Activities
This Research Networking Programme will be organised in teams, each of which will be in charge of organising workshops and summer schools. For a list of themes and team leaders, please see below.
More information is available on the dedicated QMSS 2 website.
Social interactions and social networks
The study of social interactions, or social networks, is central to understanding the dynamics of the relations between social actors, as well as their behaviour and performance. Social actor as used here can refer to individuals, companies, associations, countries, etc. Basic to the study of social networks is the insight that a dyadic focus is not enough for understanding social interactions, but indirect ties, third party-effects, and other more complex patterns of ties between multiple actors have profound consequences for their behaviour. Furthermore, interactions between social actors lead to feedback patterns and phenomena that can be studied only longitudinally.
Team Leaders
- AnuskaFerligojE-Mail
- University of LjubljanaFaculty of Social SciencesCenter of Methodology and InformaticsLjubljanaSlovenia
- TomSnijdersE-Mail
- University of GroningenFaculty of Behavioural and Social SciencesDepartment of SociologyInteruniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS)GroningenNetherlands
Analysing the lifecourse
Lifecourse analysis is vital to understanding the relationship between life events (e.g., migration, parenthood, partnerships, employment) and long-term outcomes over lifecourse trajectories. The lifecourse consists of repeated events (i.e., multiple episodes) and dynamic interrelated processes with a focus often on the frequency, timing and duration, sequencing, causality and status dependence of events.
Team Leader
- Hans-PeterBlossfeldE-Mail
- Otto-Friedrich-Universität BambergFakultät Sozial- und WirtschaftswissenschaftenLehrstuhl für Soziologie IBambergGermany
Cross-national comparisons
Cross-national comparative analysis is increasingly important for understanding particularities, communalities, and change in European societies and for testing theories in the fields of sociology, political science, and (social) psychology. A growing number of datasets (three waves of ESS, several waves of EVS, ISSP, WVS) designed to provide comparability over most European countries, open new opportunities for substantive and methodological research – but also raise challenges.
Team Leader
- JaakBillietE-Mail
- Katolieke Universiteit LeuvenFaculty of Social SciencesCentre for Sociological Research (CeSO)LeuvenBelgium
Immigration and population dynamics
The research group will focus on methodological challenges related to the impact of world migration on European countries’ population composition and distribution. Debates over segregation, integration and social cohesion make the study of the demographic consequences of immigration and the population dynamics of ethnic minorities a central concern of European social policy.
Team Leader
- LudiSimpsonE-Mail
- University of ManchesterHumanitiesCCSRManchesterUnited Kingdom
Survey design and quality
In terms of Total Survey Error (TSE) - sampling error plus non-sampling errors – error due to the design and low quality of surveys is much greater than sampling error. However, assessing the contribution of the major sources of non-sampling error (frame, non-response, measurement, or processing) plus sampling error is a major challenge inherent in the concept of TSE. If TSE is not known then substantive analyses are open to serious methodological criticism. Therefore an understanding of TSE should be part of the basic knowledge of all survey researchers and analysts.
