New report reflects on nine rounds of data

Ahead of the initial Round 10 (2020-22) data release, the European Social Survey (ESS) has published a report that includes analysis of data from the first nine rounds of the survey (2002-19).

Exploring public attitudes, informing public policy: Selected findings from the first nine rounds is the fourth issue in our series of reports that showcase analysis of our data.

The findings booklet includes summaries of research undertaken using our dataset by academics, researchers and students on a wide range of topics using different analytical techniques.

Articles include analysis of our measures of ancestry, education, electoral participation, employment, income, migration and political trust.

Data measuring attitudes towards European Union integration, the economy, government, health and education, homosexuality, justice and fairness, social trust and wellbeing are also included.

Takis Venetoklis (University of Turku) assessed whether attitudes to the economy, health services and education collected either side of the 2008 financial crisis could help understand what the social effects of COVID-19 might be.

Caroline Hahn (GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences), Elias Heppner and Christian Schnaudt (University of Mannheim) assessed data collected in Round 9 (2018/19) measuring whether respondents feel that society is just and fair, and what this means for political trust.

Pantelis Kostis and Kyriaki Kafka (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens) assessed our data collected across all nine rounds (2002-19) to assess the effects of uncertainty on cultural values change.

Timo Gnambs (Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories) investigated whether there were variations in subjective wellbeing depending on the day of the week the interview took place.

Jannis Böhm (University of Twente) assessed the proportion of trade union members by age cohort in 19 countries, relying on our Round 9 (2018/19) data.

Dávid Erát (University of Pécs) explored data from all nine rounds to assess the likelihood of attending higher education by gender.

Jonna Toresten (Malmö University) examined ESS Round 9 (2018/19) political participation and social trust indicators to assess whether this had an effect on levels of political trust.

Analysis of our data collected during rounds 4-8 (2008-17) at the regional level was assessed by Leo Azzollini (University of Oxford) to explore whether electoral participation is affected by employment status.

Anthony Heath (University of Oxford) and Silke Schneider (GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences) considered the integration of migrants using an ancestry item introduced in Round 7 (2014/15) of our survey.

Ian McManus (Emerson College) examined our data collected over the first eight rounds (2002-17) to understand the motivations that underpin voter support for far-left and far-right populist political parties.

Manuela Stranges (University of Calabria), Daniele Vignoli (University of Florence) and Alessandra Venturini (University of Turin) analysed all nine rounds of data to explore the relationship between migrants’ subjective wellbeing and relative income.

Professor Rory Fitzgerald, Director of the ESS ERIC at City, University of London commented:

“There are now over 5,000 publications using ESS data and this publication showcases some of the wonderful ways in which scientists use data from the ESS infrastructure.

“With the release of our Round 10 data during 2022, we look forward to seeing even more publications in the future, which address issues of academic and policy relevance.”

Exploring public attitudes, informing public policy: Selected findings from the first nine rounds