The Slow Way to European Social and Economic Cohesion: In Search of Smoking Guns
Reasons:
The reduction of disparities between regions and individuals is a crucial step in the pursuit of social and economic cohesion in Europe and a necessary condition for the sustainability and advancement of the integration process. The single market and the monetary union are often considered as obstacles to the removal of disparities, or even as factors exacerbating them. In addition, the integration process still goes along with a significant variety of capitalistic models across EU, which play a significant role in shaping existing inequalities and sheltering or not disadvantaged regions and individuals in adverse conditions (such as the present crisis).
Objectives:
a) providing a coordinated series of teaching activities on the institutional drivers of inequalities in EU, in view of their importance for European integration ; b) Updating the teaching contents on the topic; c) Enhancing the cooperation between European and Third Countries economists.
Outputs:
Teaching (Chair Holder): a) 3 University courses (96 hours, 180 students / year) delivered at the University of Perugia; b) a series of seminars (12 hours, 20 students / year) delivered at the host institutions of the staff members
Events: a) n. 6 series of lectures / year (12 hours, 20 to 50 students) delivered by the staff members at their institutions; b) n. 1 conference open to civil society (3rd year)
Deliverables: a) n. 1 website; b) teaching materials; b) a dataset on EU inequality and institutional indicators;
Results:
a) a real renewed European culture of EU and non EU students on the economic and institutional forces driving EU integration; b) better collaboration between economists and policy makers
Impacts:
a) Increased opportunities for students at European and International level; b) better understanding of the threats to EU integration deriving from inequalities; c) development of regional integration studies in Third Countries.
