Beate Völker : "Blueprints of Cohesion and Conflict. Network Structures, Dynamics, and Social Capital"
Beate Völker, recipient of the INSNA Simmel Award 2025 will give her Keynote speech in the Grand Amphithéâtre de la Sorbonne on Thursday 26th June 2025, 5 pm.
Beate Völker studied social psychology in Heidelberg/Germany and transitioned into sociology during her PhD research (1995), which focused on changes in social networks in the former GDR following the silent revolution. Since then, her work has centered on social networks and the social capital they generate in diverse contexts, such as neighborhoods, workplaces, hospitals, and correctional institutions. The negative potential of social networks also drew her attention, particularly in the context of studying negative relationships in the workplace. Her research consistently explores how social environments shape individual relationships and behaviors, forming a lasting foundation for her theoretical and empirical inquiries.
She argued, innovatively, that weak ties can become liabilities in the context of totalitarian regimes, where trust and openness are constrained. She also argued - and demonstrated empirically - that the COVID-19 measures disproportionately affected weaker social ties, which may explain the rise in feelings of loneliness during and after the pandemic. Beyond these macro-level disruptions, she has also shown that collective efficacy and social cohesion in neighborhoods not only help prevent crime, but also give rise to other-regarding behavior expressed through small acts of kindness.
In collaboration with colleagues in Utrecht, she collected longitudinal egocentric network data, spanning a period of almost 20 years to examine how personal networks and specific types of relationships evolve over time and across the life course. Beate Völker is the scientific director of the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR). She previously held a chair in social networks in urban settings at Utrecht University and will soon take up a new chair in social networks, cooperation, and conflict at VU Amsterdam.
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How to self-organize in a session
Unfortunately, many session organizers have to cancel at the last minute their participation in the Sunbelt due to funding problems and/or destructive science policies. Therefore, we provide below some general practical information on how to manage a session during the conference when the session organizer(s) is/are not available.
The tradition is that the group of presenters self-organizes in the following way:
The last presenter in the session, as defined by the schedule, steps in as session chair. Their willingness to help ensures the session will run smoothly despite the absence of the session organizer.
The session chair's responsibilities are straightforward:
- Introduce each speaker briefly before their presentation
- Keep track of time to ensure each presenter stays within their allocated slot
- Facilitate the Q&A discussion after each talk
- Contact the conference organizers if any technical issues arise
This arrangement often works particularly well. As the final speaker, the session chair has a natural interest in ensuring everyone adheres to their time limits.
Please feel free to bring your own style to chairing the session. The main goal is to create a welcoming environment where presenters feel supported and audience members feel encouraged to engage in discussion.
Thank you for following these rules and taking on this role.
With thanks and best regards,
The organizing committee
Sorbonne Université
Sorbonne University (French: Sorbonne Université) is a public research university located in Paris, France. The institution’s legacy reaches back to the Middle Ages in 1257 when Sorbonne College was established by Robert de Sorbon as one of the first universities in Europe.
Sciences-Po Paris
Sciences Po is an international research university, both selective and open onto the world, ranking among the finest institutions in the fields of humanities and social sciences.
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