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Research priority "Inequality and Conflict"

The Konstanz research priority "Inequality and Conflict" concentrates on the political, social and economic causes and effects of inequality and conflicts from an interdisciplinary perspective. This topic brings together researchers from the fields of sociology, law, political science and economics, computer science, empirical educational sciences, anthropology, linguistics and psychology. Their work focusses on empirical research areas in education and the labour market, climate change and its impact on society, socioeconomic factors and social change, migration and integration, trauma, activism and peace studies, as well as political processes in democratic and undemocratic countries.

The Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" plays a key role in this research priority. Cluster researchers examine questions involving perceptions of structural inequality, its effect on political participation, and which impact this has on actors in political processes. The research priority also has close ties to the Graduate School of the Social and Behavioural Sciences (GSBS) and teaching in the master's programmes Sociology of Inequality and Politics and Public Administration (Political Economy and Inequality specialization).

Furthermore, research in this area also involves concrete assistance for people in dangerous situations and regions impacted by crisis. One example is the Centre of Excellence for Psychotraumatology (a joint project of the University of Konstanz and vivo international e.V.). With a special training programme, the university is also part of the DAAD's Hilde Domin Programme, which provides scholarships for students and doctoral researchers at risk. Research on inequality and conflict is carried out in close dialogue with representatives from civil society and non-governmental organizations.

"Inequality and Conflict" involves the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
– 04 "Quality education"
– 05 "Gender equality"
– 10 "Reduced inequalities"
– 13 "Climate action"
– 16 "Peace, justice and strong institutions"

Current news

Students at the University

New paper on gender inequality in academia

Thomas Hinz and Susanne Strauss, Principal Investigators of the Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality”, have published a paper on gender inequality and academic performance in Germany. Co-author of the study “Discrimination or a Competitive Climate? Why Women Cannot Translate Their Better High School Grades into University Grades” is Diana Roxana Galos from the University of Copenhagen.

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Press release from the pen of an AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in the modern working world. But how widespread is AI actually in German companies, and how do employees view this development? Are they rather worried or optimistic? These questions are examined in a new policy paper from the Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" at the University of Konstanz. Inspired by the topic of the paper, this press release was written with the help of AI.

Does neighbourly pressure work?

Prisca Jöst, former Research Fellow at the Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality” has published a paper with the open access, peer-reviewed journal PLOS One.

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