Pillar 3: Changes in Human Capital, Labour Markets and Demographic Structures and their Impact on Social Inequality in Modern Societies

Most industrial societies have witnessed an increase in social inequality during the past three decades. Yet, this trend and its social mechanisms are still not sufficiently understood by social scientists. Researchers in Pillar 3 address questions such as the following: To what extent do changes in the labour markets (e.g. through increasing international competition or flexibilisation) increase social inequality? In what way are social risks accumulating over life courses under different labour market regimes? To what extent do imbalances of supply and demand of human capital across generations explain rising levels of social inequality? Do demographic changes such as declining fertility and increasing life expectancy increase or decrease social inequality? To what extent are specific forms of social inequality mitigated or exacerbated in different welfare state regimes? What are the consequences of migration for social inequality in modern societies?

Doctoral students in Pillar 3 receive an excellent grounding in state-of-the-art of research on human capital, labour markets and demography and their relationship to social inequality. At the same time, they find themselves part of a stimulating research community that helps them produce new insights into these issues. Research on social inequality at BAGSS is characterised by:

• the use of longitudinal data to examine the ways in which social status and resources increase or decrease over the life course;
• a cross-national perspective that goes beyond already well-researched cases;
• a multi-level approach that considers developments at the firm, regional, national, European and global level;
• an emphasis on the complex interplay of various factors such as changing labour market structures, changes in the supply and demand of human capital and demographic changes.

More information on Pillar 3:

• faculty members and doctoral researchers
• research projects
• publications
• partners