Oliver Nachtwey has a degree in economics from the University of Hamburg and received his PhD in political sociology from the University of Göttingen in 2008. Subsequently, he worked as a researcher at the universities of Jena, Trier and Darmstadt. He has been a fellow at the Hamburg Institute for Social Research, the Kolleg Postwachstum in Jena and the Institute for Social Research Frankfurt.
Professor Nachtwey’s research interests focus on processes of social modernization and individualization, as well as the transformation of work. His research also explores the development of social conflict, political representation, protests and social movements. In his more recent work, he focuses particularly on the social effects of digitalization.

Professor Nachtwey received several prizes for his book Die Abstiegsgesellschaft. Über das Aufbegehren in der regressiven Moderne(English: “Germany’s Hidden Crises: Social Decline in the Heart of Europe”), while another book Gekränkte Freiheit. Aspekte des libertären Autoritarismus(co-authored with Carolin Amlinger, English: “Offended Freedom: Aspects of Libertarian Authoritarianism”) was shortlisted for the Leipzig Book Fair Prize in the non-fiction category. In 2025, Oliver Nachtwey and Carolin Amlinger received the Geschwister Scholl prize for their book Zerstörungslust. Elemente des demokratischen Faschismus. The book was listed in the non fiction list of the best of the ZEIT/ Deutschlandfunk Kultur/ZDF as well as on the list of the best at NZZ/WELT/WDR5/Ö1 on place 1.  

Oliver Nachtweys books and texts have been translated into numerous languages. Professor Nachtwey’s writings are published in internationally renowned academic journals and periodicals, such as the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, The New York Times, ZEIT and the New Statesman. His research has been featured in the NZZ, The Guardian, SPIEGEL, El Pais, Le Monde, Profil and the BBC, among other venues.