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.