Spring School

After a series of annual workshop sessions, since 1999 ECSR has organized a yearly Spring or Summer School.

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ECSR AND COLLEGIO CARLO ALBERTO AND NASP JOINT SPRING SCHOOL ON

Inequalities Across Lives and Generations: Cumulative Disadvantage, Life Course Dynamics, and the Intergenerational Transmission of (Dis)Advantages

Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin, Italy, March 23-26, 2026

The topic for the 2026 edition of the ECSR-CA-NASP Spring School is Inequalities Across Lives and Generations: Cumulative Disadvantage, Life Course Dynamics, and the Intergenerational Transmission of (Dis)Advantages. Inequalities in educational, occupational and family trajectories tend to accumulate across the life course and remain strongly patterned by individuals’ social origins. Empirical evidence shows that family background continues to shape life outcomes even among individuals with similar educational qualifications, challenging the idea of education as the “great equalizer”. Research also highlights both compensatory advantages and boosting effects, through which better-off families can prevent downward mobility, reduce the negative impact of critical life-course events, and amplify the returns to education for their children.

A limited number of doctoral students and young researchers will participate in a full-immersion course, including lectures on key topics in the field and the opportunity to present their work and have it discussed by leading scholars.

The School is organized by Nazareno Panichella (University of Milan, scientific coordinator), Camilla Borgna (University of Turin and Collegio Carlo Alberto), Stefano Cantalini (University of Milan, deputy scientific coordinator), Tiziana Nazio (University of Turin and Collegio Carlo Alberto), Emanuela Struffolino (University of Milan) and Antonina Zhelenkova (University of Bologna).

Lectures will be given and presentations discussed by Fabrizio Bernardi (UNED), Camilla Borgna (University of Turin and Collegio Carlo Alberto), Stefano Cantalini (University of Milan), Per Engzell (University College London), Cristina Iannelli (University of Edinburgh), Philipp Lersch (Humboldt University of Berlin), Tiziana Nazio (University of Turin and Collegio Carlo Alberto), Lidia Panico (Sciences Po), Nazareno Panichella (University of Milan), Jonas Radl (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid) and Emanuela Struffolino (University of Milan).

Applications have to be sent by email (mito.school@unimi.it) by February 15, 2026, and should include:

• an abstract of the paper that will be presented (up to 500 words)
• a summary of the PhD thesis project or current research (up to 3 pages)
• a brief CV (one page)

Priority in admission will be given to PhD students from Institutions that belong to the ECSR.

Admission to the School is free of charge. Admitted students will be provided hotel accommodation, all lunches and a social dinner. Other dinners and travel expenses to and from Turin will not be covered.

For information: Nazareno Panichella (nazareno.panichella@unimi.it)