Jan Vranken (Belgium, 1944) obtained a PhD in political and social sciences (University of Antwerp,

1977) with a dissertation on 'Poverty in the Welfare State. A historical and structural interpretation'.

He spent his academic whole career at the University of Antwerpen from 1968 to 2009. Since 2009,

he is an Emeritus Full Professor.

He taught courses on General Sociology, on Sociology of Inequalities, on Social Problems, on Urban

Sociology and on Poverty and Social Exclusion at his own university and at the Universities of

Maastricht and Cologne.