Prof. Sophie Mützel, PhD
Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and
Social Sciences
Professor of Sociology with emphasis on
media and social networks
sophie.muetzel@unilu.ch
@sophiemuetzel.bsky.social
Google Scholar
T +41 41 229 55 63
Frohburgstrasse 3 - room 3.A33
CV
Sophie Mützel is Professor of Sociology, Media, and Networks at the Department of Sociology, University of Lucerne, Switzerland. Since August 1, 2026, she has also been Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Lucerne. She currently directs the MA program "Media & digital transformation." She is also a co-founder of the MA in Computational Social Sciences (LuMACCS). From June 2023 to September 2025, she was Chair of the Department of Sociology; from August 2019 to July 2023, she was Vice Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her research interests include economic and cultural sociology, computational text analysis methods, digital sociology, social network analysis, and sociological theory. In 2022, Stanford University Press published her book, "Making Sense: Markets from Stories in New Breast Cancer Therapeutics." Two of her SNSF-funded research projects have since been completed: "Digital payments: Making payments personal and social" (2026) and, as part of NRP75, “Facing Big Data: Methods and Skills Needed for a 21st-Century Sociology" (2021).
Before becoming a Full Professor in 2018, Sophie Mützel was Assistant Professor (2014-2017) and Associate Professor (2017) at the University of Lucerne. Prior to joining the University of Lucerne, she was a Senior Researcher at the Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB) in the Research Unit “Cultural Sources of Newness.” Sophie has been a visiting scholar at the Center for European Studies, Harvard University; a Jean Monnet Fellow at the European University Institute, Florence; and a visiting professor at the University of Vienna, Department of Sociology. Between 2003 and 2008, Sophie held a post-doc position at the Department of Social Sciences, Humboldt University Berlin. She received her Ph.D. in Sociology at the Department of Sociology, Columbia University, her MA in Sociology at Cornell University, and her BA in Political Science at UC Berkeley.
Research
Research Interests
• Digital Sociology
• Social Network Analysis
• Sociology of digital media
• Economic sociology
• Sociology of culture
• STS
• Sociological theory
• Computational text analysis
Research Projects
Current Projects
-
Digital Payments: Making payments personal and social
This research project, led by Sophie Mützel, examined how digital payment methods are transforming social relations in the data economy. Across four subprojects and a comparison between Switzerland and Sweden, the team analyzed how payment intermediaries, retail, and digital marketing form new network structures, how cashless payment has developed historically through giro systems, chip cards, and mobile payment apps, how users experience digital payments in everyday life, and which future imaginaries shape how industry experts and financial media envision digital payment transactions. A central finding is that transactional data has shifted from an administrative byproduct into a distinct market resource that enables new relations between market participants. At the same time, the project shows that digital payment forms can also create mechanisms of exclusion, particularly for people with limited technical skills or restricted access to infrastructure. The findings feed into several book publications and were discussed at an international workshop in February 2026, as well as in the broader public debate on data sovereignty and platform regulation in Europe. Further info: digital-payments.ch, 2021–2026 -
Facing Big Data: Methods and skills needed for a 21st century sociology
2017–2021 -
Creating an ELSI Task Force for the NRP-75 “Big Data”
2017–2020 -
Women in Big data
2017–2018
Projects
-
Digital Payments: Making payments personal and social
This research project, led by Sophie Mützel, examined how digital payment methods are transforming social relations in the data economy. Across four subprojects and a comparison between Switzerland and Sweden, the team analyzed how payment intermediaries, retail, and digital marketing form new network structures, how cashless payment has developed historically through giro systems, chip cards, and mobile payment apps, how users experience digital payments in everyday life, and which future imaginaries shape how industry experts and financial media envision digital payment transactions. A central finding is that transactional data has shifted from an administrative byproduct into a distinct market resource that enables new relations between market participants. At the same time, the project shows that digital payment forms can also create mechanisms of exclusion, particularly for people with limited technical skills or restricted access to infrastructure. The findings feed into several book publications and were discussed at an international workshop in February 2026, as well as in the broader public debate on data sovereignty and platform regulation in Europe. Further info: digital-payments.ch, 2021–2026 -
Facing Big Data: Methods and skills needed for a 21st century sociology
2017–2021 -
Creating an ELSI Task Force for the NRP-75 “Big Data”
2017–2020 -
Women in Big data
2017–2018
Publications
- Mützel, S. (2022). Making Sense: Markets from Stories in New Breast Cancer Therapeutics. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Retrieved from https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=34849
- Mützel, S. (2002). Making meaning of the move of the German capital: Networks, logics, and the emergence of capital city journalism. Ann Arbor: UMI.
- Kahlenborn, W., Dierkes, M., Krebsbach-Gnath, C., Mützel, S., & Zimmermann, K. (1995). Berlin – Zukunft aus eigener Kraft: Ein Leitbild für den Wirtschaftsstandort Berlin. Berlin: FAB Verlag.
- Mützel, S., & Unternährer, M. (2024). Digital payments and relational embedding: Turning relations into data and data into relations. Big Data & Society, 11 (3), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517241266432
- Hurtado Bodell, M., Magnusson, M., & Mützel, S. (2022). From Documents to Data: A Framework for Total Corpus Quality. Socius, 8, 1–15. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/23780231221135523
- Mützel, S. (2021). Unlocking the payment experience: Future imaginaries in the case of digital payments. New Media & Society, 23 (2), 284–301. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820929317
- Mützel, S. (2015). Facing Big Data: Making sociology relevant. Big Data & Society, 2 (2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2053951715599179
- Mützel, S. (2015). ‘Netzwerke als Prozesse’, Symposiumsbeitrag zu John Padgett und Walter Powell. The Emergence of Organizations and Markets. Princeton: Princeton UP. Soziologische Revue, 38 (1), 22–29.
- Fuhse, J., & Mützel, S. (2011). Tackling Connections, Structure, and Meaning in Networks: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Sociological Network Research. Quality & Quantity, 45 (5), 1067–1089.
- Mützel, S. (2010). Koordinierung von Märkten durch narrativen Wettbewerb. Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 49. Sonderband, Thema Wirtschaftssoziologie, 87–106.
- Mützel, S. (2009). Networks as cultural constructions: a comparison of relational sociology and actor-network-theory. Current Sociology, 57 (6), 871–887.
- Mützel, S. (2007). Marktkonstitution durch narrativen Wettbewerb. Berliner Journal für Soziologie, 17 (4), 451–464.
- Mützel, S. (2025). Big Data and Machine Learning Methods. In Schulz-Schaeffer, Ingo, Windeler, Arnold & Blättel-Mink, Birgit (Eds.), Handbook of Innovation. Cham: Springer. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-3-031-25143-6_56-1
- Mützel, S., & Ollion, É. (im Druck). Machine Learning and the Analysis of Culture. In Borch, Christian & Pardo-Guerra, Juan Pablo (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of the Sociology of Machine Learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197653609.013.39
- Mützel, S. (2024). Neuer US-amerikanischer Strukturalismus. In Stegbauer, Christian & Häußling, Roger (Eds.), Handbuch Netzwerkforschung (pp. 1–10). Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37507-2_26-1
- Mützel, S. (2023). Netzwerkansätze in der Wirtschaftssoziologie. In Stegbauer, Christian & Häußling, Roger (Eds.), Handbuch Netzwerkforschung (pp. 1–9). Wiesbaden: VS Springer. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-658-37507-2_53-1
- Mützel, S., & Kressin, L. (2021). From Simmel to Relational Sociology. In Abrutyn, Seth: Lizardo, Omar (Ed.), Handbook of Classical Sociological Theory (pp. 217–238). Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78205-4
- Mützel, S., & Breiger, R. (2020). Duality beyond persons and groups: culture and affiliation. In Light, Ryan & Moody, James (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Social Networks (pp. 392–413). Oxfrod: Oxford University Press.
- Hasse, R., Mützel, S., & Nyfeler, J. (2020). Hauptsache neu? Zur Organisation von Innovation und Kreativität. In Apelt, M. et al. (Ed.), Handbuch Organisationssoziologie (pp. 1–17). Wiesbaden: Springer VS. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-15953-5_36-1
- Mützel, S. (2018). Brian Uzzi & Jarrett Spiro. Collaboration and Creativity: The Small World Problem. In Boris Holzer, Christian Stegbauer (Ed.), Schlüsselwerke der Netzwerkforschung (pp. 539–541). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2018). Charles Kudushin. Networks and circles in the production of culture. In Boris Holzer, Christian Stegbauer (Ed.), Schlüsselwerke der Netzwerkforschung (pp. 281–283). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.
- Mützel, S., Saner, P., & Unternährer, M. (2018). Schöne Daten! Konstruktion und Verarbeitung von digitalen Daten. In Houben, Daniel & Prietl, Bianca (Eds.), Datengesellschaft: Einsichten in die Datafizierung des Sozialen (pp. 111–132). Bielefeld: Transcript. Retrieved from http://www.transcript-verlag.de/978-3-8376-3957-5/datengesellschaft
- Mützel, S. (2017). David Stark: The Sense of Dissonance. In Klaus Kraemer & Florian Brugger (Eds.), Schlüsselwerke der Wirtschaftssoziologie (pp. 499–506). WIesbaden: Springer VS. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-658-08184-3_57
- Mützel, S. (2016). Netzwerkperspektiven in der Wirtschaftssoziologie. In Andrea Maurer (Ed.), Handbuch der Wirtschaftssoziologie (2nd ed., pp. 473–499). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.
- Farías, I., & Mützel, S. (2015). Culture and Actor Network Theory. In James D. Wright (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (2nd edition, pp. 523–527). Oxford: Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-097086-8.10448-9
- Mützel, S. (2015). Geschichten als Signale: Zur diskursiven Konstruktion von Märkten. In Rainer Diaz-Bone & Gertraude Krell (Eds.), Diskurs und Ökonomie: Diskursanalytische Perspektiven auf Märkte und Organisationen (2., durchgesehene Auflage, pp. 263–284). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2015). Structures of the Tasted: Restaurant Reviews in Berlin Between 1995 and 2012. In Ariane Berthoin Antal, Michael Hutter & David Stark (Eds.), Moments of Valuation: Exploring Sites of Dissonance (pp. 147–167). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Mützel, S., & Fuhse, J. (2010). Einleitung: Zur relationalen Soziologie. Grundgedanken, Entwicklungslinien und transatlantische Brückenschläge. In Jan Fuhse & Sophie Mützel (Eds.), Relationale Soziologie: Zur kulturellen Wende der Netzwerkforschung (pp. 7–35). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2010). Netzwerkansätze in der Wirtschaftssoziologie. In Christian Stegbauer & Roger Häußling (Eds.), Handbuch Netzwerkforschung (pp. 595–607). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2010). Neuer amerikanischer Strukturalismus. In Christian Stegbauer & Roger Häußling (Eds.), Handbuch Netzwerkforschung (pp. 303–313). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2009). Geschichten als Signale: Zur diskursiven Konstruktion von Märkten. In Rainer Diaz-Bone & Gertraude Krell (Eds.), Diskurs und Ökonomie: Diskursanalytische Perspektiven auf Märkte und Organisationen (pp. 225–244). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2008). Handlungskoordination in der neuen Wirtschaftssoziologie: Französische und US-amerikanische Ansätze im Vergleich. In Karl-Siegbert Rehberg (Ed.), Die Natur der Gesellschaft, Verhandlungsband des 33. Kongresses der DGS. Frankfurt/M.: Campus.
- Haas, J., & Mützel, S. (2008). Netzwerkanalyse und Netzwerktheorie in Deutschland - eine empirische Übersicht und theoretische Entwicklungspotentiale. In Christian Stegbauer (Ed.), Netzwerkanalyse und Netzwerktheorie: Ein neues Paradigma in den Sozialwissenschaften (pp. 49–62). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2008). Netzwerkperspektiven in der Wirtschaftssoziologie. In Andrea Maurer (Ed.), Handbuch der Wirtschaftssoziologie (pp. 185–206). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2007). Von Bonn nach Berlin: Der gewachsene Hauptstadtjournalismus. In Stephan Weichert & Christian Zabel (Eds.), Die Alpha-Journalisten: Deutschlands Wortführer im Portrait (pp. 55–73). Köln: Herbert von Halem Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2006). Strukturelle Netzwerkanalyse und Bourdieus Praxistheorie: Weiterführende Ideen für die neue Wirtschaftssoziologie. In Michael Florian & Frank Hillebrandt (Eds.), Pierre Bourdieu: Neue Perspektiven für die Soziologie der Wirtschaft? (pp. 109–125). Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.
- Dierkes, M., & Mützel, S. (1999). Unternehmensethik jenseits von Rhetorik. In Lutz von Rosenstiel, Erika Regnet & Michael Domsch (Eds.), Führung von Mitarbeitern - Handbuch für erfolgreiches Personalmanagement (4. Auflage, pp. 823–832). Stuttgart: Schäffer-Poeschel Verlag.
- Dierkes, M., & Mützel, S. (1998). Methoden der Technikfolgenabschätzung. In Erich Zahn (Ed.), Handbuch Technologiemanagement (pp. 645–662). Stuttgart: Schäffer-Poeschel Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2013). On Coordination: Stories and Meaning Making in Markets. Economic Sociology, the European Electronic Newsletter, 14 (2), 4–9.
- Mützel, S. (2010). Stories machen Märkte. WZB Mitteilungen, (130), 40–42.
- Mützel, S. (2005). Kollaboratives Lernen mit Moodle. cms-journal, (26), 54–55.
- Dederke, J., Mützel, S., & Oros, A. (2000). National Identity and Public Policy in Comparative Perspective. Asian Studies Newsletter, Association for Asian Studies, 45 (4), 18–19.
- Dederke, J., Mützel, S., & Salomon, H. (2000). National Identity and Public Policy in Comparative Perspective. Minikomi, (4), 29–31.
- Mützel, S. (2015). Computational Social Science. In Rainer Diaz-Bone & Christoph Weischer (Eds.), Methoden-Lexikon für die Sozialwissenschaften. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2015). Data mining. In Rainer Diaz-Bone & Christoph Weischer (Eds.), Methoden-Lexikon für die Sozialwissenschaften. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2015). Narrationsanalyse, quantitative. In Rainer Diaz-Bone & Christoph Weischer (Eds.), Methoden-Lexikon für die Sozialwissenschaften. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2015). Netzwerke, narrative. In Rainer Diaz-Bone & Christoph Weischer (Eds.), Methoden-Lexikon für die Sozialwissenschaften. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2015). Topic modeling. In Rainer Diaz-Bone & Christoph Weischer (Eds.), Methoden-Lexikon für die Sozialwissenschaften. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
- Mützel, S. (2014). Beziehung, soziale. In Hans Peter Müller & Steffen Sigmund (Eds.), Max Weber-Handbuch (pp. 34–35). Stuttgart: Verlag J.B. Metzler.
- Mützel, S. (2008). USA. In Lutz Hachmeister (Ed.), Grundlagen der Medienpolitik. Ein Handbuch (pp. 393–398). München: DVA.
- Mützel, S. (November 2022). Eszter Hargittai (Ed.). Research exposed. How empirical social science gets done in the digital age. Studies in Communication Sciences, 22 (2), 405–407. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24434/j.scoms.2022.02.031
- Mützel, S. (2011). Besprechung von ‘Mark Lutter, “Märkte für Träume”’. Soziologische Revue, 35, 74–78.
- Mützel, S. (2009). Comment on Emmanuel Lazega/2. Sociologica, (1).
- Mützel, S. (2006). Rezension von ‘Joel Podolny, “Status Signals”.’ Economic Sociology European Electronic Newsletter, 7 (3), 40–41.
