EEA Professional Climate Survey Report

2025-08-06

AI Summary

This study addresses the lack of systematic, cross-national empirical evidence on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in European economics academia. Drawing on anonymized survey responses from 861 members of the European Economic Association (EEA), it employs intersectional analysis to examine how gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability status, and socioeconomic background shape professional experiences. Results reveal significantly higher reported incidences of discrimination, exclusion, and harassment—and lower overall job satisfaction—among women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and scholars with disabilities, relative to their peers; average satisfaction falls below levels observed in a comparable 2018 U.S. survey. DEI climates vary markedly across regions: Nordic countries report comparatively favorable conditions, whereas the UK and Italy exhibit pronounced challenges. The study constitutes the first large-scale, multi-dimensional assessment of DEI in European economics, establishing a foundational benchmark for cross-national comparison and informing evidence-based policy interventions.

Technology Category

• Application Domains: Humanities & Computational Social Science
• Philosophy and Ethics of AI: Bias, Fairness & Equity
• Game Theory and Economic Paradigms: Fair Division

Application Category

• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Fairness, privacy, and diversity in economic environments
• Responsible Web: Data and user privacy-enhancing technologies for the Web
• Social Networks and Social Media: Fairness and bias in social network and social media analysis

Abstract

In 2023, the European Economic Association (EEA) Minorities in Economics (MinE) Committee, in collaboration with the German Economic Association (VfS), conducted a professional climate survey to assess diversity, equity, and inclusion in the European economics profession.The survey gathered responses from 861 current and former EEA members, capturing demographic data and experiences across gender, ethnicity, LGBTQ+ identity, disability, and socioeconomic background. Results revealed widespread disparities in perceptions of inclusion, respect, and professional treatment. Reports of discrimination, exclusion, and harassment were significantly higher among women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. Geographic differences also emerged, with the Nordic countries reporting the most positive climate and the UK and Italy showing higher levels of dissatisfaction and discrimination. Compared to the American Economic Association 2018 survey, European respondents reported lower satisfaction overall.

Problem

• Assess diversity and inclusion in European economics profession
• Identify disparities in professional treatment across demographics
• Compare climate satisfaction between Europe and the US

Innovation

• Conducted professional climate survey on diversity
• Analyzed demographic disparities in inclusion perceptions
• Compared European and American survey satisfaction results