Third ISA Forum of Sociology (July 10-14, 2016)

622

Quality of Life, Inequality and Vulnerability. Lessons of the Crisis

RC55 Social Indicators (host committee)

Language: English

High levels of quality of life along with the subsequent important levels of living standards have been seen for the past decades as secure in Western Europe, while they have been considered as a mere goal for the Eastern societies. The recent economic crisis revealed a certain insecurity of living conditions and a vulnerability of specific segments of population even for the most developed societies but especially for the less developed economically. However, the extent of vulnerability varies with the country and its welfare regime, and exposure to risks and shocks has differed for individuals, households and various socio-demographic groups. 
This session proposes to explore topical trends in quality of life, to investigate the possible impacts that the recent crisis has had on quality of life and to discover the patterning of such impacts. Special attention will be paid to inequality and its impact on both living conditions and vulnerability as its effects have been sharpened by the economic crisis. 
This session encourages analyses of quality of life domains (living standards, employment, housing, education, quality of society, subjective well-being, etc) as well as overall assessments of quality of life. Comparative analyses of various countries or groups of countries, as well as specific examination of single countries are welcome. We look back at the crisis with the purpose of gathering those valuable insights that will help to shape a better quality of life in the future for individuals, groups and societies. Posters: