13. June 2006 12:29
TransEuropean change and the struggle for equality
The European Science Foundation is launching a Research Networking Programme, ‘TransEurope’, to identify and measure the impact of transnationalisation on European countries and the resulting inequality in Europe. This will aim to discover which nations adapt well to this constantly changing international environment, which struggle to keep up and why.
Transnationalisation refers to the ‘Europeanisation’ of different national markets and domestic structures. As the barriers of international borders become less significant, Europe develops as a whole and member states must adapt. Rapid European change causes unpredictability in job markets and socio-economic development. This makes it increasingly difficult for individuals in Europe to make long-term binding life course decisions.
Six European countries will participate in the Programme: Germany; The Netherlands; Sweden; Estonia; Belgium and Austria. It will bring together experts in Political Science, Demography, Economics and Sociology, from each of these countries to share multidisciplinary research methods and expertise.
The aim is to measure transnational shifts and the mechanisms whereby these shifts affect European lives. The programme will look at the effects of these shifts on pivotal points in life courses, such as: entry into a first job; job mobility and family dynamics. This will be a unique view of whether European life courses are converging or diverging.
Dr. Melinda Mills of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands is one of the researchers leading the network. She explained:
‘One of the main scientific objectives is to define, develop and test measures of transnational shifts. These measures could, in turn, be used across a variety of countries in life course studies and in comparative research.’
Institutional systems including employment, education, welfare and family systems, in individual countries, act as filters for transnational shifts in Europe. This project will review how each of these institutions respond to European change.
‘The transnational shift of a move to a more flexible employment system has backfired in many countries. This can be seen in the recent riots in France, following the introduction of flexible labour market contracts for young people. These types of employment contracts, which are widespread in other European countries, are an example of how inequality is often channelled toward one social group.’
With regard to scientific events, the programme will consist of four annual workshops, one research school and one major conference. The workshops will be annual two-day events which will each focus on one scientific objective. The research school will be part of the fourth workshop and will be directed towards graduate students and early career researchers. Finally, the project will culminate in one major conference in the fifth year.
By bringing together key scientists across six different EU member states and by examining the same issue across different countries, the Programme aims to gain understanding of which issues are contextually bound to a specific nation and which are more universal. This will contribute to the development of ‘best practice’ within different nations.
Contacts
Frank Kuhn
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 76 21 77
Fax: +33 (0)3 88 37 05 32
Caroline Eckert
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 76 71 42
Fax: +33 (0)3 88 37 05 32
