Professor emeritus of Sociology and Psychology, Graduate School of Social Sciences (GSSS), University of Bremen

 

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Life Course research with a focus on transitions between education, training, and employment, cross-national research with a focus on institutions and social pathways across the life course, theory of self-socialization with a focus on biography, agency, and learning within social structures, longitudinal research with a focus on qualitative methods.

WRH has published and edited 27 books and 120 papers, most of them in English. His publications range from the social psychology of young adulthood to the sociology of education and work, in the framework of life course analysis. The publications concern theory and empirical research on education to work transitions in the UK, Canada and Germany with a focus on occupations, skills and labour markets.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Since 2005 Senior Faculty GSSS

1972 - 2004 Professor of Sociology and Psychology at the University of Bremen

2002 - 2004 Director of the Graduate School of Social Sciences

1998 - 2004 Director of the Institute for Research on Social Opportunities (IS0), Cologne

1988 - 2001 Chair, Special Research Centre (Sfb 186) “Status Passages and Social Risks in the Life Course”, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG)

1995 - 1996 DAAD-Visiting Chair, German and European Studies at the Centre for International Studies and the Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, Canada

1995 Distinguishes Visiting Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

1992 Visiting Scholar, Life Course Centre and Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

1992 Noted Scholar, Department of Social and Educational Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

1988 - 1989 Fellow at the Netherlands Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Wassenaar, NL

1984 - 1986 Vice-President of Research, University of Bremen

1982 - 1983 Visiting Professor, Department of Sociology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada

1967 - 1972 Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Regensburg

1960 – 1969 Student of Psychology and Sociology at the University of Munich, University of California at Berkeley and Harvard University, MA in Psychology (University of Munich, 1964), PhD in Sociology (University of Regensburg, 1969)

 

CURRENT BOARD MEMBERSHIPS

Scientific Advisory Board, Jacobs University Bremen, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Advisory Board, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) London, Programme on Qualitative Longitudinal Research: Timescapes   

 

 

SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Heinz, W.R. (2001) Work and the life course: A cosmopolitan-local perspective; in:  V.W.Marshall, W.R.Heinz, H.Krüger, A.Verma (eds.): Restructuring Work and the Life Course.; pp.3-22.. Toronto: University of Toronto Press

Heinz, W.R. & H. Krüger (2001) The life course: Innovations and challenges for social research; Current Sociology 49,29-45

Heinz, W.R. (2002) Transition discontinuities and the biographical shaping of early work careers; Journal of Vocational Behavior 60, 220-240

Heinz, W.R. (2002) Self-socialization and post-traditional society; in: R.A.Settersten & T..J. Owens (eds.): Advances in Life Course Research: New Frontiers in Socialization; pp. 41-64. New York: Elsevier

Heinz, W.R. (2002) Jugend, Ausbildung und Beruf; in: H.-H. Krüger & C. Grunert (Hrsg.): Handbuch der Kindheits- und Jugendforschung; pp. 597-615..Opladen: Leske + Budrich

Heinz, W.R. (2003) The restructuring of work and the modernization of vocational training in Germany; in: H.G. Schuetze & R. Sweet (eds.): Integrating School and Workplace Learning in Canada; pp. 25-43. Montreal: McGill University Press

Heinz, W.R. (2003) From work trajectories to negotiated careers: The contingent work life course; in: J.T. Mortimer & M.J. Shanahan (eds.): Handbook of the Life Course; pp. 185-204. New York: Kluwer/Plenum

Heinz, W.R. & V.W. Marshall (eds.) (2003) Social Dynamics of the Life Course. New York: Aldine deGruyter

Heinz, W.R. (2003) Combining methods in life course research: A mixed blessing? in: W.R. Heinz & V.W. Marshall (eds.): Social Dynamics of the Life Course; ; pp.73-90. New York: Aldine deGruyter

Heinz, W.R. (2004) Kompetenzentwicklung in der industrialisierten Dienstleistungs-gesellschaft; in: H. Gruber et al (Hrsg.): Kapital und Kompetenz; pp. 313-323. Wiesbaden: Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften

Heinz, W.R. & A. Taylor (2005) Learning and work transition policies in a comparative perspective: Canada and Germany; in: N. Bascia et al (eds.): International Handbook of Educational Policy; pp. 847-864. New York/London: Springer Verlag

Heinz, W.R. (2005) Berufliche Sozialisation; in: F. Rauner (Hrsg.): Handbuch der Berufsbildungsforschung; pp. 321-329. Bielefeld: W. Bertelsmann Verlag

Heinz, W.R. (2007) Der Lebenslauf: Von der Kindheit bis zum Alter; in: H. Joas (Hrsg.): Textbuch Soziologie (3. überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage); pp. 159-182. Frankfurt a.M.: Campus Verlag (1.Aufl. 2001)

Heinz, W.R. (2008) Ausbildung, Arbeit und Beruf; in: R. K. Silbereisen & M. Hasselhorn (Hrsg.): Enzyklopädie der Psychologie C/V/5: Psychologie des Jugend- und frühen Erwachsenenalters; pp.255-290. Göttingen: Hogrefe, Verlag für Psychologie