24th ESPANET Annual Conference

	Date	End	Results
Call for Proposals	4/12/2025	16/01/2026	31/01/2026
Call for Papers	01/02/2026	17/05/2026	31/05/2026
Registration	01/06/2026	14/08/2026	–
Final Programme	15/08/2026	–	–
On-site Conference	26/08/2026	28/08/2026	–

Programme Overview (Draft Version)

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.

With this in mind, we have organised the content into a series of streams, which we invite you to explore.

1. Welfare States, Demography and Bodies [more info]

2. Time-Related Social Policies in the World of Work and Care [more info]

3. Providing Social Security for Older People: Interactions of Different Social Policies, their Drivers and Outcomes [more info]

4. Disability, Citizenship, and the Future of the Welfare State in Europe [more info]

5. The Politics of Education [more info]

6. The Matthew Effect in Social and Educational Policies and the Intergenerational Transmission of Disadvantages Over the Life Course [more info]

7. Employment Policies and the Quest for a European Labour Market [more info]

8. Families in Transition: Rethinking Social Policy Design [more info]

9. The Role of the European Union in Caregiving and Parenting: What Direction are Family Policies Taking? [more info]

10. New Perspectives on Poverty and Economic Inequality [more info]

11. Pensions in the 21st century: Challenges, Policy Feedback and Political Dynamics [more info]

12. Social Policy Context of Life-Course Transitions [more info]

13. De-Standardization of Retirement Pathways: Conceptual, Institutional, and Life-Course perspectives [more info]

14. Welfare States and Migration: Welfare Attitudes and Welfare Access [more info]

15. Transformative Social Policy in Times of Climate Change [more info]

16. Sustainable Welfare and Eco-Social Policy [more info]

17. Scarring Effects of the Pandemic: Inequality, Poverty, and Social Policy After COVID-19 [more info]

18. Food Insecurity and Food Assistance: The Need for Social Policy [more info]

19. Reconfiguring Welfare in the Triple Transition: Comparative Perspectives from Europe and East Asia [more info]

20. Southern European Welfare Model’ Revisited: 30 Years On [more info]

21. The Future of Social Europe: Policies, Outcomes and Political Legitimacy [more info]

22. The Political Economy of the Welfare State across Time and Space [more info]

23. The Politics of Welfare State Reform [more info]

24. Restructuring Welfare Under Pressure: Juridification, Fragmentation and “Wrong-Pocket” Dilemmas [more info]

25. Territorial Inequalities and the Welfare State: The Spatial Politics of Service Delivery [more info]

26. Data, AI and Digital Infrastructure. Reshaping the Moral Economy of Welfare States [more info]

27. Who Deserves Support? Deservingness, Poverty, and Activation in Contemporary Welfare States [more info]

28. Political Representation of the Poor in Social Policy [more info]

29. Policy Engagement, Knowledge Exchange, and Impact: Strengthening Evidence-Based Social Policy Research [more info]

30. Social Workers and Social Policy: Policy Takers or Policy Makers? [more info]

31. Causal Inference in Social Policy Analysis [more info]

32. The Future of Policy Analysis Using Artificial Intelligence [more info]

33. Teaching Social Policy in Higher Education [more info]

34. Open Stream [more info]

35. ‘Pitch Your Book’ Sessions [more info]

Abstract Submission

Abstract submissions are made in the Conference website, and must cover the following items:

• Title
• Stream
• Author details, per author:
  • Author(s);
  • Affiliation;
  • E-Mail address
• Identification of the Corresponding Author
• Abstract, between 350 and 500 words, (ideally) covering:
  • Research Gap/Research Problem;
  • Aim of the Paper;
  • Research Question;
  • Methodological Approach Adopted
  • (Expected) Main Findings.
• Type of Contribution (Topic)
  • Theoretical Contribution
  • Methodological Contribution
  • Empirical Contribution: Quantitative Study
  • Empirical Contribution: Qualitative Study
  • Empirical Contribution: Mixed Methods
  • Other

Please note that:

• Papers that fall beyond the scope of the Streams 1 to 32 can be sent to the Open Stream;
• Abstract submissions are made through the Ex Ordo platform (accessible through the Conference website (link to page), which requires authors to create an account;
• Abstracts are submitted to one Conference Stream only;
• Authors can submit multiple abstracts, to multiple streams. However, the selection process will be conducted in such a way as to maximize the possibility that as many colleagues participate in the conference as possible;
• Stream organizers are not allowed to present a paper in their own stream.

Selection Procedure:

• Paper proposals will be assessed and ranked by Stream Organisers. However, for logistic reasons, the final decision will be made in consensus with the local Organising Committee. 

Mara Yerkes (Utrecht University) and Hervig Immervol (OECD)  are internationally recognised scholars whose work has significantly advanced research, informed policy debates, and shaped thinking in their respective fields. Through their keynote addresses, will offer valuable insights, innovative perspectives, and thought-provoking reflections that will enrich our discussions throughout the conference.

We are honoured to welcome these distinguished speakers and look forward to the knowledge, inspiration, and engagement they will bring to our international community of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE: AN INVISIBLE CHALLENGE FOR THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL MODEL?

Work-life balance is a central pillar of the European Social Model. Yet despite far-reaching policy efforts, such as those contained in the European Work-Life Balance Directive, work-life ‘balance’ remains unequally distributed and experienced within and across countries. These inequalities can’t be addressed without going beyond work-life balance – to the core of social policy design, financing and implementation in contemporary welfare states, characterised by decentralization, digitalization and an emphasis on individual responsibility. In my keynote, I will outline how – against this backdrop and the decades-long invisibility of care – the reality of work-life balance for many working parents and carers is a navigational mess. And how having to navigate multiple policy and system landscapes allows social inequalities to persist or even worsen. In short, I will speak about how the social policy infrastructures inherent in contemporary welfare states have helped work-life balance shift from central pillar to an invisible, internal challenge to the European Social Model itself.

Short Bio:

Mara Yerkes is Full Professor of Comparative Social Policy in relation to Social Inequalities at Utrecht University. Yerkes comparatively researches welfare states and industrial relations at national and local levels and how these relate to inequalities in work, care, communities and families, with a particular focus on intersectional gender inequalities.

SOCIAL PROTECTION AND THE GREEN TRANSITION: EVIDENCE, KNOWLEDGE GAPS AND POLICY CHALLENGES

In this keynote, I will discuss how contemporary welfare states can move beyond merely cushioning structural change to actively shaping a socially robust and politically durable green transition. I will argue, first, that a “just transition” is not only an equity imperative but also a central condition for sustaining public support for ambitious climate policies. Understanding public attitudes, perceived burdens, and trust in institutions is therefore integral to the design, sequencing, and communication of climate and social policies, rather than a secondary consideration. Second, I will present evidence suggesting that, on the one hand, average household burdens arising from existing carbon prices are often overstated in political debate when compared with other shocks, such as recent spikes in inflation. On the other hand, disadvantaged households can already face additional carbon-related costs that are several times higher, as a share of income, than those experienced by top-income groups. Finally, I will explore why this compensatory potential remains underutilised in current policy practice and consider the implications for the future of European social models.

Short Bio:

Dr Herwig Immervoll is with the Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs at the OECD. He heads work on social benefits and the green transition and held earlier staff positions at the World Bank and the University of Cambridge. Herwig has led research projects and policy dialogue on inequality trends and redistribution, income and employment support, population ageing, and social policy responses to economic crises. Ongoing work includes advancing social protection in changing labour markets and climates, and supporting governments in making social policies more accessible, people-centred and fiscally sustainable.

The Conference fee includes coffee breaks and lunches on all three days of the Congress, Welcome Reception and Conference Dinner (August 27). (Note: Insurance, accommodation, and travel costs are not included in the Conference fee.)

    Payment: Payment can only be made via bank transfer. Payment must be made within 30 days of Registration. Further instructions provided during the Registration process.    

    Invoicing: An invoice will be issued within 15 days upon payment confirmation of payment by the Organising Committee. 

    Cancellation policy: If participants need to cancel the registration, they will receive a 50% refund if they cancel until July 20, 2026 (50% cancellation fee). After July 20, 2026, no refund     will be provided (100% cancellation fee).

Registration 1 june – 14 august	Fees
Early Bird : 1 june – 30 june	325€ / Phd Students – 175€
Regular: 1 july – 31 july	375€ / Phd Students – 225€
Late: 1 august – 14 august	400€ / Phd Students – 250 €

More To Come Soon

The use of public transport is recommended, with destinations at the Assembleia da República or Calçada da Estrela stops, both located just a few minutes’ walk from the campus. The following lines serve these areas:

Bus 

706-727 Av. D. Carlos I 1 minute by foot 

713-773 Rua Borges Carneiro |  5 minutes by foot 

714-760-774 Largo Conde Barão | 5 minutes by foot 

728 Av. 24 de Julho | 7 minutes by foot

Tram

28-25 Calçada da Estrela | 2 minutes by foot 

15-18 Av. 24 de Julho | 5 minutes by foot

Metro

Yellow Line leave at Rato Station | 10 minutes by foot 

Green Line leave at Station Cais do Sodré | 15 minutes by foot

Train

Cascais Line leave at Santos Station | 7 minutes by foot

Campus Access
The campus can be accessed through two main entrances:

• Entrance via Rua das Francesinhas: you should proceed up the interior campus stairs to the top, where you will find the Quelhas 6 building. Please then follow the signage on site.
• Direct entrance via Rua do Quelhas, no. 6, or through the parking access: these entrances provide direct access to the building. Please then follow the signage on site.

We recommend, to use the  Rua das Francesinhas Entrance.

During the event, visible signage will be placed throughout the campus indicating the way to ‘ESPAnet Conference’.

The Conference does not have any specific protocols concerning discount prices for accommodation. However, there are a set of nearby hotels that you can check for accommodation:

·         The Green Windows 

·         Lisbon Sao Bento Hotel 

·         Memmo Principe Real

·         Bairro Alto Hotel 

·         Casa de Sao Mamede

·         Hotel Dom Carlos (Liberty)

We would remind participants that the Conference takes place during the tourism high season in Lisbon, which means that finding accommodation can be challenging and prices might be higher than expected – if you leave it late to book your accommodation. Therefore, we advise participants to book their accommodation as soon as possible.  

The Institute of Public Policy – Lisbon (IPP) is an academic-based, independent and nonpartisan think tank dedicated to improving the quality of public debate and making political decision-making processes more informed and rigorous.

Its mission is to contribute to the continuous improvement of the analysis of institutions and public policies, with a particular focus on Portugal and Europe, through the production and dissemination of relevant research.

IPP operates as a multidisciplinary think tank, combining economic analysis with political science across four main areas:

• Social policy;
• Public finance and good governance;
• Democracy and accountability;
• Climate change and digital transition.

Its research is shared through publications and regular media engagement, while also fostering scientific and cultural exchange between Portugal, Europe, Portuguese-speaking countries, and, secondarily, the United States.

The Institute is guided by values such as freedom, pluralism, independence, innovation and rigor, as well as reciprocity, solidarity, and the pursuit of knowledge and the common good, aiming to promote a more open, informed and just society.

Scientific Committee

The work of the Organizing Committee is supported by the members of the Scientific Committee:

Carlos Farinha Rodrigues, University of Lisbon, ISEG Research

Elvira Pereira, University of Lisbon, ISCSP

Alexandra Lopes, University of Porto

Rui Branco, New University of Lisbon

Alexandre Afonso, Leyden University

Organizing Committee

Amílcar Moreira, IPP / ISEG Research  

Carlos Farinha Rodrigues, IPP / ISEG Research

Daniela Craveiro, ISEG Research

Helena Gata, ISEG Research

Paula Cristina Albuquerque, ISEG Research

Susana Brissos, ISEG Research

If you have any questions regarding the conference, please contact us at:  espanetlisbon@iseg.ulisboa.pt