Wealth as a Social Relationship. Intergenerational Aspects of the Familial (Re)Production of Wealth
In this cooperation project with SOFI Göttingen, we take an empirical look at wealthy families by conducting qualitative family interviews. The unique characteristic of our project is that we understand wealth not only as the economic situation of individuals, but above all as a dynamic field of social relationships. We are interested in what values and traditions are important in wealthy families and how they are passed on. We also ask how wealthy families view our society and how they live responsibility and social engagement. We also explore the social stereotypes associated with wealth and assets.
Are you interested in talking to us? Then contact us by e-mail at:
maya.halatcheva-trapptu-dortmundde or benjamin.neumanntu-dortmundde
We will also be happy to call you back. The conversations are covered by data protection. Any inference to you and/or your family is excluded by the comprehensive anonymization and secure storage of the data.

Funding
Volkswagen Foundation, Funding line "Perspectives on Wealth: The (Re)Production of Wealth“
Project duration
04/2023 - 03/2026 (36 months)
Project team
Project leaders | Prof. Dr. Nicole Burzan, TU Dortmund Prof. Dr. Berthold Vogel, SOFI Göttingen |
Staff members | Dr. Benjamin Neumann (TU Dortmund) Dr. Maya Halatcheva-Trapp (TU Dortmund) Dr. Marliese Weißmann (SOFI Göttingen) |
Student members | Fenja Horstmann (TU Dortmund) Elisabeth van Haaren (TU Dortmund) Paulus Gkegkas (TU Dortmund) Hannes Haynitzsch (SOFI Göttingen) Ella Brink (SOFI Göttingen) |
Publications
Burzan, Nicole/Vogel, Berthold (2023): Reichtum. Ein Forschungsessay. Soziopolis (13.07.23). [Online]
Talks
Angekündigt: Neumann, Benjamin/Halatcheva-Trapp, Maya/Weißmann, Marliese (2024): Reichtum und Familie: Ein intersektionaler Blick auf familiale Beziehungen im Film. Tagung "Reichtum. Filmanalytische Sondierungen eines kulturellen Phänomens“, am 16. und 17. Februar 2024, Universität Koblenz.
Weißmann, Marliese/Halatcheva-Trapp, Maya/Neumann, Benjamin (2023): Wealth as a Social Relationship. Intergenerational Aspects of the Familial (Re)Production of Wealth. Symposium "Perspectivies on social inequality and wealth", am 04. und 05. Oktober 2023, Xplanatorium Herrenhausen, Hannover.
Events
(2023):
Organization of the symposium "Perspectives on Social Inequality and Wealth" on 04 and 05 October 2023 in Hannover, together with the Volkswagen Foundation.
The event brought together the Volkswagen Foundation's funding lines on social inequality and wealth, with researchers* from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America coming to present and jointly discuss their research findings. In addition to project presentations, intensive collaboration took place in workshops on topics such as research concepts, methods and the transfer of empirical results.