300125 Experts and Expertise (30-M4,-M9,-M22,-M31:Vertiefendes Theorieseminar) (S) (SoSe 2026)

Whether we consider global challenges such as climate change, major societal crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, or everyday issues such as consumer decision-making, expertise plays a major role in contemporary societies. From a sociological perspective, this raises a range of important questions: Who can legitimately claim to be an expert? How does one become an expert? What (material and symbolic) resources do experts mobilize, and what are the consequences of their actions? More fundamentally, what is expertise?

The sociology of expertise, a relatively new but rapidly growing field of research, engages with such questions. It distinguishes itself from classical sociology of professions by adopting a much broader perspective on activities and occupational fields—ranging from established forms of expertise (such as medical professions) to more unconventional cases (such as social media influencers). Moreover, it explicitly focuses on struggles over interpretive authority, emphasizing that expertise is often contested.

Drawing on key texts, this course provides an introduction to the sociology of expertise. It begins with selected classics from the sociology of professions, followed by conceptual contributions that develop a specifically sociological understanding of expertise. In the third part of the course, we discuss a selection of important contemporary studies. The overall aim is to foster a deeper understanding of the ambivalences of expertise—both in politics and in other societal domains. In addition, the course examines the consequences of contested expertise, conflicts among experts, and the global dimensions of expertise.