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Perceptions of Inequalities and Justice in Europe (PIJE) Summer Workshop

This two-day workshop aims to bring together again researchers of all project partners (SOEP/DIW Berlin, Helmut-Schmidt-Universität Hamburg, Universität Konstanz, Universität Wien, Radboud University, New York University, MPI für Sozialrecht und Sozialpolitik, and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) for presentation and discussion of work packages and research...

Shlomo Yitzhaki (1944–2023): In Memoriam

Nearly 1.1 Million People in Germany Use Food Banks, Single and Separated Parents in Particular at an Above-Average Frequency

Food banks are returning to the spotlight as their use increases due to the coronavirus pandemic and the influx of Ukrainian refugees to Germany. The current discussion is focused on whether the food banks can handle the increasing number of users as well as the financial and organizational challenges that come with them. Until now, however, no robust, empirical data on food bank use has been available. ...

Income and Wealth Inequality in Hong Kong, 1981–2020: The Rise of Pluto-Communism?

The objective of this paper is to better understand the evolution and institutional roots of Hong Kong's growing economic inequality and political cleavages. By combining multiple sources of data (household surveys, fiscal data, wealth rankings, national accounts) and methodological innovations, two main findings are obtained. First, he evidence suggests a very large rise in income and wealth inequality ...

Stimulating Housing Policy and Housing Tenure Choice: Evidence from the G7 Countries

Housing affordability is a hotly debated issue on global scale. A lack of affordable housing of decent quality is a chronic problem in urban areas. Governments try to alleviate it by stimulating homeownership among middle-income households and providing social housing for the low-income households. Such policies are very costly. Thus, this study aims to assess at least tentatively the effectiveness ...

Informing Students about College: Increasing Enrollment Using a Behavioral Intervention?

This study sheds light on whether the provision of information on costs, financing options, and returns of college education results in higher application and college enrollment rates. Based on a behavioral intervention with more than 1,000 high school students in Germany, we provide evidence that the provision of such information increases college application and enrollment rates, in particular for ...

Income-Dependent Equivalence Scales and Choice Theory: Implications for Poverty Measurement

Income-Dependent Equivalence Scales and Choice Theory: Implications for Poverty MeasurementEquivalence Scales are a tool for removing the heterogeneity of household sizes in the measurement of inequality, and affect poverty assessments and poverty lines. We address the disadvantage that poor households may suffer due to their reduced ability to share goods within the household. This disadvantage is ...

From Hartz IV to Bürgergeld: Reform Preferences of the Long-Term Unemployed

The German government is planning to reform Hartz IV by replacing it with a simpler and more accessible system known as Bürgergeld. Using a random-based survey of eight job centers in North Rhine-Westphalia, this Weekly Report considers the perspectives of the long-term unemployed: What do they think about the reforms? How do they perceive their situation? What are their daily lives like? The findings ...

Sanctions against Russian Oligarchs also Affect Their Companies

In February 2022, the EU Commission announced economic sanctions against Russian oligarchs. The goal was to exert pressure on the Kremlin: initially to stop deploying troops to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and ultimately to end its attack on Ukraine. The present report investigates how these sanctions affect companies headed by Russian oligarchs. The empirical findings show that after sanctions ...

Strong Support for a Universal Basic Income, in Particular among Those Who Would Benefit

A representative survey from August 2022 confirms public support for a universal basic income (UBI): Between 45 and 55 percent of respondents are in favor of a universal basic income and the unconditional financial security it promises. Two representative surveys from August 2022 investigate who exactly UBI supporters are and which UBI model they prefer. The surveys show that younger people in particular ...