Sven Ehmes

Research Profile

Comparative Social Stratification | Social and Economic Inequalities | Labour Markets | Social Policy | Welfare State Arrangements

I study the causes and consequences of social and economic inequalities. I am particularly interested in understanding how economic, institutional, and normative contexts shape these inequalities. In my doctoral research, I examine the gendered consequences of unemployment in comparative perspective.

Selected Publications

  • Claudia Traini, Sven Ehmes und Markus Gangl. 2025. Climbing the Ladder or Falling Behind: How Social Mobility Shapes Perceptions of Meritocracy in the Wake of Rising Inequality. POLAR Working Paper #7. Frankfurt: Goethe University Frankfurt. 

    https://polar-project.org/

  • Sven Ehmes und Markus Gangl. 2025. The Paradox of Inequality that isn’t: Rising Economic Inequality Depresses and Polarises Citizens’ Belief in Meritocracy. 

    https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/zh72m_v1

Curriculum Vitae

Table

Since 2025
Research Associate at the Chair “Comparative Social Stratification” (Professor Nora Waitkus), Max-Weber-Institute of Sociology, Heidelberg University
2022 – 2025
Research Associate at the Chair “Social Stratification and Social Policy”, Institute of Sociology, Goethe University Frankfurt
2022
M.A. Sociology, Goethe University Frankfurt
2017 – 2022
Student Assistant, Institute of Sociology and Institute of Political Science, Goethe University Frankfurt
2019
B.A. Political Science with Minor in Sociology, Goethe University Frankfurt
2017
Study abroad, University of Toronto
2016 – 2021
Internships at the German Bundestag (office of an MP), the executive board of the IG Metall, and the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs

Teaching

  • Sociology of Labour Markets (BA)
  • Drivers and Consequences of Unemployment (BA)
  • Economic Inequality: Causes, Consequences and Policies (BA)
  • Introduction to Cross-national Social Research with Multilevel Modelling (BA)
  • Empirical Research Training: International Comparative Social Research using Multilevel Modelling (together with Simon Bienstman) (MA)