Dr. Sonja Fehr

Lecturer

University of Kassel
Department 05 - Social Sciences
Nora-Platiel-Str. 5, Room 3121
34127 Kassel

Phone +49-561 804-2507
Fax +49-561 804-3464


sonja.fehr(at)uni-kassel.de

Hybrid office hours during the lecture period

Tuesdays 14-15 in my office - or digitally. Please request the zoom link via e-mail.

First state examination "Sociology/Politics

I test in the sociology of education, sociology of social inequality, poverty studies, and sociology of the family.

I am already at capacity for Spring 2023.

Last published

Sonja Fehr (2022): Selbst schuld! Armut im Zeichen der Aktivierung. In: Marquardsen, K. (Hg.), Armutsforschung, Baden-Baden: Nomos, pp. 383-394.

The article questions to what extent the activating social policy of the last decades has contributed to the solidification of poverty. First, a relationship between commodification, meritocracy and contemporary poverty research is established. Then, empirical findings are presented that show, on the one hand, an increasing entrenchment of poverty and, on the other hand, a widespread acceptance of the liberal logic of unrestricted self-responsibility. Poverty-induced violations of norms of reciprocity, individuality and employment point to central mechanisms of social exclusion in individualized employment societies.

Keywords: activation, labor market policy, gainful employment, meritocracy, commodification, dynamics of poverty