Inequalities and Injustices in Transforming Societies
Conference July 20-22, 2027
Welcome to the conference
Conference date: July 20-22, 2027 (a pre-conference PhD workshop on July 19 is in preparation)
Location: University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
Under the conference theme “Inequalities and Injustices in Transforming Societies”, the 21st Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Justice Research invites scholars from a wide range of disciplines (including but not limited to Sociology, Psychology, Social Psychology, Political Sciences, Educational Sciences, and Philosophy) and at all career stages to engage with these questions from diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives.
Contemporary societies are undergoing profound transformations driven by rapid political, economic, and technological change. The accelerating use of digital technologies, increasing labor market volatility, shifts in political representation and participation, and growing social polarization are reshaping social relations and decision-making in fundamental ways. Recent developments such as the rise of artificial intelligence, climate-related crises, global migration dynamics, and post-pandemic inequalities further amplify these transformations. These developments raise pressing questions for inequality and justice research, for example:
- How do changing institutional arrangements, technological infrastructures, and social norms shape perceptions of fairness and legitimacy?
- Which groups benefit from societal change, and which face new risks of exclusion, marginalization, or misrecognition?
- How are inequalities produced, justified, contested, or normalized in times of rapid transformation, and how do these processes vary across institutional and cultural contexts as well as intersecting social positions?
- How do justice-related beliefs, emotions, and moral frameworks adapt—or fail to adapt—to accelerating social and technological change?
- What roles do institutions, movements, and digital platforms play in fostering or mitigating injustice?
We welcome contributions that address both enduring and emerging forms of inequality and injustice, as well as the psychological, social, and institutional mechanisms through which they are shaped. In line with ISJR’s mission, the conference also aims to foster interdisciplinary exchange, the development of new theoretical perspectives, and dialogue between basic and applied justice research to advance our understanding of justice at all levels – from intraindividual processes to global institutions.
We are looking forward to an enriching conference!
Keynote speakers
Caroline Fredrickson
International Labour Organization (ILO), Research Department
Short bio:
Caroline Fredrickson is the Director of the Research and Statistics Department at the International Labour Organization. She has served as a senior leader in international policy, law, and research with experience across global institutions, government, and academia. She has led major research, policy, and advocacy initiatives, overseen complex organizations, and managed large teams and budgets, with a consistent focus on advancing evidence-based policy and institutional impact.
Her career combines executive leadership, public policy expertise, and thought leadership, including senior roles in government, nonprofit, and academic settings. She has extensive experience shaping legislative and policy agendas, engaging with high-level stakeholders, and contributing to public discourse through teaching, writing, and speaking, with a sustained emphasis on governance, legal systems, and social and economic policy.
Prof . Dr. Fabian Pfeffer
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department of Sociology
Short bio:
Fabian Pfeffer is Professor of Sociology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), where he holds the Chair for Social Inequality and Social Structures and serves as the director of the Department of Sociology. He is the founding director of the Munich International Stone Center for Inequality Research (ISI). His research investigates social inequality, how it is maintained across time and generations, and how it may be changed. His particular focus is on the dynamics of wealth inequality.
Pre-conference PhD workshop
Call for Papers
Information about abstract submission
- Submission process: Please submit your abstract via the submission tool by November 30, 2026: The link to the submission system will be shared in the summer of 2026.
- Formats: We welcome abstracts for poster presentations, symposia (3-4 thematically related presentations plus a discussant), and/or individual research talks
- Review: All submissions will be reviewed by the program committee.
- Acceptance: We plan to inform you about the acceptance by February 15, 2026.
Submission guidelines
Please include:
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The title of the paper, poster, symposium.
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The names, institutional affiliations, postal address, and e-mail addresses of all authors (and, in the case of symposia, all organizers).
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Up to five keywords.
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Abstract structure:
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For papers and posters: An abstract structured as follows: (i) Background, (ii) Methods, (iii) Results, and (iv) Implications.
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For symposia: In addition to the structured presentation abstracts, an unstructured symposium overview abstract is required.
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Word limits:
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For papers and posters: Maximum 300 words per abstract.
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For symposia: Maximum 200 words for the overview abstract and 150 words per presentation abstract.
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Please use this abstract style sheet [CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD].
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Do not submit full papers.
Please contact isjr2027.conference@uni-bielefeld.de using the subject “call” for further assistance or questions.
Conference venue
Please contact isjr2027.conference@uni-bielefeld.de using the subject “travel” for further assistance or questions.
Accommodation and Childcare
- Accommodation
From small, cozy guest houses to large, modern hotels, some close to the city center and others in quieter areas, Bielefeld offers a variety of accommodations.
We will provide information about special rates for selected hotels at a later date.
Bielefeld also has a Couchsurfing community. Couchsurfers share their homes with travelers on a nonprofit basis.
Please contact isjr2027.conference@uni-bielefeld.de using the subject “accommodation” for further assistance or questions.
- Childcare
The organizers plan to provide childcare opportunities, which will be announced at a later date.
Please contact isjr2027.conference@uni-bielefeld.de using the subject “childcare” for further assistance or questions.