Working Group of Social Science Institutes

The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute e.V. (ASI) — the Working Group of Social Science Institutes — is a German registered association (eingetragener Verein) that brings together non-profit social science research institutions and university institutes across the Federal Republic of Germany. It also admits individual members. Its stated purpose is the promotion of social science research, with a particular emphasis on empirical social research, and it positions itself as a point of contact and advocate for researchers engaged in empirical social research. The association traces its origins to the immediate post-war period. It was founded in 1949 in Berlin, and in October of that year the first issue of its journal "Soziale Welt" appeared, published on behalf of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute by the Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund. On 16 April 1953 the ASI was entered in the register of associations in Cologne, where it remains based. Over the decades the ASI has acted as an umbrella and coordinating body for empirical social research in Germany. In 1969 it founded the Informationszentrum Sozialwissenschaften (IZ) in Bonn, an information centre that in 2007 was absorbed into GESIS – Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. The ASI cooperates with the associations of commercial market and social research — the Arbeitskreis Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforschungsinstitute e.V. (ADM), the Berufsverband Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforscher e.V. (BVM) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Online-Forschung e.V. (DGOF) — including within the Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V. It organises working groups and scientific conferences on specialised topics, and since 2010 a social science book series of the ASI has been published by Springer VS. As of the available sources, the ASI has 45 research institutions as members, among them the Institute of Sociology at RWTH Aachen, the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, the Forschungsgruppe Wahlen and the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) of the Federal Employment Agency. In addition to institutional members, the association has personal members. Its work is aimed at strengthening the infrastructure, standards and visibility of empirical social research in Germany.

The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute e.V. (ASI) emerged in the immediate post-war period. It was founded in 1949 in Berlin, at a time when German social science was being re-established after the Second World War. In October 1949 the first issue of the journal "Soziale Welt" appeared, published on behalf of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute by the Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund. This journal became one of the association's early and enduring contributions to the German social science landscape. On 16 April 1953 the ASI was entered in the register of associations in Cologne. Cologne has remained the association's seat, and the legal form of a registered association (eingetragener Verein) reflects its non-profit, membership-based character. The association brought together non-profit social science research institutions and university institutes of the Federal Republic of Germany, and it also admitted individual members. A significant institutional step came in 1969, when the ASI founded the Informationszentrum Sozialwissenschaften (IZ) in Bonn. The IZ served as an information infrastructure for social science research. In 2007 it was absorbed into GESIS – Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften, which continues to provide social science research infrastructure in Germany. Over the decades the ASI developed into an umbrella and coordinating body for empirical social research. It cooperates with the associations of commercial market and social research — the Arbeitskreis Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforschungsinstitute e.V. (ADM), the Berufsverband Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforscher e.V. (BVM) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Online-Forschung e.V. (DGOF) — including within the Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V. It organises working groups and scientific conferences on specialised topics, providing a forum for exchange among researchers and institutes. Since 2010 a social science book series of the ASI has been published by Springer VS, extending the association's publishing activity beyond its journal. The ASI has 45 research institutions as members, including the Institute of Sociology at RWTH Aachen, the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, the Forschungsgruppe Wahlen and the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) of the Federal Employment Agency. In addition to institutional members, the association has personal members. Its stated goal remains the promotion of social science research, especially empirical research, and it sees itself as a point of contact and advocate for all researchers engaged in empirical social research.

• 2010

  The ASI social science book series began publication with Springer VS.

• 2007

  The Informationszentrum Sozialwissenschaften was absorbed into GESIS – Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften.

• 1969

  Founded the Informationszentrum Sozialwissenschaften (IZ) in Bonn.

• 1953

  Entered in the register of associations in Cologne on 16 April.

• 1949

  Founded in Berlin.

• 1949

  First issue of the journal "Soziale Welt" published in October, on behalf of the ASI by the Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund.

An umbrella association and advocacy body for non-profit empirical social research institutes and university institutes in Germany, cooperating with commercial market and social research associations.

• Soziale Welt

  Social science journal first published in October 1949 on behalf of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute by the Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund.

• Schriftenreihe der ASI

  Social science book series published by Springer VS since 2010.

• Scientific conferences and working groups

  The ASI organises working groups and scientific conferences on specialised topics.

1. 1Die ASI - Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute e.V.asi-ev.org
2. 2Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute – Wikidatawikidata.org