Cluster News at a Glance

Contributions by our researchers and PIs, reports on public Cluster activities, and Cluster-related news items

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NEPS Medal 2021

The book "The Internet and Political Protest in Autocracies" by Nils Weidmann (University of Konstanz) and Espen Geelmuyden Rød (University of Uppsala) was awarded the NEPS Medal 2021.

Inequality Barometer: Middle Class - Who Is That?

The survey of the Cluster's Inequality Barometer reveals great degrees of misperception of the amount and distribution of income and wealth inequality: Many of the rich, as well as many members of the lower income groups, falsely assume they belong to the middle class. Nevertheless, respondents would prefer a more egalitarian society, and have a pessimistic outlook on opportunities for social mobility.

Overcoming resistance to COVID-19 vaccination: new evidence

Behavioural economist Dr. Katrin Schmelz of the University of Konstanz and her Santa Fe Institute colleague Prof. Dr. Samuel Bowles show that enforcing SARS-CoV-2 vaccination should be avoided: mandates would undermine intrinsic motivation to vaccinate in many people, and bear high social and political costs.

Germans (mis-)understand inequality

In their new “Inequality Barometer”, Konstanz researchers demonstrate: The German population often assesses the level of inequality incorrectly, underestimating wealth inequality in particular. This also has political consequences.

Claudia Diehl appointed

Sociologist Professor Claudia Diehl, professor of microsociology at the University of Konstanz and co-speaker of the Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality” appointed to the Standing Research Commission of the Conference of the German Ministers of Education – she will advise the Standing Conference in questions of migration and integration research

COVID-19 and Inequality

How does the pandemic change our society? Social scientists from Konstanz investigate this question in the first issue of their new research magazine In_equality.