Diversity and Inclusion

Age, education, income, ethnicity, nationality, parenthood, urban/rural location, sexual orientation/identity and disability all play a role in how society is stratified. Inequalities along those classifications are – in addition to gender inequality – important research elements in the studies of L&R Social Research. By taking an intersectional perspective the interplay between those categories is also analysed.

Numerous research projects have considered aspects of diversity. One recent focus regarding this field of research involved people with disabilities, whereby disability is not seen as an individual characteristic but as social construct. This means, that people with disabilities are hindered by stereotyped attributions and barriers and experience difficulties in overcoming them. In the last several years, L&R Social Research has focused specifically on women with disabilities.

One example of the utilisation of an intersectional perspective is a study undertaken regarding the situation of disabled women in the Austrian labour market. Quantitative and qualitative methods were combined using a very participative approach.