In this first episode of For Sociology, host Kevin Caners sits down with Gøsta Esping-Andersen, the inaugural Kohli Prize Laureate of 2023.

They discuss Esping-Andersen's groundbreaking work on social mobility and welfare states, including his seminal book The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism. Gøsta also reflects on his academic journey from Denmark to the University of Wisconsin, his motivations for studying sociology and demography, and the pivotal moments that shaped his career.

Through our unique Proust Questionnaire, we discover that if Gøsta weren't a sociologist, he'd likely be a carpenter. Finally, we hear about an unanswered question in sociology that fascinates Gøsta—the unexplained decline in fertility rates in advanced countries since 2012.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to For Sociology Podcast 01:22 – Gøsta's Academic Journey 08:16 – The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism 14:15 – The Impact of Early Childhood Policies 17:18 – Challenges of the Liberal Welfare Model 18:55 – Stability of Welfare Models 20:40 – Proust Questionnaire with Gøsta 25:55 – State of Sociology Today 29:49 – The Fertility Puzzle 32:46 – Conclusion and Farewell