ESRA 2027 sessions by theme
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(In)equality in Europe: Understanding Younger Generations' Perspectives |
| Coordinator 1 | Dr Yuliya Kazakova (Generations and Gender Programme (Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute/Universtity of Groningen)) |
| Coordinator 2 | Professor Susan Banducci (University of Birmingham) |
| Coordinator 3 | Dr Ruxandra Comănaru (European Social Survey HQ (City St George's, University of London)) |
| Coordinator 4 | Dr David Consolazio (EVS University of Milan) |
Session Details
Perceptions of inequality are central to the legitimacy and resilience of European societies. Beyond differences in income and material security, inequalities in access to rights, legal protections, recognition, and respect shape how people experience society and whether they trust its institutions. For younger generations, whose lives are increasingly shaped by economic uncertainty, social diversity, and changing labour markets, understanding how inequalities are perceived and experienced has become an important empirical and policy challenge.
The Horizon Europe-funded Infra4NextGen project addresses these questions across five themes, of which Make it Equal examines how younger Europeans perceive multiple dimensions of inequality, how these perceptions are linked to experiences of material security, discrimination, and intergroup relations, and how they shape attitudes towards fairness, redistribution, and social policies. Particular attention is given to differences between younger and older generations, as well as variation across countries and social groups.
The project brings together European research infrastructures (European Social Survey, European Values Study, Generations and Gender Programme, and CESSDA) with academic and policy experts to generate tools, data, and insights that are relevant, methodologically sound, and useful for research and policy. A key resource is the CRONOS-3 panel, a probability-based, input-harmonised mixed-mode survey conducted over five waves in eleven European countries during 2024–2025, partly based on the ESS Round 11 “Gender in Contemporary Europe” module.
This session invites submissions using CRONOS-3, other consortium surveys (ESS, EVS, GGP), or related Infra4NextGen outputs to examine how perceptions and experiences of inequality differ across generations, countries, and social groups. We welcome contributions on topics including material insecurity, discrimination, social cohesion, redistribution, equal opportunities, intergroup relations, and trust in institutions. The session aims to advance comparative research on inequalities and their consequences for social cohesion, democratic legitimacy, and the lives of Europe's younger
