News from Social Science Works
Migrationspolitik auf der Flucht reviewed by Simon W. Wolke
Hans BloklandApril 10, 2025
Prof. Dr. Simon W. Kolbe reviewed Migrationspolitik auf der Flucht. Erfahrungen von Neuankömmlingen mit Untätigkeit, Trägheit und Gleichgültigkeit on Socialnet. Kolbe is professor in Social Work at the Wilhelm Löhe Hochschule. Among other things he...
New book published: Talking Politics and Society Again: Reengaging with Fellow Citizens.
Hans BloklandMarch 17, 2025
Talking Politics and Society Again: Reengaging with Fellow Citizens is the title of the new book of Hans Blokland. It will be published by Transcript Verlag in Bielefeld and will be available from March 27...
Ali Ghaznawi joins Social Science Works
Hans BloklandMarch 7, 2025
Ali Ghaznawi was born in 1988 in Kabul. He studied computer science and is a graphic designer and web developer. In 2007, Ali was introduced to the world of computers and became fascinated with graphic...
New Project: Cooking & Gardening for Refugee Children
Hans BloklandFebruary 18, 2025
From February to November 2025, we implement a new project in a refugee home in Brandenburg, supported by the IKEA Foundation. This initiative is aimed at children aged 6 to 12, providing them with hands-on...
Interns of the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen completed their project
Hans BloklandDecember 6, 2024
Everything comes to an end and so does the stay of our interns Muriel Akkerman, Evelyn Callapino Guarachi and Akram Yahiaoui. With the support of the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (IfA), they have been working at...
Populism discussed by Hans Blokland at a conference of the Humboldt-Foundation.
Hans BloklandNovember 6, 2024
At a conference of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Bonn on November 4, Hans Blokland delivered a pulse lecture on populism: what is it, what causes it, what can we do about it? A...
Akram Yahiaoui interns at Social Science Works
Hans BloklandNovember 2, 2024
With the support of the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (IfA), Akram Yahiaoui will intern at Social Science Works until the end of the year. Akram is a passionate multidisciplinary professional from Constantine, Algeria, with master’s degrees...
No one has ever asked us
Hans BloklandSeptember 20, 2024
Since 2022 we have been publishing interviews with refugees on our website. We wanted to get to know and make available for the wider public their stories: where do the people come from, why did...
Muriel Akkerman, Evelyn Callapino Guarachi, Noëlle Wendling and Eline Sap joined our team
Hans BloklandSeptember 5, 2024
Muriel Akkerman, Evelyn Callapino Guarachi, Noëlle Wendling and Eline Sap joined our team. The stays of Muriel and Evelyn have been made possible by the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, IfA). Muriel...
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) continues to support our training courses on discrimination and racism.
Hans BloklandApril 24, 2024
Exposing and deconstructing discrimination in all its diversity: Deliberative training for volunteers. As in previous years, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) is once again supporting our two-day training courses on discrimination and...
Talking to each other: Social Science Works again organizes citizens’ dialogues
Hans BloklandFebruary 23, 2024
In order to strengthen democracy, we need a new discussion culture. To this end, we are creating public spaces where citizens can meet regularly to discuss social issues over coffee and cake and get to...
Partnership for Democracy Westhavelland & Nauen supports project “Dialogue on values with new arrivals”,
Hans BloklandFebruary 14, 2024
With the support of the Partnership for Democracy Westhavelland & Nauen, we are implementing a series of workshops with refugees in the refugee home in Nauen, Brandenburg, in 2024. The topics will include...
Social Science Works released a new book: Migration Politics on the Run
Hans BloklandNovember 12, 2023
Migration Policy on the Run: New arrivals’ experiences of idleness, inertia and indifference In recent years, Social Science Works has conducted extensive research on the living conditions and perspectives of refugees in Germany. In this...
Arjun Joshi new German Chancellor Fellow (Humboldt Foundation) at SSW
Hans BloklandOctober 13, 2023
Arjun Joshi holds a Master’s in Public Policy (MPP) from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and is a UK Government funded Chevening Scholar. He lives in Berlin and conducts research as...
Dr. Nargiza Nizamedinkhodjayeva new fellow at SSW
Hans BloklandSeptember 17, 2023
Dr. Nargiza Nizamedinkhodjayeva is a seasoned researcher with over a decade of experience in international development projects and programs. Her professional journey includes postdoctoral work with international research organizations, most notably the Global Green Growth...
Yasmine Benyoussef new intern
Hans BloklandSeptember 17, 2023
Yasmine is a Gender and Diversity student from Tunisia, currently studying at the University of Applied Sciences Rhine-Waal in Kleve. Before finding her true passion, she finished a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science in her...
Anthropologist Genevieve Soucek new intern at SSW
Hans BloklandMay 23, 2023
Genevieve is a predoctoral graduate student at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, studying Cultural and Medical Anthropology. She obtained a B.S. in Medical Anthropology from the Ohio State University, where her senior thesis was...
The Social Science Works Podcast launched
Hans BloklandMay 7, 2023
The number and diversity of podcasts available is growing by the day. More and more people are listening to these as well. In this development, Social Science Works cannot be left behind, of course. Earlier...
SSW participated in the Equality University in Torun, Poland
Philipp BautzApril 24, 2023
The Equality University, one week of learning, understanding, and growth, just ended. The Equality University was a ERASMUS+ youth training organized by Instytut Przeciwdziałania Wykluczeniom (Poland) in collaboration with Social Science Works (Germany) and Social...
SSW took part in the Deliberative Democracy Days at the European Parliament in Brussels.
Hans BloklandApril 5, 2023
Social Science Works was invited to present some of our experiences with deliberation at the conference “Deliberative Democracy Days: Moving deliberative democracy and participatory tools forward”. We talked in particular about our projects with young...
Erasmus+ Project “Building Conclusive Societies” concluded in Belgrade
Hans BloklandApril 3, 2023
In the last days of March 2023, after two years of intensive cooperation, Agora Aveiro (Portugal) PIN – Psychosocial Innovation Network (Serbia), Mentor Split (Croatia) and Social Science Works (Germany, sort of) came together in...
German Postcode Lottery supports SSW in the coaching of children and adolescents with a refugee background in Brandenburg.
Hans BloklandMarch 23, 2023
The German Postcode Lottery supports Social Science Works in the coaching of four groups of children and adolescents with a refugee background in Brandenburg. Experiences of flight and trauma, language deficits, living conditions in homes...
Master of Fine Arts Milad Rezaei joins Social Science Works
Hans BloklandMarch 16, 2023
Milad began his academic journey in sociology at an “underground” and “illegal” university called BIHE, aimed at those deprived of higher education. Later, as an artist, he obtained his B.F.A in Photography and Film from...
German SSW delegation safely returned to Berlin from Erasmus+ training in Portugal
Sahba SalehiFebruary 24, 2023
Building Inclusive Societies _ Erasmus+ Training in Portugal This February, Social Science Works participated in an Erasmus+ training on the themes of migration and inclusion, in Aveiro, Portugal, as part of a joint project “Building...
Children’s group from SSW visits fire department
Hans BloklandFebruary 19, 2023
Our children’s group in Rangsdorf took a field trip to the local fire department. The 15 children, who had been looking forward to this for weeks, were given an extensive tour by the firemen. Much...
Lawyer Nadia Lejaille joins Social Science Works.
Hans BloklandJanuary 21, 2023
Nadia Lejaille is a German-French lawyer, specialized in German tax law, and project management. She worked for 4 years as a project manager and tax compliance officer for a German cooperative bank. She is interested...
German Children’s Fund supports new project: “Strong girls in rural areas”.
Hans BloklandJanuary 15, 2023
Girls or women are repeatedly exposed to discrimination and disadvantage in the prevailing patriarchal structures. Especially girls with refugee experiences are affected due to intersectionality. Through a girls’ meeting place, a shelter is created that...
First part of the project “Empowerment of Refugee Children” completed.
Hans BloklandJanuary 4, 2023
In the fall of 2022, Social Science Works conducted a project with children in Rangsdorf who live with their parents in the two refugee homes located in the community. These are often children who often...
Deliberation with students and citizens at the German Foreign Office to discuss the European Union
Hans BloklandDecember 29, 2022
Together with 18 high school students and citizens, Social Science Works was at the German Foreign Office to discuss the values and the future of the European Union. Several politicians and civil servants were present...
SSW starts project with the Federal Foreign Office: Europe for all
Hans BloklandDecember 16, 2022
Europe for all. Citizens deliberate European values. In this project, facilitated by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, citizens discuss Europe. We aim to foster a deeper understanding of the foundations of democratic participation and...
Equality University continued in Potsdam
Hans BloklandDecember 11, 2022
Last week, we continued the “Equality University” Project, funded by the Erasmus Plus program of the European Union. Partners in this project are the Institute for the Prevention of Exclusions (Instytut Przeciwdziałania Wykluczeniom) from Poland...
SSW participated in the Equality University Project in Bulgaria
Hans BloklandNovember 14, 2022
Last week, an inclusive delegation of Social Science Works participated in a conference of the “Equality University” Project, funded by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union. Partners in this project are the Institute for...
Isabel Romijnders new intern at Social Science Works
Hans BloklandOctober 18, 2022
Isabel is a recent graduate of the BSc International Development Studies at the Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands. Her study focused on policy implementation, grassroots innovation, and human rights philosophy. In her...
Why do we think, what we think? Project at the Anne-Frank-Oberschule in Strausberg, Brandenburg implemented
Hans BloklandSeptember 29, 2022
At the invitation of the respect coach, SSW conducted a one-day project with 80 tenth-graders at the Anne-Frank-Oberschule in Strausberg, Brandenburg, in which the question “Why do we think, what we think?” was at the...
New EU project: Equality University
Hans BloklandSeptember 8, 2022
Social Science Works joined forces with Instytut Przeciwdziałania Wykluczeniom (Institute for Counteracting Exclusions) in Toruń, Poland, and Social Hub in Sofia, Bulgaria. Together we implement the project “Equality University” which is made possible by the...
Zélie Marchand new intern at Social Science Works
Hans BloklandJuly 11, 2022
Zélie is studying political science in France at the Université Paris-Est-Créteil. She focuses on the education for peace, and would like to become involved in the management of humanitarian projects. Indeed, for her, being educated...
SSW representatives in Croatia for a youth leadership training by Mentor Split
Hans BloklandJune 30, 2022
Last week, representatives from Social Science Works (our fellows Sahba, Yamen, Laila and Anjali) joined a Youth Leadership training organised by the Mentor organisation from Croatia. The event has been part of the project “Building...
New project: empowerment of refugee children
Hans BloklandJune 23, 2022
The Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk e.V. supports a new project by Social Science Works in Brandenburg, which is aimed at children of refugees, some of whom have been housed for years in so-called transitional refugee homes. These...
Yearly workshops with refugees in Wünsdorf have started
Hans BloklandJune 10, 2022
We started our yearly row of workshops with refugees in Wünsdorf, Brandenburg. As in previous years, we will discuss themes like democracy, freedom, pluralism, civil society, identity, discrimination, racism, gender equality and homosexuality. Support we...
Annie Schwerdtfeger new intern at Social Science Works
Hans BloklandJune 5, 2022
Annie Schwerdtfeger is an undergraduate student at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. She is studying International and Public Affairs with a focus in Humanitarian Aid. She has completed coursework in International and Refugee Law...
Social Science Works welcomes two new interns: Laila Keeling and Anjali Zyla
Hans BloklandJanuary 20, 2022
Laila Keeling and Anjali Zyla have joined our team and will mainly participate in our research and policy project in Teltow-Fläming until summer 2022. The aim is, among others, to conduct a large number of...
Project “New ways for working with refugees in Teltow-Fläming” has started.
Hans BloklandJanuary 13, 2022
Supported by the district administration of Teltow-Fläming (Brandenburg), we have started a year-long project aimed at strengthening the coordination and cooperation of stakeholders working on the integration of refugees. We already went through a similar...
Erasmus+ Project Our Europe for All concluded in Berlin
Hans BloklandNovember 23, 2021
Last Friday 19 November, Social Science Works concluded the project “OUR EUROPE FOR ALL – Youth discuss Europe amongst each other and with EU parliamentarians”, made possible by the Erasmus+ programme of the EU, with...
Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung reports on deliberations in Rangsdorf on the situation of refugees
Hans BloklandNovember 1, 2021
Lisa Neugebauer. Rangsdorf sucht Antworten: Wie gelingt die Integration von Geflüchteten? Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung, 29 Oktober 2021. In Rangsdorf diskutieren Engagierte darüber, wie sie die Situation für Geflüchtete verbessern können – und stoßen dabei an...
Hacı Çevik new fellow of Social Science Works
Hans BloklandOctober 7, 2021
We welcome a new fellow at Social Science Works: Hacı Çevik. Hacı Çevik is currently working on his PhD at the Department of Sociology of the University of Potsdam. He explores the construction of collective...
The new Erasmus+ project of Social Science Works is in full swing!
Hans BloklandSeptember 30, 2021
In the past weeks we have already talked to more than 150 young people about the European Union, its future and what it means to be a European citizen. We make use of a Mentimeter-survey...
SSW exchanged experiences and knowledge in the EU project “Building Inclusive Societies”
Hans BloklandSeptember 22, 2021
Last week SSW visited Belgrade to exchange information, experiences and knowledge regarding the integration of refugees, psychological assistance to people in distress, and social and psychological research. The event was hosted by Psychosocial Innovation Network...
Sahba Salehi has started her internship at Social Science Works
Hans BloklandSeptember 3, 2021
Sahba Salehi is a master student of International Humanitarian Action (NOHA) at the University of Groningen. She has previously studied International Development at the University of Edinburgh and has an undergraduate degree in English Language...
Actress and theater pedagogue Marie-Luise Arriens joins Social Science Works
Hans BloklandJune 24, 2021
Marie-Luise Arriens, born in Dresden, studied acting at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz/Austria after graduating from high school. In 2003 she came to Potsdam for her first engagement at the Hans-Otto-Theater...
Tell me who you are: Empowering refugee woman will continue
Hans BloklandJune 22, 2021
In August we will start a second round of our workshop series Empowerment through Deliberation and Theater at the Oskar community center in Potsdam Drewitz. This time we would like to bring refugee women together...
Social Science Works is participating in the Erasmus+ KA2 project ”Building Inclusive Societies”
Hans BloklandMay 31, 2021
Social Science Works is participating in the Erasmus+ KA2 project ”Building Inclusive Societies” (2020-3-PT02-KA205-007427). Project holder is Agora Aveiro, based in Portugal and specialized in citizens empowerment. Other partners are Psychosocial Innovation Network from Serbia...
Workshops with recently arrived refugees in Wünsdorf (Brandenburg) continued.
Hans BloklandMarch 15, 2021
With the support of the Partnerschaft für Demokratie in Teltow-Fläming and the German Red Cross we will again implement a dozen workshops with recently arrived refugees in Wünsdorf (Brandenburg). As in previous years, we will...
Podcasts of Zak Reimer now fully accessible on our website
Hans BloklandFebruary 12, 2021
In the summer of 2020, our fellow Zak Reimer launched the podcast “Integration for everyone”. In these podcasts, also made possible by the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung, he explores the host country’s role in integration...
European Union supports SSW-project “OUR EUROPE FOR ALL – Youth discuss Europe amongst each other and with EU parliamentarians”
Hans BloklandDecember 25, 2020
Social Science Works is excited to announce its upcoming youth dialogue project which just received funding from the European Union’s Erasmus + programme! The project, titled “OUR EUROPE FOR ALL – Youth discuss Europe amongst...
Yamen Fouda, Andrew Sorota and Mine Gülnur Küçükyılmaz new fellows at Social Science Works
Hans BloklandDecember 1, 2020
We welcomed two new interesting fellows at Social Science Works. Mine Gülnur Küçükyılmaz completed a bachelor degree in biological studies and one in sociology at Middle East Technical University in Turkey. At the moment, she...
Social Science Works hit by shit storm
Hans BloklandNovember 22, 2020
The advertisement of SSW for a further education for civil volunteers (see here), social workers and others on all sorts of discrimination and a post on an integration project have created a “shit storm” among...
Series of insightful exchanges with refugees in Wünsdorf for now completed
Hans BloklandNovember 15, 2020
As in 2019, we enjoyed a long series of deliberations with refugees in the refugee home in Wünsdorf. The project was supported by the German Red Cross and the federal program “Demokratie Leben!” (Landkreis Teltow-Fläming)...
New integration project in Rangsdorf, Brandenburg.
Hans BloklandOctober 10, 2020
With the generous support of the municipality of Rangsdorf we started a long cycle of workshops with migrants living in the two refugee homes in this town, South of Berlin. We discuss themes like democracy...
New project in the Grace Hopper Gesamtschule in Teltow has started
Hans BloklandSeptember 8, 2020
We started a series of workshops on all sorts of discrimination in the Grace Hopper Gesamtschule in Teltow. We will be present in the school for almost a year, interacting about two times per month...
Aryaan Bovenberg started her internship at SSW
Hans BloklandSeptember 1, 2020
Aryaan is a Dutch student at Wageningen University and Research. She studies International Development, with a main focus on Politics and Communication in Development. During her studies she took part in the Food and Nutrition...
Zak Reimer has launched his podcast “Integration for Everyone”
Hans BloklandAugust 13, 2020
Our great intern Zak Reimer has launched his series of podcasts “Integration for everyone”. In these podcasts he explores the host country’s role in integration. You will hear interviews with Germans, both newcomers and long-time...
Paola Perrin de Brichambaut has started her internship at Social Science Works
Hans BloklandMay 19, 2020
Paola Perrin de Brichambaut holds a master’s degree in Social Anthropology from the University of Cambridge. Her research examines the impact of urban policy on the human and cultural rights of minority groups. Furthermore, she...
Deliberation on gender equality at Wendepunkt Berlin
Hans BloklandMarch 3, 2020
Gender Equality was again the topic of our deliberations at Wendepunkt Berlin (26 and 27 February 2020). Our very engaged participants had a completely different background than the ones of our previous deliberations. Their insights...
Deliberation on gender equality at FrauenComputerZentrumBerlin
Hans BloklandFebruary 21, 2020
We implemented a next deliberation on gender equality at the FrauenComputerZentrumBerlin. On Friday 14 and Saturday 15 February we had an animated discussion with many participants which brought us several new insights. We will analyze...
Lina Gessner is our new intern for the spring of 2020.
Hans BloklandFebruary 18, 2020
Lina Gessner studies Global Project and Change Management at Windesheim Honors College in Zwolle, The Netherlands. Since February 2020 she is working as an intern at SSW, where she is writing her Bachelor Thesis looking...
We started a crowd funding to implement deliberations on emancipation
Hans BloklandJanuary 31, 2020
(Übersetzung unten) Social Science Works prepared deliberations in order to encourage various people to exchange on emancipation of men and women. With your financial support we would like to implement our first five workshops. We...
First deliberation on gender equality in Heppenheim great success
Hans BloklandJanuary 12, 2020
(Deutsche Übersetzung unten) On January 8 and 9 we met with 24 people in Haus am Maiberg (Hessen) to discuss in depth emancipation. The people were a nice sample of society: men and women, working...
Hamburg visits Berlin: pondering about the meaning of memorials
Hans BloklandDecember 10, 2019
Our project with two groups of children from a school in Hamburg has almost come to an end. We visited four memorials in Berlin: those for the Jews, the Roma and Sinti, the homosexuals and...
Clicks for Politics took off
Hans BloklandNovember 11, 2019
Die erste Workshopwoche unseres Projekts „Clicks for Politics“ (ermöglicht durch die Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung) hat stattgefunden. Eine Gruppe Jugendlicher aus Fürstenwalde traf sich mit vier SSW-Fellows in der Jugendbildungsstätte Hirschluch. Wir sprachen über Demokratie...
Social Science Works has adopted a school in Hamburg.
Hans BloklandSeptember 15, 2019
Social Science Works has adopted a school in Hamburg. Instead of one time three days, we will be present in the school for almost a whole year, interacting about two days per month with two...
Six new fellows at Social Science Works
Hans BloklandSeptember 5, 2019
Eva Singler, Jannes Jacobsen, Anne Flake, Maxime Kuhlmey, Ole Oeltjen and Mariana Zarpellon recently joined our ranks. We are proud and grateful that so many interesting and talented people become fellow of Social Science Works...
Project in Koblenz has started.
Hans BloklandAugust 21, 2019
Last Monday, we started in Koblenz our Project “Deliberationsschulungen zur Stärkung der Demokratie“. The deliberations are organized by the Kreisverwaltung Mayen-Koblenz and are supported by the European Union. Some of the participants volunteered for a...
Social Science Works has won a bidding of the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung for a deliberative project with young people.
Hans BloklandJuly 10, 2019
We will form four groups of 10 to 15 young people between 16 and 25 years old in the rural regions of Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt. We offer the participants training to reflect on the fundamental...
Deliberation in Wolmirstedt (Sachsen-Anhalt) on democracy, identity, discrimination, gender equality and homosexuality
Social Science WorksJuly 8, 2019
On invitation of Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (Kreisverband Börde) and Integrationsbündnis Wolmirstedt we had a great workshop on Saturday, July 6, in Wolmirstedt (Sachsen-Anhalt). The workshop (10 AM – 5 PM) was made possible by the...
Zak Reimer is coming to SSW: Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung awards Bundeskanzler-Stipendium
Social Science WorksJuly 3, 2019
The Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung has awarded Zak Reimer a Bundeskanzler-Stipendium which enables him to become a part of SSW. Starting in the Autumn of 2019, Zak will conduct research into grassroots refugee integration in...
Social Science Works has won a bidding in Rheinland-Pfalz for deliberation.
Hans BloklandJuly 2, 2019
Social Science Works has won a bidding in Rheinland-Pfalz for „Deliberation to further democracy“ (“Deliberation zur Stärkung der Demokratie“). Starting in August, we will implement 5 two-day workshops on deliberation and democracy. The participants are...
Hertie School of Governance and Social Science Works agree on cooperation.
Social Science WorksJuly 1, 2019
The Hertie School of Governance and Social Science Works formally agreed on a partnership. Students of Hertie can become an intern at SSW or write their Master thesis in cooperation with SSW. For this they...
Miteinander Reden Meeting 4
Social Science WorksJune 17, 2019
Yesterday, we had the fourth meeting in our “Miteinander Reden” project (made possible by the town of Potsdam) where muslim and non-muslim citizens meet to discuss fundamental issues. This time we talked about freedom and...
Isabel Navarro is our new Intern!
Social Science WorksJune 5, 2019
Isabel Navarro is our Spanish intern for the summer of 2019. Isabel comes from a small town in Valencia and is currently studying International Studies and Law at Carlos III University of Madrid. Her studies...
Bürgerdialog Zehdenick
Social Science WorksMay 24, 2019
Social Science Works was in beautiful Zehdenick, in the North of Brandenburg. We talked with 30 natives and migrants about democracy, the upcoming elections, the existing political parties in Germany, the functions of parties and...
Fachtag Haltung Bitte
Social Science WorksMay 24, 2019
We were at the FachTag “Haltung Bitte!” of the Landesjugendring Brandenburg discussing with 25 inspiring youth workers the need to teach children to think for themselves. Ironically, the conference took place in one of these...