Elisabeth Beck-Gernsheim

Elisabeth Beck-Gernsheim (14 October 1946 – 22 October 2025) was a German sociologist. She held a professorship at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. She was one of the "first generation of female professors" in sociology and women's and gender studies. After studying sociology, psychology, and philosophy in Munich, she obtained her PhD in 1973, with a thesis The sociology of knowledge in the context of theoretical pluralism. Investigations into the mutual criticism of the sociology of knowledge, scientific theory and social psychology.

Beck-Gernsheim was awarded several postgraduate scholarships. These included a doctoral scholarship from LMU Munich, an intercultural exchange scholarship from the Studienkreis Foundation, a postdoctoral scholarship and a Heisenberg scholarship from the German Research Foundation (DFG). She was a visiting professor at the University of Giessen and LMU Munich.

Works Das halbierte Leben (1980) Vom Geburtenrückgang zum ganz normalen Leben (1984)

Das ganz normale Chaos der Liebe (1990)

Was kommt nach der Familie? (2000)

"Ein Türke geht nicht in die Oper" – was Deutsche über Türken wissen, in: Robertson-von Trotha, Caroline Y. (ed.): Kultur und Gerechtigkeit (= Kulturwissenschaft interdisziplinär/Interdisciplinary Studies on Culture and Society, Vol. 2), Baden-Baden 2007,

Recognition In 2025, Beck-Gernsheim was awarded a prize for her life's scientific work by the German Sociological Association (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Soziologie) at the 42nd DGS Congress.