Changing societies "Inequality – Inequalities" (INEG)

The "Changing societies" programme

In an environment marked at the same time by new forms of exchange, of interdependence and of differentiation between cultures, and also by certain forms of globalisation of life styles and of thought, the study of societies and of cultures in their transformations and in their permanence takes a strong current events. Understanding the phenomena at stake, whether they concern political, social, economic or cultural aspects, requires an appreciation of the historical perspective, the study of procedures at different scales, the analysis of the plurality of contexts, as well as the perceptions that individuals, groups and societies might have.

The establishment of a pluri-annual thematic programme « Changing societies », covering all humanities and social sciences, should enable questioning of medium term as well as, each year, the reflection on one or more privileged themes. This inscription in time should enable, more particularly, to accumulate knowledge, to multiply points of view and theoretical questioning to favour cooperation between researchers and exchanges between various approaches.

For the year 2011, the programme proposes a first call for proposals on the theme « Inequality – Inequalities ».

Objectives of the call for proposals « Inequality - Inequalities »

Inequalities seem to spread, to deepen and to transform, as much within industrial countries as within emerging countries, and also between the rich and the poor countries. Although inequalities are based on old foundations, new factors contribute to their evolution: aging of populations; migration and mobility; urbanisation; changes of lifestyles; attitude towards health; changes in the role of institutions. All these elements lead to questions on the role of economic, social, cultural and ideological contexts, the links between growth and inequality, the forms of redistribution, policies and adapted means, as well as more broadly the forms of justice and social cohesion that might ensure the greatest well-being for populations within societies in mutation.

The issue of inequalities is important for the understanding of the evolution of social models, such as the global economy, as well as to question the conceptions of social justice, inter and intra-generational equity, the role of public policies and more broadly, the conditions of social cohesion and concepts of « living together ».

The call for proposals « Inequality - Inequalities », firstly, addresses the dynamics of production, of regulation, of transformation, of perception of the various inequalities, whether they concern remuneration, patrimony, employment, education, justice, culture, health, environment, gender, access to services, to health facilities, to housing or any other aspect of individual or social life. Also, it is an opportunity to question the concept of inequality in a new way.

Its main objectives are:

• Favour the understanding of processes of aggregation, of structuring of inequalities at various micro et macro scales;
• Go beyond fragmented approaches and stimulate the emergence of integrated procedures, including the production of indicators and the exploitation of data from existing surveys, especially those based on public statistics ;
• Encourage comparative approaches based on studies of variations and constants in time and space ;
• Question the relevance of choice of categories, of data, of indicators and of their mode of construction and utilisation ;
• Put into perspective the models used to approach  inequalities ;
• Stimulate the renewal of methods, of approaches, of objects, of fields, of theories.

Five major axes of work can be envisaged: they are neither limitative nor complete and should not exclude other exploration of questions linked to « Inequality  - Inequalities ».

The question of inequalites

• Measure, construction and use of categories and theories
• Historical and cultural diversity of inequalities
• Potential and capabilities
• Ethics and social justice

Genesis and dynamics of inequalities

• Growth and inequality
• Systems of inequality
• Transitory and permanent inequalities
• Life stories

Spaces and places of inequalities

• Spatial logic of inequalities
• Effects of place

Individual, society, institution

• Work and workplace
• Education and training
• Health and well-being
• Public and political space

Perception and representation of inequalities

• From difference to discrimination
• Formation of social judgment, of prescriptive and ethical frameworks
• Reality and perception of inequalities
• Make-believe