Curriculum vitae (including list of publications): download pdf.
Email to w.raub@uu.nl for copies of publications that are not directly available via the links below.

Recent Handbook

• Gërxhani, K., N.D. de Graaf, and W. Raub (eds.) (2022, 2023) Handbook of Sociological Science: Contributions to Rigorous Sociology, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Hardback edition 2022, paperback edition 2023, Open Access edition 2023. Link to publication. Open Access. Download pdf of Handbook.
  "This Handbook is an important step toward re-centering sociology on basic principles of scientific rigor. The need for this volume, however, is also a cause for introspection for the discipline. Ideally, the discipline will advance to the point where the adjective ‘rigorous’ becomes implicit when people refer to sociology. The editors and contributors are to be commended for advancing this cause." (Jesper B. Sorensen (2024) Review of Handbook of Sociological Science: Contributions to Rigorous Sociology, Contemporary Sociology 53: 248–250. Link to review.)

Co-authored chapters:

• Raub, W., N.D. de Graaf, and K. Gërxhani (2022, 2023) Rigorous sociology,  in K. Gërxhani, N.D. de Graaf, and W. Raub (eds.) Handbook of Sociological Science: Contributions to Rigorous Sociology, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2–19. Open Access. Download (pdf).
• Buskens, V., R. Corten, and W. Raub (2022, 2023) Social networks: Effects and formation, in K. Gërxhani, N.D. de Graaf, and W. Raub (eds.) Handbook of Sociological Science: Contributions to Rigorous Sociology, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 154–175. Open Access. Download (pdf).
   

Other recent and forthcoming publications (selection)

• Otte, G., N. Sonntag, H. Leitgöb, N. Nisic, and W. Raub (eds.) (2026) Explanation and Causality in the Social Sciences, Special Issue 2026 of Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, in progress.
• Raub, W. (2026) A model of sociological explanation. Comments on Coleman's diagram, in progress for G. Otte, N. Sonntag, H. Leitgöb, N. Nisic, and W. Raub (eds.) Explanation and Causality in the Social Sciences, Special Issue 2026 of Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie.
• Raub, W. (2025) Coleman's problem and Boudon's solution: Rational choice theory as a tool for sociology, forthcoming in G. Manzo (ed.) Boudon Re-examined. Nuts and Bolts for Contemporary Social Science, Paris: Sorbonne University Press.
• Raub, W. and A. van de Rijt (2024) Methodological individualism and formal models, in N. Bulle and F. Di Iorio (eds.), Palgrave Handbook of Methodological Individualism, Vol. II, London: Palgrave Macmillan, 373–399. Link to publication.
• Raub, W. (2023) Theorien und Theoreme der Netzwerkforschung: Rational Choice, in C. Stegbauer and R. Häussling (eds.), Handbuch Netzwerkforschung, rev. and expanded ed., Wiesbaden: Springer, online first.
• Raub, W. (2022) Conceptualizing ‘cooperation’ and ‘defection’ in the Volunteer’s Dilemma (and in social dilemmas more generally), Homo Oeconomicus online first (12 pp.). Open Access.
   

Selected publications (theoretical and empirical work over the course of the academic career)

• See above for Handbook of Sociological Science: Contributions to Rigorous Sociology.
• Raub, W. (2021) Rational choice theory in the social sciences, in M. Knauff and W. Spohn (eds.), The Handbook of Rationality, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 611–623. Link to Open Access edition of the handbook. Download (pdf; Open Access) of the chapter.
• Buskens, V., W. Raub, N. van Miltenburg, E.R. Montoya, and J. van Honk (2016) Testosterone administration moderates effect of social environment on trust in women depending on second-to-fourth digit ratio, Scientific Reports 6: 27655. Link to publication.
• Raub, W., V. Buskens, and V. Frey (2013) The rationality of social structure: Cooperation in social dilemmas through investments in and returns on social capital, Social Networks 35: 720–732. Link to publication.
• Raub, W., V. Buskens, and M. van Assen (2011) Micro-macro links and micro-foundations in sociology, Journal of Mathematical Sociology 35 (1–3): 1–25. Link to publication.
• Buskens, V., W. Raub, and J. van der Veer (2010) Trust in triads: an experimental study, Social Networks 32: 301-312. Link to publication.
• Batenburg, R., W. Raub, and C. Snijders (2003) Contacts and contracts. Dyadic embeddedness and the contractual behavior of firms, Research in the Sociology of Organizations 20: 135-188. Link to publication.
• Buskens, V. and W. Raub (2002) Embedded trust: control and learning, Advances in Group Processes 19: 167–202 (2003 James S. Coleman Award of the Section on Rationality and Society of the American Sociological Association). Link to publication.
• Rooks, G., W. Raub, R. Selten, and F. Tazelaar (2000) How inter-firm cooperation depends on social embeddedness: a vignette study, Acta Sociologica 43: 123–137. Link to publication.
• Raub, W. and C. Snijders (1997) Gains, losses, and cooperation in social dilemmas and collective action: The effects of risk preferences, Journal of Mathematical Sociology 22: 263-302. Link to publication.
• Weesie, J. and W. Raub (1996) Private ordering. A comparative institutional analysis of hostage games, Journal of Mathematical Sociology 21: 201–240. Link to publication.
• Raub, W. and G. Keren (1993) Hostages as a commitment device: A game-theoretic model and an empirical test of some scenarios, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 21: 43–67. Link to publication.
• Raub, W. and J. Weesie (1990) Reputation and efficiency in social interactions: An example of network effects, American Journal of Sociology 96: 626-654. Link to publication.
• Raub, W. and Th. Voss (1986) Die Sozialstruktur der Kooperation rationaler Egoisten. Zur “utilitaristischen” Erklärung sozialer Ordnung, Zeitschrift für Soziologie 15: 309–323. Link to publication.
• Hegselmann, R., W. Raub and Th. Voss (1986) Zur Entstehung der Moral aus natürlichen Neigungen. Eine spieltheoretische Spekulation, Analyse und Kritik 8: 150–177. Link to publication.
• Raub, W. and Th. Voss (1981) Individuelles Handeln und gesellschaftliche Folgen, Darmstadt: Luchterhand (Soziologische Texte, Neue Folge, Band 120). Download (pdf) complete volume. Download per chapter (pdf) Contents - Introduction - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 -Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - References - Index. 
   

Some review articles

• Raub, W., V. Buskens, and R. Corten (2015) Social dilemmas and cooperation, in: N. Braun and N.J. Saam (eds.) Handbuch Modellbildung und Simulation in den Sozialwissenschaften. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 597-626. Link to publication.
• Buskens, V., R. Corten, and W. Raub (2015) Social networks, in: N. Braun and N.J. Saam (eds.) Handbuch Modellbildung und Simulation in den Sozialwissenschaften. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 663-687. Link to publication.
• Buskens, V. and W. Raub (2013) Rational choice social research on social dilemmas: embeddedness effects on trust, in: R. Wittek, T.A.B. Snijders, and V. Nee (eds.) Handbook of Rational Choice Social Research. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 113-150. Download (pdf).
• Raub, W. and V. Buskens (2006) Spieltheoretische Modellierungen und empirische Anwendungen in der Soziologie, Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie / Sonderheft 44 'Methoden der Sozialforschung': 560-598. Download (pdf).
   

Farewell lecture as Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences

• Raub, W. (2017) Rational Models. Utrecht: Utrecht University. Download (pdf).
   

Some early work on ‘structural individualism’ and  ‘explanatory sociology’
In addition to Raub, W. and Th. Voss (1981) Individuelles Handeln und gesellschaftliche Folgen, Darmstadt: Luchterhand (Soziologische Texte, Neue Folge, Band 120; see above under 'Selected publications'), here are downloadable versions of another monograph and two edited volumes from the 1980s that contributed to the development of ‘structural individualism’ and ‘explanatory sociology’ and are by now hard to obtain via libraries.

• Büschges, G. and W. Raub (eds.) (1985) Soziale Bedingungen – individuelles Handeln – soziale Konsequenzen, Frankfurt a.M.: Lang. Download (pdf).
• Raub, W. (1984) Rationale Akteure, institutionelle Regelungen und Interdependenzen, Frankfurt a.M.: Lang (PhD thesis Utrecht University). Download (pdf).
• Raub, W. (ed.) (1982) Theoretical Models and Empirical Analyses. Contributions to the Explanation of Individual Actions and Collective Phenomena, Utrecht: E.S.-Publications. Download (pdf).

For a concise overview of 'structural individualism' and on how it relates to other research programs in rigorous sociology, see Raub, W. (2021) Analytical sociology and its lesser known antecedents: Structural individualism in European sociology, in G. Manzo (ed.), Research Handbook on Analytical Sociology, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 80–99. Link to publication. Download (pdf) manuscript version.

Some presentations

• 'Analytical and empirical sociology: Unity in diversity' (2022). Download (pdf).
• 'Strategic ties: Formation and effects of long-term exchange relations' (2018). Download (pdf).
• 'Complementary designs for repeated tests of hypotheses: Trust in social and economic exchange as an example' (2018). Download (pdf).
• 'Micro-macro models in sociology' (2018). Download (pdf).
• 'Testosterone administration moderates effect of social environment on trust in women depending on second-to-fourth digit ratio' (2016). Download (pdf).
• 'How rational choice models can (and do) contribute to theory and empirical research in sociology' (2011). Download (pdf).
• 'Embedded Trust Games: Learning, control, and investments in embeddedness' (2011). Download (pdf).

(Updated August 13, 2024)