Rotating modules selected for Round 13
Questions about social disconnectedness and the welfare state will be fielded in Round 13 (2027/28) of the European Social Survey (ESS).
Following an open call for proposals launched in January 2024, the ESS Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) has now selected two modules for inclusion.
In each round of the ESS, two topics of around 30 questions each are selected in this way to complement core questions asked in every round. This ensures access to the infrastructure to scholars who are not involved in organising the survey.
A new module – Interdisciplinary perspectives on social (dis)connectedness in Europe – has been selected for Round 13 of the survey.
The module will focus on aspects of social disconnection such as feelings of being ostracised, perceived discrimination or being left out of social events because of mental health issues, lack of knowledge and/or financial standing.
There will also be questions on whether this disconnection is linked to increasing digitalisation and/or social media and whether respondents enjoy or seek social isolation.
The module proposal includes some questions on ostracism that were asked in wave 5 of our CROss-National Online Survey 2 (CRONOS-2) Panel, fielded in 12 countries during 2021-23.
The new module on social disconnectedness will offer some fascinating insights into the mindsets of respondents when it comes to feeling left out by their peers.
Professor Rory Fitzgerald ESS Director
Around 30 questions measuring attitudes towards the welfare state will also be included in Round 13, with the majority of items repeated from previous modules included in rounds 4 and 8 (2008/09 and 2016/17).
Repeated items will measure public opinion on social benefits and services, different types of welfare recipients, income differences, the standard of living and universal basic income (UBI).
It is proposed that the revised module – Welfare attitudes in Europe: social security in insecure times – will feature new questions on welfare in the context of military spending, the deservingness of recipients, environmental subsidies and fair treatment of welfare support applications.
The repeat module will allow us to better understand views about the welfare state following the implementation of many extra benefits and social services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Professor Rory Fitzgerald ESS Director
The social disconnectedness module will be led by Rainer Greifeneder (University of Basel) with a team that includes Daniel Auer (Collegio Carlo Alberto), Conchita d’Ambrosio (University of Luxembourg), Danny Osborne (University of Auckland) and Massimo Ragnedda (Northumbria University).
The welfare module will be led by Femke Roosma (Tilburg University), with support from Tijs Laenen and Dimitri Gugushvili (KU Leuven), Macarena Ares (University of Barcelona), and Maria Theiss (University of Warsaw).
Round 13 will be fielded in late 2027 and early 2028 using only self-completion methods (web and paper) for the first time in the ESS.
Professor Rory Fitzgerald, ESS Director, said: “We are very excited about including these two modules in our first ever self-completion round of the survey.
“The repeat module will allow us to better understand views about the welfare state following the implementation of many extra benefits and social services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The new module on social disconnectedness will offer some fascinating insights into the mindsets of respondents when it comes to feeling left out by their peers. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the module will reexamine social capital in the current era.
“I thank everyone who submitted an application for these rotating modules, congratulate the successful applicants and express gratitude to our Scientific Advisory Board for selecting two excellent proposals.”
Read the successful applications: