The research of the Unit concentrates on the politics of economic and social policy as well as on comparative social policy analysis in affluent democracies and the European Union.
Areas of research interest include:
political parties and the welfare state
varieties of capitalism
globalization and welfare systems
processes of dualization and social protection dualism
migration and social policy, in particular the social rights of EU citizens
welfare chauvinism
extremism, populism and authoritarian regimes
participation and civic culture
Previous research of the team has been funded by the Anglo-German Foundation, the Baden-Württemberg Foundation, the British Academy, the Carl Zeiss Foundation, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK (ESRC), the European Commission, the European Trade Union Confederation, the Fritz Thyssen Foundation, the German Research Foundation (DFG), and the Hans Böckler Foundation.