{"id":65340,"date":"2025-11-13T12:16:51","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T12:16:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iseg.ulisboa.pt\/?post_type=event&p=65340"},"modified":"2026-06-19T11:35:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T11:35:45","slug":"24th-espanet-annual-conference","status":"publish","type":"event","link":"https:\/\/www.iseg.ulisboa.pt\/en\/event\/24th-espanet-annual-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"24th ESPANET Annual Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Resize? Restructure? The European Social Model under Pressure.<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

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Click Here<\/a> to Register for the Conference<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Deadline for Early Bird Registration: 30th of June 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instructions on the Registration process click here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The European Social model is under pressure, both from external sources and from within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today's global geo-economic and strategic environment is shaped by commercial tensions, the heightening of (the threat of) military conflicts, the challenges imposed by climate change, and the structural change in economic processes as a result of technological innovation and AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, the increased popularity of radical right-wing and populist forces is reshaping the politics of the welfare state, in terms of both the composition of pro-welfare constituencies, and the welfare agendas these parties pursue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 24th ESPAnet Annual Conference in Lisbon, 2026, aims to assess how these and other key developments are re-shaping political and policy debates in Europe. What should be the mission and the perimeter of the Welfare State in European societies? Who is deserving of social protection? And how is social protection best delivered?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Dates<\/strong><\/h2>
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<\/td>Date<\/strong><\/td>End<\/strong><\/td>Results<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Call for Proposals<\/td>4\/12\/2025<\/td>16\/01\/2026<\/td>31\/01\/2026<\/td><\/tr>
Call for Papers<\/td>01\/02\/2026<\/td>17\/05\/2026<\/td>31\/05\/2026<\/td><\/tr>
Registration<\/td>01\/06\/2026<\/td>14\/08\/2026<\/td>–<\/td><\/tr>
Final Program<\/td>15\/08\/2026<\/td>–<\/td>–<\/td><\/tr>
On-site Conference<\/td>26\/08\/2026<\/td>28\/08\/2026<\/td>–<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Conference Program<\/strong><\/h2>
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Program Overview<\/a> (Draft Version)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Conference Streams<\/strong><\/h2>
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The European Social Model faces growing pressure from global economic tensions, rising military threats, climate change, technological transformation, and AI. At the same time, the rise of radical right-wing and populist movements is reshaping welfare politics, influencing both support for social protection and policy priorities. The 2026 ESPAnet Conference in Lisbon will examine how these changes are redefining the welfare state in Europe, including its purpose, scope and methods of delivering social protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this in mind, we have organized the content into a series of streams, which we invite you to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Welfare States, Demography and Bodies [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
2. Time-Related Social Policies in the World of Work and Care [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
3. Providing Social Security for Older People: Interactions of Different Social Policies, their Drivers and Outcomes [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
4. Disability, Citizenship, and the Future of the Welfare State in Europe [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
5. The Politics of Education [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
6. The Matthew Effect in Social and Educational Policies and the Intergenerational Transmission of Disadvantages Over the Life Course [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
7. Employment Policies and the Quest for a European Labour Market [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
8. Families in Transition: Rethinking Social Policy Design [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
9. The Role of the European Union in Caregiving and Parenting: What Direction are Family Policies Taking? [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
10. New Perspectives on Poverty and Economic Inequality [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
11. Pensions in the 21st century: Challenges, Policy Feedback and Political Dynamics [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
12. Social Policy Context of Life-Course Transitions [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
13. De-Standardization of Retirement Pathways: Conceptual, Institutional, and Life-Course perspectives [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
14. Welfare States and Migration: Welfare Attitudes and Welfare Access [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
15. Transformative Social Policy in Times of Climate Change [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
16. Sustainable Welfare and Eco-Social Policy [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
17. Scarring Effects of the Pandemic: Inequality, Poverty, and Social Policy After COVID-19 [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
18. Food Insecurity and Food Assistance: The Need for Social Policy [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
19. Reconfiguring Welfare in the Triple Transition: Comparative Perspectives from Europe and East Asia [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
20. Southern European Welfare Model\u2019 Revisited: 30 Years On [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
21. The Future of Social Europe: Policies, Outcomes and Political Legitimacy [more info]<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
22. The Political Economy of the Welfare State across Time and Space [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
23. The Politics of Welfare State Reform [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
24. Restructuring Welfare Under Pressure: Juridification, Fragmentation and \u201cWrong-Pocket\u201d Dilemmas [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
25. Territorial Inequalities and the Welfare State: The Spatial Politics of Service Delivery [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
26. Data, AI and Digital Infrastructure. Reshaping the Moral Economy of Welfare States [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
27. Who Deserves Support? Deservingness, Poverty, and Activation in Contemporary Welfare States [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
28. Political Representation of the Poor in Social Policy [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
29. Policy Engagement, Knowledge Exchange, and Impact: Strengthening Evidence-Based Social Policy Research [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
30. Social Workers and Social Policy: Policy Takers or Policy Makers? [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
31. Causal Inference in Social Policy Analysis [more info<\/a>] <\/td><\/tr>
32. The Future of Policy Analysis Using Artificial Intelligence [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
33. Teaching Social Policy in Higher Education [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
34. Open Stream [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr>
35. \u2018Pitch Your Book\u2019 Sessions [more info<\/a>]<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Abstract Submission<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Abstract submissions are made in the Conference website<\/a>, and must cover the following items:<\/p>\n\n\n\n