Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h.c. Wolfgang Streeck

Director emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (MPIfG)

Wolfgang Streeck’s research is situated at the intersection of sociology, political science, and political economy. Methodologically, he employs a historical-comparative institutional approach. Streeck was a director of the MPIfG from 1995 to 2014. Following his retirement, he remains active in research and participates in public debate. In his current research, he focuses on the consequences of globalization and the future of political systems. His work continues to center on the tension between democratic politics and the capitalist economy. Wolfgang Streeck will celebrate his 80th birthday on October 27, 2026.

Don’t Stop Seeking to Understand

Interview on the occasion of his 80th birthday (PDF)
To mark Wolfgang Streeck’s 80th birthday, journalist Mathias Greffrath and Martin Höpner, research group leader at the MPIfG, conducted an in-depth interview with him in the spring of 2026—talking about his experiences, disappointments, and expectations. In the interview, Streeck looks back on his long academic career and traces his life and work through formative events and recurring themes. The text is available for download as PDF in German.

Press Photos

Here you will find photos available for download for editorial use. Please take note of the copyright.

Vita

Born on October 27, 1946, in Lengerich, Germany. Married, two children.

Professional Career

2014	Retirement
1995–2014	Director, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Cologne, and Professor of Sociology, Faculty of Economics and Social Science, University of Köln
1988–1995	Professor of Sociology and Industrial Relations, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1986	Habilitation in Sociology, University of Bielefeld
1980–1988	Senior Fellow, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin
1980	Dr. phil., Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main
1976–1980	Research Fellow, International Institute of Management, Berlin
1974–1976	Assistant Professor in Sociology, University of Münster, Department of Economics and Social Sciences
1972–1974	Graduate Student, Department of Sociology, Columbia University, New York
1972	Diplom in Sociology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main

Selected Professional Activities and Public Service

2012–2017	Research Council, European University Institute (EUI)
2008–2009	Member of the "Zukunftskommission" of the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia
2005–2006	Member of the Commission of the Federal Government for the Modernization of Enterprise-level Co-determination
2003–2006	Chair, Human Sciences Section, Max Planck Society
2000–2006	Advisory Committee, Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien, Tokyo (DIJ); chair since 2003
2001–2008	Member of the Council (Konzil) of the German Sociological Association (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Soziologie, DGS)
1989–2006	Executive Council, Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE)
2000–2005	Scientific Advisory Committee, Centre Saint-Gobain pour la recherche en économie
1999–2005	Executive Board, Society for Comparative Research
1998–2001	Member, Arbeitsgruppe Benchmarking (the Benchmarking Working Group) of the Bündnis für Arbeit (Alliance for Jobs) as Representative of the Federal Government
1998–1999	President, Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE)
1997–1999	Chair, Visiting Committee, University of Konstanz, Department of Administrative Science
1995–1998	Research Director and Member, Kommission Mitbestimmung, Bertelsmann-Stiftung and Hans-Böckler Stiftung
1995–2005	Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, Hans-Böckler-Stiftung
1990–1993	Co-Director, Center on Wisconsin Strategy, Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1989–1993	Chair, Western European Area Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1989–1992	Director, Center for Comparative and International Labor Studies, Industrial Relations Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1989–1990	University Research Committee, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1987–1988	Scientific Advisory Committee, German Sports Federation
1982–1986	Coordinating Committee, European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS)

Selected Visting Appointments

2013/14	Theodor Heuss Chair, The New School for Social Research, New York, N.Y.
2011	Fernand Braudel Fellow, European University Institute, Florence
2007, 2009	Visiting Scholar, Russell Sage Foundation, New York, N.Y.
2000	Jean Monnet Professor, Robert Schumann Centre, European University Institution, Florence
1998	German-American Academic Council Distinguished Lecturer, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
1996	Jean Monnet Professor, European University Institute, Florence
1996	Professeur invité, Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques, Institut d´Etudes Politiques de Paris ("Sciences Po")
1996	Visitor, European Forum, European University Institute, Florence
1993–1994	Fellow, Wissenschaftskolleg of Berlin
1989	Visiting Professor, Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Milan
1988	Visiting Professor, Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ciencias Sociales, Instituto Juan March de Estudios e Investigaciones, Madrid
1985	Leverhulme Visiting Professor in European Industrial Relations, School of Industrial and Business Studies, University of Warwick
1983–1984	Visiting Professor, European University Institute, Florence

Honors

since 2016	Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy
2015	Doctor scientiarum politicarum honoris causa, Syddansk Universitet, Odense/DK
2012	Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Public Unterstanding of Sociology, German Sociological Association (DGS)
2011	Order of Merit, Land of North Rhine-Westphalia
2006	Honorary Fellow, Society fot the Advancement of Socio-Economics
2002	Commendatore della Republica Italiana
since 2002	Member, Academia Europaea
2000	Doctor of Science honoris causa, University of Birmingham
2000–2003	Honorary President, Association for the Study of German Politics (ASGP)
since 1998	Member, Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften (BBAE)

Scholarly Journals

seit 1994	European Journal of Industrial Relations, International Advisory Panel
seit 1995	ILR Review, Editorial Board
seit 1998	Stato e mercato, Comitato editoriale
seit 2009	British Journal of Industrial Relations, International Advisory Board
2006–2012	Socio-Economic Review, Chief Editor
2000–2014	Work, Employment and Society, International Advisory Board
1992–2014	European Sociological Review, Editorial Board
1999–2005	Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie, Advisory Council
1995–2007	Industrielle Beziehungen, Editorial Board
1995–1999	Zeitschrift für Soziologie, Co-Editor
1988–1998	Economic and Industrial Democracy, Editorial Board
1979–1986	Organization Studies, Editorial Board