and organization of social security. 

Institutions and History of the Welfare State
Head of Department: Prof. Dr. Stephan Leibfried and Prof. Dr. Herbert Obinger
The department "Institutions and History of the Welfare State" is mainly about political science research on welfare state policies in advanced OECD democracies. The emphasis is on basic research comparing European and new world experiences of advanced welfare states.

Economics Department
Head of Department: Prof. Dr. Philip Manow and Prof. Dr. Stefan Traub
The department has 2 research groups: The Manow group focuses on the role of the welfare state in the political economy of OECD-countries. It studies the effects of electoral behaviour on the welfare state and the interplay between electoral rules, government composition, and redistribution. The Traub group focusses on the economic theory of justice with respect to tax systems and social security, the development of pension systems, and the welfare effects of privatization in OECD countries.

Health Economics, Health Policy and Outcome Research
Head of Department: Prof. Dr. Heinz Rothgang and Prof. Dr. Gerd Glaeske
The health department of the ZeS works on all aspects of the health care system on the local, national and international-comparative level. Following an institutionalist approach which is also inter- and multi-disciplinary, the department picks topics with a high relevance for actual policy and in this way delivers scientific policy advice.

Gender Policy in the Welfare State
Head of Department: Prof. Dr. Karin Gottschall
The "Gender Policy in the Welfare State" department conducts research on social and welfare developments from gender-relevant social policy perspectives. There exist thematic concentrations on wage earner and life style changes on the one hand and welfare state politics of Germany, the EU, and the OECD region on the other. Beyond these core research areas, the department aspires to make a contribution to public debates through knowledge transfer and political consulting.