About us

The Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI) conducts research on social issues and labour market issues. Researchers at the institute work in the areas of social policy, welfare, inequality and the labour market. We have an undergraduate education unit, AKPA, and conduct doctoral education in collaboration with other departments in economics and sociology.

SOFI’s research is closely connected to society, with an extensive network in social research both in Sweden and internationally. Researchers publish regularly in academic journals, often in highly ranked international journals, primarily in economics, sociology and law, but also in related fields such as political science, gender studies and public health.

Researchers at SOFI also actively engage with society through participation in expert groups, boards and inquiry work, as well as through regular appearances in the media.

The institute hosts two open seminar series: Labour Economics (AME) and Stratification, Welfare and Social Policy (SVS). International researchers are invited to present their ongoing work. Doctoral students at SOFI are enrolled in doctoral programmes at the Department of Economics or the Department of Sociology at Stockholm University.

Social research since 1972

Via the reorganization of the Institute for Labour Market Issues (which was founded in 1966 and was part of Stockholm University), the Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI) was founded on 1 January 1972 as an independent unit and subsequently incorporated with Stockholm University in 1981, and with the Faculty of Social Sciences in 1994.

Based on the statutes, the institute's research is focused on the labour market and social issues. Academically, researchers at SOFI belong to the fields of economics, sociology and law, but sometimes also political science and other related fields. Sociologists are usually active in the groups that work with either living standards issues or social policy. The economists are mainly labour market economists. The institute's professorships are focused on labour market issues, living standards and social policy.

Our research units

At SOFI, activities are organised into three research units and one education unit. The three research units focus on labour market economics (AME), level of living standards (LNU), and social policy (SOCPOL). We also have a research group in labour market law (AMR)..

Professors of sociology and economics

At SOFI, five professors work in economics, particularly labour market economics (Markus Jäntti, 2009–; Matthew Lindquist, 2014–; Dan-Olof Rooth, 2016–; Erik Lindqvist, 2018–; and Johanna Rickne, 2018–), three in sociology with a focus on social policy (Kenneth Nelson, 2014–; Marie Evertsson, 2017–; and Tomas Korpi, 2017–), and four professors in sociology with a focus on living conditions (Jan O. Jonsson, 1998–; Michael Tåhlin, 1998–; Carina Mood, 2015–; and Martin Hällsten, 2024–).

Professors in our AKPA study programme are Ola Sjöberg (sociology, 2010–), Erik Bihagen (sociology, 2018–), Anne Boschini (economics, 2021–), Anders Stenberg (economics, 2024–), and Charlotta Magnusson (sociology, 2025–).

Anders Björklund, Robert Erikson, Per Lundborg, Thor Norström, Ann-Charlotte Stålberg, Marianne Sundström, and Eskil Wadensjö (emeritus) also participate actively in the institute’s activities.

All researchers at SOFI and teachers at AKPA as well as administrative staff are presented here

Our research

The research at SOFI focuses on four major areas where social institutions shape individual living conditions and life chances - institutions related to the labour market, welfare states, families and gender.

Our work is characterized by theoretically substantiated empirical analyzes of issues that have both scientific and practical significance. Economists, sociologists and lawyers strive for international competitiveness and recognition in their own disciplines. The research is often published in journals central to the fields of science, and the researchers participate in leading international research networks within their disciplines.

In our research, comparative analysis in advanced industrial societies has long been an integral part. Although studies of an individual country over time may be helpful in assessing the impact of institutional factors, comparisons between countries tend to be much more useful by taking into account greater institutional variation. Significant investments have been made to create comprehensive longitudinal databases, which offer unique research opportunities at an international level.

Here you can read more about the research databases available at SOFI

Postgraduate education at SOFI - economics and sociology

SOFI has close ties to the Department of Economics and the Department of Sociology at Stockholm University. SOFI researchers teach at these departments, and the professors in particular offer doctoral-level courses within their areas of expertise. Students are admitted to a doctoral programme at one of the departments and are placed at SOFI. These doctoral students are provided with office space at the institute and are thus integrated into the daily research environment at SOFI, where they also have their thesis supervisors.

SOFI also has an undergraduate education unit, the Unit for Labour Market Studies (AKPA), where we provide education on labour market issues related to sociology, economics and labour law. The education consists of independent courses at the undergraduate level. AKPA has eight employed university lecturers who are responsible for teaching and who also conduct their research at the institute and actively participate in its activities..