Welcome to ESPAnet's 18th Annual and first ONLINE Conference which is hosted by the Social Policy and Social Work Team of the KU Leuven Centre for Sociological Research (Belgium).
\n\nAre our European welfare states up for the future? Given worldwide changes in economic structures and balances\, the acceleration of technological developments\, substantial environmental risks and globally disruptive events as\, for example\, the COVID-19 pandemic\, will they be able to uphold\, and where necessary even extend\, the range of social objectives they are known for in the world? Will their social policies succeed in effectively promoting sufficiently high living standards of their citizenry?
\n\nWe feel honoured to be able to offer you\, as social policy academics\, a place to present and discuss your ideas on these questions\, to exchange research findings\, and to get inspired.
\n\nFor the first time in its existence\, the ESPAnet Annual Conference will be held online. This is to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and to respond to the various\, perhaps longer-lasting\, health\, logistical and financial risks and challenges it poses for our colleagues from all over Europe.
\n\nDespite the online format\, we hope that during the conference you will feel the warm glow of being in contact with so many people sharing the same professional curiosity and passion.
\n\nWe look forward to seeing you online in autumn 2021!
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