European Survey Research Association (ESRA) conference

Description

ESRA hosts its main conference every two years to bring together applied survey researchers, methodologists and statisticians from Europe and beyond.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing economic, health and social inequalities. Following the pandemic, economic recovery halted with the outbreak of war in Ukraine fuelling inflationary pressures and dampening economic growth. In the UK, Brexit and instability in political leadership intensified the effects of these worldwide upheavals, with the impacts being felt most strongly by the most vulnerable in society. In Northern Ireland, challenges to the implementation of the EU Withdrawal Agreement have been central to the suspension of the Northern Ireland Executive. Without a functioning government, critical policy responses to the most recent crises, as well as the longstanding social inequalities and societal disjunctures that preceded them, are subsequently obsolete. However, the efficacy of policy responses to immediate and persistent inequalities and promoting a fairer society is dependent upon understandings of how these imbalances are perceived and experienced in everyday life.

This paper 'Perceptions of Economic Fairness in Northern Ireland: Evidence from the 2021 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey' is based on 2021 Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) survey data (n=1,391), which explored adults’ opinions on fairness relating to incomes, taxes, social security, financial hardship and the cost of the living. The fieldwork took place in autumn 2021 when many people had suffered personal loss and unprecedented shocks to their health and wellbeing, and households were beginning to experience increased energy, food and fuel prices.

The analysis of this study critically examines variations in perceptions of fairness in income distribution, taxation and social security benefits according to social determinants such as respondents’ socio-economic position, demographic characteristics, and financial security. The survey measures used to capture attitudes towards economic fairness and their application in Northern Ireland will be critically discussed, before the results from a multivariate analysis are presented. The analysis of NILT data illustrates the complexity of understanding economic inequality and attitudes towards such topics among different social groups during this turbulent period.

Period	20 Jul 2023
Event type	Conference
Location	Milan, ItalyShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International