Doctoral Program PROWEL

Social Problems and Social Welfare

Prowel offers thematic and methodological workshops to support doctoral students (it is not a Graduate School). It enables regular scientific exchange with doctoral students and lecturers in joint colloquia, as well as in individual discussions with scientific experts. To promote the participation of international doctoral students and also bridge the French-German divide, a large part of the program is offered in English. The dissertations may be written in any language agreed upon with the supervisor(s). The doctoral program is research-oriented, interdisciplinary and oriented towards learn-processes that qualify graduate researchers academically. Furthermore, the doctoral program aims at enhancing the doctoral students’ networks nationally and internationally by motivating and teaching them to organize and actively participate in scientific conferences. PROWEL is a doctoral program of the University of Fribourg in collaboration with the University of Neuchâtel. It is financed by the SUK.

Upcoming Events

PROWEL Workshop

"Global Inequalities and Social Policy"

Fribourg, 20-21 May 2022
Experts: Anja Weiss, Olli Kangas

Tentative Program

• Thematic Focus

  The doctoral program PROWEL aims at furthering knowledge from an interdisciplinary view on key issues regarding the analysis of the production, re-production and change in individual, organizational and social welfare. Social problems are issues that (parts of) societies define as problematic or that evolve to be problematic when they are socially and explicitly perceived. The term welfare is used in a broad understanding: it refers to both material and immaterial aspects of wellbeing, such as (availability and/or access to) economic resources or social services, but also feelings of belonging, happiness, satisfaction or trust, on various societal levels (the micro, meso and macro level). Sources of wellbeing and welfare are the state, markets, households/families, communities and nonprofit organizations. Institutions and actors’ actions, omission or negligence of actions, (implicit or explicit) traditions or regulations within specific institutions, or their interplay produce or maintain wellbeing and welfare. Social inequalities provide a theoretical and analytical framework for the analysis of social problems and welfare and build one common point of departure for the doctoral program. Areas of research broadly are the production, re-production, change and outcomes in individual, organizational and societal wellbeing and welfare and include (i) social problems: their identification, perception and handling by concerned or involved actors within institutions; (ii) actors and institutions as well as their interplay (such as states, markets, communities, organizations and households and families); (iii) social outcomes of dealing with social problems.

• Target Group

  The doctoral program targets students of various disciplines dealing with the issues of the umbrella theme in different ways: sociology, social policy, social work, political sciences, special education, educational sciences, criminology, economics, science of religions, social anthropology, or contemporary history. Candidates must have a supervisor for their PhD project before applying to this doctoral program. The doctoral program offers no scholarships or jobs.

• Information and application

  Information
  Doctoral students may join the program any time and finish their thesis according to their individual progress. They are expected to present an input or their work in progress to a selective group of experts at least once a year and to comment on other inputs. 

  Application
  Candidates must have a supervisor for their PhD project BEFORE applying to this doctoral program. PROWEL does not liaise to potential supervisors and offers no scholarships. For application procedures please contact:

  • at the University of Fribourg
    German  Doktorat an der Philosophischen Fakultät
    French    Doctorat à la Faculté des lettres et des sciences humaines
  • at the University of Neuchâtel
    French    Doctorat à l'Université de Neuchâtel
    English    Doctorate at the University of Neuchâtel

  To apply for the doctoral program PROWEL, please fill in this application form and send it with the PhD project outline to prowel(at)unifr.ch or by postal mail to PROWEL, c/o University of Fribourg, Department of Social Sciences, Route des Bonnesfontaines 11, 1700 Fribourg. For further questions, please contact the PROWEL team by mail or the secretariat of the section Sociology, Socialpolicy and Social Work by phone +41 26 300 77 96.

• Structure

  The methodological and thematic needs of students are continuously evaluated. Accepted students are required to participate in:

  • Module 1: Thematic two-day workshops with external experts 
  • Module 2: Two-day workshop with external experts (work methodology)
• Recent Workshops organized by PROWEL

  PROWEL Workshop

  St Antoni, 19-20 November 2021

  Experts: Doris Bühler-Niederberger, Veronika Magyar-Haas
  Program

   

  PROWEL Workshop - extra

  Fribourg, Saturday, 28 August 2021

  Experts or Organizers: Joakim Palme, Monica Budowski
  Program

   

  Solidarity and social movements

  Online-meeting, 8 May 2021

   Expert: Christian Lahusen
  Program

   

  Theoretical foundations for social policy

  Online-meeting, 31 October 2020

  Expert: Jean-Michel Bonvin
  Program

   

  Gender and migration / Discourse analysis and convention theory

  Twann, 1-2 November 2019

  Experts: Kenneth Horvath, Paul Scheibelhofer
  Program

   

  Research question / Institutional theory 

  Twann, 3-4 May 2019

  Experts: Andreas Hadjar, Nadine Arnold
  Program

   

  Elites and Mixed Methods 

  Twann, 19-20 October 2018

  Experts: Peter Imbusch, Felix Knappertsbusch
  Program

  
  Social Inequalities  and Disability

  Twann, 4-5  May 2018

  Experts: Barbara Fritz, Lisa Pfahl
  Program

   

  Academic writing and publishing

  Twann, 27-28 October 2017

  Expert: Anton Froeyman

  Program

  
  Conceptual and empirical perspectives on poverty and wellbeing
  Twann, 5-6 May 2017

  Expert: Allister McGregor

  Program

   

  How to write grant proposals
  University of Fribourg, 11 June 2016

  Expert: Susanne Matuschek

  Program

   

  Linking theory and data
  Hotel Fontana, Twann, 29-30 April 2016

  Experts: Nina Baur, Eva Barlösius

  Program

• Scientific direction

  Prof. Dr. Monica Budowski (Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, University of Fribourg) 
  Prof. Dr. Andreas Hadjar (Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, University of Fribourg)
  Prof. Dr. Winfried Kronig (Specialized Pedagogy, University of Fribourg) 
  Prof. Dr. Christian Suter (Sociology, University of Neuchâtel)

• Participants and Alumni

  Participants

  Niolyne Bomolo, University of Fribourg (abstract)
  Zhubin Chen, The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies Genève
  Sercan Erer, University of Luxemburg (abstract) 
  Keila Escalante, University of Neuchâtel (abstract)
  Pascale Gazareth, University of Neuchâtel (abstract)
  Saro Gibilisco, University of Fribourg (abstract)
  Nina Jany, University of Fribourg (abstract)
  Brigitte Kürsteiner, University of Fribourg (abstract)
  Laura Meier, University of Fribourg (abstract)
  Kevin Simoes Loureiro, University of Luxemburg (abstract)
  Antoine Sansonnens, University of Fribourg (abstract)
  Matthias Schulz, University of Fribourg
  Sophie Serrano, University of Neuchâtel
  Noemi Trucco, University of Fribourg (abstract)
  Aleksander Zielinski, University of Fribourg (abstract)

   

  Alumni

  Tugce Beycan, University of Neuchâtel 
  Baptiste Brodard, University of Fribourg 
  Cindy Diacquenod, University of Fribourg
  Martin Gasser, University of Fribourg 
  Marilyn Grell-Brisk, University of Neuchâtel 
  Daniel Hofstetter, University of Fribourg/Goethe University Frankfurt 
  Anna Isenhardt, University of Fribourg

  Cédric Jacot, University of Neuchâtel
  Chantal Hinni, University of Fribourg
  Jacqueline Kalbermatter, University of Fribourg
  Sarah Kersten, University of Fribourg 
  Florence Lebert, University of Fribourg
  Lena Liechti, University of Fribourg
  Stefan Niedermann, University of Fribourg 
  Laura Ravazzini, University of Neuchâtel 
  Carla Ribeiro, University of Neuchâtel 
  Yvan Schulz, University of Neuchâtel 
  Rebekka Sieber, University of Neuchâtel, University of Fribourg 
  Jehane Simona, University of Neuchâtel 
  Aurianne Stroude, University of Fribourg 
  Sabrina Tabares, University of Neuchâtel 
  Christoph Tschanz, University of Fribourg 
  Raphael Zahnd, University of Zurich
  Carmen Zurbriggen, University of Fribourg