Why does inequality differ so much across countries?

While income inequality trends have been extensively researched, much less is known about the driving forces behind international differences in inequality. Yet, differences across countries remain more striking than the increases in inequality recently observed within any industrialized country.

LISER, the University of Luxembourg and the University of Antwerp convene an international workshop to bring new light to the underlying drivers of inequality and to unpack the reasons for wide variations in inequality across countries.

We seek to attract papers discussing the role of labour markets, taxation, social protection and redistributive policies, but we are especially interested in papers studying the role of deeper drivers such as political institutions, norms and attitudes and preferences for redistribution. Advancements to methodology and critiques on the cross-country comparability of inequality measures are also welcome.

While the main discussion may be about income inequality, we hope to attract contributions about wealth, consumption or other forms of inequalities.

Format and invited speakers

The workshop will run from Thursday October 18 mid-day through Friday October 19 mid-afternoon. It will consist of 10–12 contributed presentations and three invited lectures.

Confirmed speakers: 

• Ben Ansell (Oxford University)
• Francisco Ferreira (World Bank) 
• Andreas Peichl (ifO Institute and University of Munich)

Submission to Research on Economic Inequality Vol.27 (2019)

Papers presented at the workshop will be considered for possible publication in the 2019 issue of the Research on Economic Inequality volume (edited by Koen Decancq and Philippe Van Kerm).

Submission, registration and important deadlines

Deadline for paper submission is now passed. Acceptance notifications will be emailed by July 31.

Selected presenters as well as interested participants are now required to register by September 30 using the online registration form.

Important Dates: 

• Submission deadline: July 15, 2018 
• Acceptance notification: July 31, 2018 
• Registration deadline: September 30, 2018 
• Submission of draft papers: October 1, 2018

Contributed papers

• Automation, Wage Inequality & the Moderating Role of Labor Market Institutions
  Presenter: PAROLIN Zachary, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp
• Culture and Preferences for Redistribution: Do Individualistic Societies Foster Preferences for Income Inequality?
  Presenter: HAMMAR Olle, Uppsala University
• Preferences for Redistribution and Exposure to Tax-benefit Schemes in Europe
  Presenter: OLIVERA Javier, LISER
• An Empirical Investigation on the Drivers of Income Redistribution across OECD countries
  Presenter: OGUZHAN Akgun,  OECD
• Explaining Income Inequality Trends: An Integrated Approach
  Presenter: SAUER Petra, Vienna University of Economics and Business
• Never Too Rich To Be Middle-Class: An Assessment of the Reference-group Theory and Implications for Redistributive Taxation
  Presenter: GENEST-GRÉGOIRE Antoine, Université de Sherbrooke
• Keeping Pace or Lose the Race? Low-income Households, Income Inequality, and the Hidden Welfare State in the USA and Germany, 1992/2014
  Presenter: Andreas HAUPT, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
• Understanding the Relationship Between Inequality and Redistribution Preferences: Polarized Perceptions, Polarized Preferences?
  Presenter: BOBZIEN Licia, Hertie School of Governance
• The Long-Run Determinants of the Capital Share
  Presenter: WALDENSTRÖM Daniel, Paris School of Economics
• Does Higher Unemployment Increase Income Inequality? Evidence from European Labour Markets Using a Discrete Choice Labour Supply Model
  Presenter: TUDA Dora, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin
• Effort or Luck? Believing in the Role of Effort in the Aftermath of the Spanish Recession
  Presenter: CABEZA Begoña, University of Antwerp
• Lifetime Income Inequality: Quantile Treatment Effect of Retirement on the Distribution of Lifetime Income
  Presenter: KOZLOWSKA Karolina, OECD
• Was Marx Right? Regional Income Inequality and Voting Behaviour in late 19^th Century Germany
  Presenter: KERSTING Felix, Humboldt University, Berlin
• An Assessment of Wealth Taxes in a Joint Income-wealth Perspective
  Presenter: KUYPERS Sarah, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp

Organization and practical information

The workshop is organized jointly by the University of Antwerp, the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) and the University of Luxembourg. It will be hosted at LISER in Luxembourg (on the Belval Campus in Esch-sur-Alzette) on 18–19 October 2018.

Address: Maison des Sciences Humaines, Campus Belval, 11 Porte des Sciences, L-4366 Esch-sur- Alzette, Luxembourg

Contact: drivers-inequality@liser.lu

Hotels and accommodation: Participants are responsible for arranging their accommodation. We have however pre-booked rooms in three hotels conveniently located in the vicinity of the workshop venue. Make sure to book rooms by September 1. Download the workshop brochure for details and practical information.