World Social Science Report 2016

ISSC REPORT: Challenging Inequalities – Pathways to a Just World

The World Social Science Report 2016, Challenging Inequalities – Pathways to a Just World, was launched on 22 September at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, in Stockholm.

The report warns that unchecked inequalities could jeopardize the sustainability of economies, societies and communities, undermining efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Research into rising inequalities has shown that almost half the world's household wealth was owned by 1% of the population and that the 62 richest individuals owned as much wealth as the poorest half of humanity. But the report also warns about significant gaps in social science data about inequalities in different parts of the world and, to support progress towards more inclusive societies, calls for more robust research into the links between economic inequalities and disparities.

The World Social Science Report features contributions from more than 100 experts, including CROP Scientific Committee members Jayati Ghosh and Alberto Minujin. It was overseen by a scientific advisory committee of leading academics from all regions that included economics Nobel Prize laureate Joseph Stiglitz. The report has been prepared by the International Social Science Council (ISSC) in cooperation with the Institute of Development Studies (UK). It is co-published by UNESCO.

“The issue of rising inequality and what to do about it looms large in the minds of governments, businesses, civil society leaders and citizens around the world. Reducing inequality is, first and foremost, a question of fairness and social justice. It is also key to eradicating extreme poverty, fostering transformations to sustainability, promoting civil progress, reducing conflict and violence, and developing inclusive governance," the report says.

While there was a fivefold increase in studies of inequalities and social justice in academic publications from 1992-2013, many studies pay too little attention to inequalities that go beyond income and wealth, such as health, education and gender, according to the report. It identifies seven intersecting dimensions of inequality: economic, political, social, cultural, environmental, spatial * and knowledge-based *. Closely linked, they create vicious circles of inequality that are handed down from one generation to the next.

The report highlights that the focus of social science research into inequalities tends to be in developed countries for which reliable data exists, whereas developing countries do not have similarly reliable data. North America and Western Europe accounted for more than 80% of social and human science publications on inequalities and social justice from 1992 to 2013 (including research by economists, psychologists and sociologists). Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America only contributed 3% and 2% respectively, according to the report.

The report also calls for more cooperation across disciplines, geographical borders and fields of research to help governments develop more effective policies for more inclusive societies. International networks, open data sources, open access to publishing and software are vital to achieve this.

To read the report in full visit ISSC/UNESCO webapge.