SYRI conference focused on inequalities in society

Inequalities in contemporary society and how to break down existing barriers was the main theme of today's annual conference of the National Institute SYRI, which brings together researchers from Charles University, Masaryk University and the Academy of Sciences. The conference offered highlights of the latest research by the scientists involved in the project. They presented a total of 35 papers.

According to Klára Šeďová, SYRI's scientific director, researching inequalities in society is of great practical importance. "It is difficult to achieve social stability and cohesion otherwise if there are groups who feel that the system is not fair for them, which undermines trust in institutions," said Šeďová. The topic of social inequalities defies simple scientific grasp, she said, because inequalities are conditioned by a variety of factors.

"Society is on the move, and the sources of inequality are changing," Šeďová said, citing, for example, the rise of digital inequalities. Social relations, she said, need to be examined again and again in their real conditions. This is what SYRI is trying to do, and the Institute has the advantage of being a significantly interdisciplinary body, as today's conference showed.