Current PositionProfessor emeritus of Sociology, Institut für Soziologie, Universität München, München, GermanyEducational Background1953-56Universität Hamburg: Business Administration, Economics, Civil Law, Dutch, English1956Diplom-Kaufmann (Business Degree)1956-57University of Kansas: Graduate Study in Business Administration and Social Psychology1957Master of Business Administration: University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas1959Dr. phil. (Sociology, Psychology, Business Adm.): Universität Hamburg, Germany1961-66Wissenschaftlicher Assistent, Institut für Sozialwissenschaften, Universität Hamburg1966-67Fellowship, awarded by the American Council of Learned Societies: Postdoctoral Research at the Department of Sociology of The University of Chicago1967Habilitation (Sociology): Privatdozent, Universität HamburgEmployment1959-61Marketing Manager in Industry: Unilever Germany, Hamburg1961-69Universität Hamburg: Assistant, Sociology 1961-1968, Universitätsdozent, Sociology 1968-691969-72RWTH Aachen (Aachen Institute of Technology): Professor of Sociology ("Was macht man, wenn keiner Rektor sein will?" Aachener Volkszeitung)1972-73Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria: Professor of Sociology1973-2002Universität München, Professor of Sociology and Co-director of Institut für SoziologieAwards1956-57Fulbright Scholarship, University of Kansas1958-59Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, scholarship for graduate work toward doctorate1966-67American Council of Learned Societies: American Studies Fellow1984Killam Visiting Scholar, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Sept./Dec.)1990Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), Bonn: Travel grant for sabbatical leave at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque (Aug.-Dec.)1991Fulbright Professorship for summer school teaching at the University of Colorado at Boulder (July-Aug.)Professional Activities1970-71Dean, Philosophische Fakultät, RWTH Aachen1973Visiting Professor at the University of California Santa Barbara, USA (July-Sept.)1979-88Chairman, Sektion für Soziologie, Görres-Gesellschaft1981-82Visiting Professor at the University of California Santa Barbara1981Nov. 25.: Interview with Herbert Blumer in Berkley, CaliforniaDec. 18. Encounter with William French Smith, Attorney General of the United States in Los Angeles1982Chairman, Symposium 8: Revisions and Relations among Modern Microsociological Paradigms, 10th World Congress of Sociology, Mexico City1984Sept.-Dec.: Visiting Professor (Killam Scholar) The University of Calgary, Alberta1984-86Department Head, Institut für Soziologie Universität München1985March: Visiting Professor, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium1986-87Nov.-Feb.: Visiting Professor, Universität Zürich, Switzerland1986-88Elected member of university senate, Universität München1988August: Organizer and director: OASIS Summer-School (Organization for Advanced Studies in Interpretative Sociology), an English language summer institute at the Universität München, co-taught with Tamotsu Shibutani, Friedrich Tenbruck and others.1988-89Nov.-Feb.: Visiting Professor, Universität Zürich, Switzerland1989April: Visiting Professor, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas1989-90Nov.-Feb.: Visiting Professor, Universität Zürich, Switzerland1990Aug.-Dec.: Visiting Professor, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M.1991Jan.: Visiting Professor at Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia1991Mar.-May: Exchange Professor, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis1991Jul.-Aug.: Fulbright Professor during summer school, University of Colorado, Boulder1991-92Nov.-Feb.: Visiting Professor, Universität Zürich, Switzerland1991-93Department Chair, Institut für Soziologie, Universität München1993March: Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada1995Research: University of Hawaii at Manoa (April-May), University of California at Santa Barbara (June-July). Teaching: University of Colorado at Boulder (August)1995Sept.-Oct.: Guest lectures in Tokyo, Nagasaki, and Seoul.1996March: Guest lectures in Seoul and Beijing.1996April: Co-Chair, International Conference on George Simmel's Actual and Potential Impact on Contemporary Sociology: University of Colorado at Boulder (USA)1997March: Guest lectures and research contacts in Seoul and Beijing.1997Aug.-Sept.: Presenter at International Conference of Interuniversity Cooperation and Exchange, 3rd visit to Peking University, research contacts in Seoul, Kyoto, and Tokyo.1998March-Apr.: Research contacts in Seoul (Shamanism) and Beijing.Oct.: Prof. Jing Tiankui meets Prof. Beck at the University of Munchen (picture)1999March-Apr.: Research visit to Beijing, Guiyang, Quanzhou, and Fuzhou, financed by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).1999Sept.-Dec.: Visiting Professor: University of Maine at Farmington, Maine, U.S.A.2000Jan.-Apr.: Visiting Professor: Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, U.S.A.2000August: Visit to Professor Phillip E. Hammond, University of California, Santa Barbara.2001June (1-10): China: Lecture and research contacts at Tongji University (picture) in Shanghai with field trips to the Shanghai temple district Chenghuang, and to Zhouzhuang, Hangzhou, and Suzhou.2001June (10-13): Korea: Lecture at the German-Korean Conference in Seoul: Korea and Germany at the Threshold of the 21st Century.2002Jan.: Visit to Shanghai. August: Visit to Boston, New York, the University of Maine at Farmington, and the University of California at Santa Barbara.2003Aug.-Oct.: Two months in China with professional contacts at Peking University and guest lectures at Fudan University and Tongji University in Shanghai, and at Huaqiao University in Quanzhou.2004May: Visit to Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.A.&xnbsp; Sept. 15-18: Presenter at the XII Congress of the Polish Sociological Association in Poznan, Poland.2005Febr.: Research contacts at Fudan University, Shanghai, and at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.&xnbsp; May-June: Visiting scholar and lecturer at Fudan University, Shanghai, China.2006Jan.-May: Guest professor at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, U.S.A.2007Sept.-Oct.: Guest teaching: Peking University and Dalian Technical University, China. Visit with Prof. Jing Tiankui at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (picture)2008March: Guest lectures at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, at Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou Campus, at Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai Campus, at Huaqiao University (picture), Quanzhou, at Peking University, Beijing, and at the German-Japanese Workshop “Family and Work” in Tokyo.