Kick-off Workshop of the new CAS project: Social Classes in the Digital Age (DIGCLASS)

The kick-off workshop of the new project of the Centre for Advanced Studies, "Social Classes in the Digital Age (DIGCLASS)", will take place online on September 21st and 22nd from 14:00 to 18:15 (CET).

The kick-off workshop will bring together 13 high-profile international experts on social inequality from different social science disciplines to discuss technological change and inequality, two topics directly under the European Commission’s priorities.

The programme will be structured around four overarching questions:

1. Are existing systems of social protection adequate for the digital age?
2. Are contemporary societies still class-based?
3. How are digital technologies transforming the social structure?
4. Does socioeconomic position still drive political outcomes?

Recorded sessions

All the sessions of the workshop were recorded and can be watched here:

• Day 1:
  • Opening
  • Session 1 - Policy
  • Session 2 - Class
• Day 2:
  • Session 3 - Technology
  • Session 4 - Politics
  • Closing

Summary Report

Here you can download a summary report of the DIGCLASS kick-off workshop.

Programme

Here you can download the kick-off workshop full programme:

Tuesday, September 21st

14.00-14.15 Opening Address

• Jutta Thielen del Pozo, Head of the Scientific Development Unit A5, Joint Research Centre (JRC), European Commission
• Enrique Fernández-Macías, Employment and Skills Team Coordinator - Unit B4, JRC, European Commission
• Lázsló Andor, Secretary General, Foundation for European Progressive Studies, and former EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (2010-2014).

14.15-16.00. Session I: Policy - Are existing systems of social protection adequate for the digital age?

Speakers:

• Bea Cantillon, Antwerp University
• Marius Busemeyer, University of Konstanz
• Aaron Reeves, University of Oxford

Chair: Leire Salazar, DIGCLASS Team - Project Leader

16.00-16.15. Break

16.15-18.00 Session II: Social Class - Are contemporary societies still class-based?

Speakers:

• John Roemer, Yale University
• Kim Weeden, Cornell University
• Daniel Oesch, University of Lausanne

Chair: Carlos Gil, DIGCLASS Team

Wednesday, September 22nd

14.00-15.45. Session III: Technology - How are digital technologies transforming the social structure?

Speakers:

• Aina Gallego, University of Barcelona, IBEI and IPEG
• Mark Levels, Maastricht University
• Nicole Wu, University of Toronto
• Anke Hassel, Hertie School and Jacques Delors Centre

Chair: Davide Villani, DIGCLASS Team

15.45-16.00 Break

16.00-17.45 Session IV: Politics - Does socioeconomic position still drive political outcomes?

Speakers:

• Jonas Pontusson, University of Geneva
• Jane Gingrich, University of Oxford
• Piero Stanig, Bocconi University

Chair: Guillem Vidal, DIGCLASS Team

17.45-17.50 Conclusions

Leire Salazar, DIGCLASS Team - Project Leader

17.55-18.15 Closing Address

Sabine Henzler, Director of the JRC Directorate A - Strategy, Work Programme and Resources, European Commission

Background

The DIGCLASS kick-off workshop will offer a very stimulating debate on the implications of technological change for social inequalities, aiming to promote collaborations between leading experts and institutions globally to feed the policy process relevant for the Commission. Each of the questions structuring the workshop will be addressed by three to four experts in a round table format.

The workshop is the inaugural event of the DIGCLASS project, a project born out of increasing concern in Europe about the implications of the digital revolution for social inequalities and democratic processes. The project aims to understand better how digital technologies alter the mechanisms that generate inequalities in the distribution of resources and life chances, which is crucial for social policies to respond to the challenges of the digital revolution.

Visit the DIGCLASS website to learn more about the project!

Drop us a line at JRC-CAS-DIGCLASS@ec.europa.eu if you want to stay tuned with our seminar series, publications, and other activities.

Venue

Online, EU