The Konstanz social and cognitive sciences are organized in a highly interdisciplinary manner. Our researchers investigate the social and cognitive aspects of human actions as well as the general decision-making processes in politics and society. Research in this priority area is driven by the Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality: Perceptions, Participation and Policies” that developed out of the research priority “decision sciences”.
In the Cluster of Excellence, researchers from different disciplines work together to better understand the political dimensions of inequality, using political science, economics, sociology, empirical educational research, computer science, linguistics and psychology. They pursue the following questions and more: Under which conditions is inequality perceived as a social problem? When do these perceptions lead to political mobilization and participation? And to what extent do public demands and preferences influence political processes? The Cluster of Excellence’s major empirical research areas include: perceptions of inequality in education and the labour market, income and wealth inequality, the influence of institutions on socio-economic inequality as well as the integration and mobilization of ethnic minorities in democratic and non-democratic countries.