A report examined new evidence on health inequalities in the European Union, and the policy response at European Union and national level to health inequalities since 2009. It said that there were still significant health inequalities between and within European Union member states and discussed the causes and drivers. It recommended that member states should develop and implement strategies to address health inequalities, with resources and improved data to ensure progress. It also outlined a role for the European Commission in promoting action and building capacity to tackle health inequalities.
Source: Health Inequalities in the EU: Final report of a consortium, European Commission
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Dec
A report examined national regulation of discrimination outside the field of employment on the grounds of religion and belief, disability, age, and sexual orientation, in the 28 European Union member states and the accession candidate countries (FYR of Macedonia, Iceland and Turkey) and the EEA countries (Liechtenstein and Norway). It said that there was much existing regulation of discrimination beyond the scope of Council Directive 2000/78/EC, but measures differed between the countries in both scope and methodology.
Source: Aileen McColgan, National protection beyond the two EU Anti-discrimination Directives: The grounds of religion and belief, disability, age and sexual orientation beyond employment, European Commission
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Dec
A memorandum gave an overview of key issues and concerns about the independence of the European Court of Human Rights, in order to determine how the Court s independence could be further consolidated.
Source: Boriss Cilevics, Need to Reinforce the Independence of the European Court of Human Rights, Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Council of Europe
Links: Memorandum
Date: 2013-Nov
A new book examined the place of Muslims in western Europe. It proposed an analysis based in institutions, including schools, courts, hospitals, the military, electoral politics, the labour market, and civic education courses.
Source: John Bowen (ed.), European States and their Muslim Citizens: The impact of institutions on perceptions and boundaries, Cambridge University Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2013-Oct
An article presented a theoretically based, multidimensional, and comparable measurement of social cohesion, applicable in 47 European countries/regions.
Source: Paul Dickes and Marie Valentova, 'Construction, validation and application of the measurement of social cohesion in 47 European countries and regions', Social Indicators Research, Volume 113 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jul
An article examined the theoretical reasons for believing that feminism and anti-racism could be regarded as fighting for the joint purpose of anti-discrimination in Europe, and the empirical evidence that might be found for such a joint approach.
Source: Helene Pristed Nielsen, 'Joint purpose? Intersectionality in the hands of anti-racist and gender equality activists in Europe', Ethnicities, Volume 13 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-May
A new book examined 'new dynamics' towards tolerance, intolerance, and respect in European societies. Greater ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity meant that pluralism was experienced in new and challenging ways. In many places, an urban cosmopolitan mix sat side by side with group-based expressions of faith and culture. Increasing openness and respect for some might rest upon a reinforced intolerance towards others.
Source: Jan Dobbernack and Tariq Modood (eds), Tolerance, Intolerance and Respect: Hard to Accept?, Palgrave Macmillan
Links: Summary
Date: 2013-May
A report said that popular acceptance of homosexuality had increased throughout the whole of Europe since the start of the 1980s. In 1981, roughly half the European population disapproved of homosexuality, but this had fallen to one-third by 2008. In the early 1990s, 40 per cent of Europeans did not want gay neighbours: by 2008 this had fallen to 25 per cent.
Source: Lisette Kuyper, Jurjen Iedema, and Saskia Keuzenkamp, Towards Tolerance: Exploring changes and explaining differences in attitudes towards homosexuality in Europe, Netherlands Institute for Social Research
Links: Report | NISR press release
Date: 2013-May
An article examined subjective well-being for people in Europe with chronic disabilities, using data from the European Social Survey. People with disabilities were in a disadvantaged position in terms of subjective well-being in all countries. In the northern countries, the gaps between disabled and non-disabled people were smaller than in eastern countries. In all countries inequality in subjective well-being was explained mostly by personal resources and not by the level of disability, socio-economic status, or level of participation in work.
Source: Cretien van Campen and Marc van Santvoort, 'Explaining low subjective well-being of persons with disabilities in Europe: the impact of disability, personal resources, participation and socio-economic status', Social Indicators Research, Volume 111 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Apr
A report examined how European and national equality legislation was implemented and interpreted. It looked at cases concerning: a claim of associative sex discrimination on grounds of the pregnancy of the claimant's partner; the discriminatory dismissal of older workers; and discrimination on the grounds of nationality or citizenship.
Source: Jayne Hardwick et al., Equality Law in Practice: Comparative Analysis of Discrimination Cases in Europe, Equinet (European Network of Equality Bodies)
Links: Report | Equinet press release
Date: 2013-Mar
An article said that there was 'substantial coherence and theoretical underpinning' to the European Court of Justice's equality reasoning – contrary to the view that the general principle of equality was inconsistently applied by the court.
Source: Johanna Croon, 'Comparative institutional analysis, the European Court of Justice and the general principle of non-discrimination – or – alternative tales on equality reasoning', European Law Journal, Volume 19 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Feb
An article constructed measures of social diversity in European countries. Regional diversity was more strongly related to different kinds of sociality (interpersonal trust, institutional trust, and support for government redistribution) than diversity at the national level.
Source: Ferry Koster, 'Sociality in diverse societies: a regional analysis across European countries', Social Indicators Research, Volume 111 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Feb
A report examined the work carried out by equality bodies in Europe when dealing with cases of discrimination on the grounds of ethnic or racial origin.
Source: Equality Bodies Combating Discrimination on the Ground of Racial or Ethnic Origin, Equinet (European Network of Equality Bodies)
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Jan
A new book examined the several (and interlocking) challenges presented by the Lisbon Treaty for the protection of fundamental rights in the European Union, following its entry into force in December 2009.
Source: Sybe de Vries, Ulf Bernitz, and Stephen Weatherill (eds), The Protection of Fundamental Rights in the EU After Lisbon, Hart Publishing
Links: Summary
Date: 2013-Jan
