Martin Kohli

[1] After graduating from high school in 1962 and serving in the Swiss military, he studied sociology and economics in Geneva, Cologne and Bern until 1968.

In the same year Kohli was appointed full professor in sociology (initially AH5/C3, from 1985 C4) at the Free University of Berlin.

In 2002, Martin Kohli received the Distinguished Scholar Award of the Aging and Life Course Section[4] of the American Sociological Association.

[5][6] Only through decreasing mortality and the notion that death moves into old age does the life course become perceived as such and thus becomes plannable.

The special quality of the biographical approach for sociology lies in the fact that the relationship between individuality and society can be recognized particularly well in the analysis of biographies.

With his research on intergenerational transfers within families, Kohli also obtained important insights into the debate on the social welfare contract between generations.

[12] Yet again, Kohli was concerned with the issues of social inequality and intergenerational tensions and conflicts and how they are mediated by family and politics.

Together with Harald Künemund, Kohli was also involved in the development of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which was conducted for the first time in 2004.

The foundation aims to help enhance the profile of sociology as a core social science discipline and make it more visible.