ESA Research Networks
Research Network for Comparative Research on Europe (RENCORE)
Call for the RENCORE meeting at the
8th European Sociological Association (ESA) Conference, Glasgow 3-6
September 2007
The Research Network "RENCORE: Methods for Comparative Research on Europe"
is planning four sessions and the biannual meeting for its members:
1st session: Standardizing Socio-Demographic Variables for Cross National
Social Surveys
2nd session: Methods in European Survey Research
3rd session: Methodological Aspects in Comparative Survey Research
4th session: Comparative Analysis of European Data from Official Statistics
Call for papers
1st session: Standardizing Socio-Demographic Variables for Cross National
Social Surveys
organized by: Juergen H.P. Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik, GESIS-ZUMA, Mannheim/GER
For the measurement of socio-demographic variables, the knowledge of the
various underlying concepts, the cultural and national structures of the
variables and the usual national indicators are necessary. With this
knowledge functional equivalence of socio-demographic variables can be
reached by harmonizing the variables.
The sessions have on the agenda the way from national concepts of variables
to international comparable measurements and indicators, the progress in
methods using comparative survey data and the methodological aspects of
survey research analyzing cross national and cross cultural surveys.
2nd session: Methods in European Survey Research
organized by: Uwe Warner, CEPS/INSTEAD, Differdange/LUX
European comparative survey researches hold all methodological problems
which can be found also in national survey research. But in international
survey research additional methodological problem appears based on different
cultures.
The second session has on the agenda methodological topics on European
comparative survey research like national effects of sample designs, the
scaling, the measurement of values, the translation and the functional
equivalence, the data quality, etc. and the comparative exposure of these
problems.
3rd session: Methodological Aspects in Comparative Survey Research
organized by: Juergen H.P. Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik, GESIS-ZUMA, Mannheim/GER
Themes for the third session are: interview cultures and mode effects,
particular target population groups (older workers, children, migrants, etc.);
theme or objective oriented surveys (health, wealth, intergenerational
relations, etc.), etc.
4th session: Comparative Analysis of European Data from Official Statistics
organized by: Christof Wolf, GESIS-ZUMA, Mannheim/GER
This session focuses on data provided by either national statistical offices
in Europe or Eurostat, e.g. national censuses, the European Labour Force
Survey (EU-LFS) or the European Study on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC).
These data sets offer several advantages for social-structural analysis:
Sample sizes are usually very large making the identification of even small
subgroups viable and non-response is usually very modest. Since more and
more official data are directly or indirectly influenced by EU-regulations
and more and more data of this kind is produced in several if not all
countries of the EU researchers interested in analysing the social structure
of their societies should pay more attention to this data source.
Possible topics of presentations in this session include data availability,
strategies for anonymising official micro data, strategies for harmonising
these data over time or nation, meta data and documentation standards for
these data.
Proposal for the RENCORE meeting at ESA conference should be submitted
electronically by using the official conference web page:
http://www.esa8thconference.com/abstractsubmission/submissionform.php
Please send also a copy to hoffmeyer-zlotnik@zuma-mannheim.de with: title, author's name, author's institution, e-mail-address, abstract and referring to the session number by deadline: February 15, 2007.
General information on the Research Network
The aim of the RENCORE is to encourage and enhance comparative empirical research of individual, national and institutional level data from the states of western, central and eastern Europe.
This aim will be met through the following objectives:
1) the support and promotion of cross-national European research, both quantitative and qualitative;
2) the development of comparable indicators for comparative research;
3) the enhancement of information exchange between those who create and use cross-national datasets;
4) the refinement of methods for the analysis of data obtained from a number of European countries.
The network will act as a forum and channel for discussion and communication between those involved in cross-national European research, either as data collectors or as data analysts.
The activities of the network will include:
a) The organisation of meetings and workshops on topics related to comparative empirical research;
b) The establishment of an email discussion list and WWW page.
The email list will enable discussions between those in the network, and the WWW page will describe the network members, their interests and their research activities;
c) The organisation of scientific visits between members of the network.
A directory of opportunities for research visits (e.g. for sabbaticals, post-doctoral studies, exchanges and short visits) will be compiled. The directory will also list external sources of funding to support visits.
Administration
The network will be administered by a small Executive Committee who will stand for election every two years (at the ESA meeting). The network will be established by a small ad-hoc Committee consisting of Loek Halman (Netherlands), Peter Mohler (Germany), and Nigel Gilbert (UK).
Membership of the network will initially be free, although a subscription may be levied once the network is well established. Potential members should write (or email) their application for membership to Nigel Gilbert, at the address below, explaining their involvement in comparative European research and listing relevant publications. Applications should include a full mail address, an email address, and telephone and fax numbers.
All those who are engaged in European comparative research, whereever they may be working, are welcome to apply for membership of the Network.
Coordinators
Nigel Gilbert
Department of Sociology
University of Surrey
Guildford GU2 5XH
England
email: gng@soc.surrey.ac.uk
tel.: +44 1483 259173
Fax: +44 1483 306290
Peter Mohler
ZUMA
PO Box 122 155
D-68072 Mannheim
Germany
email: Mohler@ZUMA-Mannheim.de
Loek Halman
WORC
University of Tilburg
PO Box 90153
5000 LE Tilburg
The Netherlands
email: loek.halman@kub.nl