Comparative Study of Social Cohesion and Economic Inequality

Contemporary societies are marked by rising income and wealth concentration, yet the sociological consequences of this trend remain unevenly understood. While a growing literature documents how economic inequality shapes social relations and public opinion, less attention has been paid to how these dynamics connect to the social bonds that hold societies together. This session invites contributions that place two dimensions in dialogue: economic inequality and inequality beliefs on the one hand, and social cohesion on the other.

We approach this dialogue through two interrelated perspectives. The first is macro-micro: how do country-level economic conditions shape the attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors that underpin social cohesion? The second is micro-micro: how do individual-level beliefs about inequality — how people perceive, evaluate, and justify distributive arrangements — translate into patterns of trust, solidarity, and social bonds?
The session welcomes papers engaging with these perspectives from three broad angles: How do inequality beliefs relate to social cohesion across social groups and institutional contexts? Through what social, relational, or institutional mechanisms do distributive conditions translate into cohesion outcomes? And how do interpersonal relations and social networks mediate or moderate the effects of inequality on attitudes and behavior?

Comparative research is strongly encouraged, whether cross-national or involving theoretically motivated case comparisons. Single-country studies that speak to broader generalizations are equally welcome. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches are all considered.
We invite submissions from scholars in political sociology, social stratification, welfare state research, network sociology, and related fields. Contributions from understudied regional and national contexts are especially welcome.