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  • New book examines perceptions of Sweden – what does research tell us about living conditions?

    How accurate are our perceptions of contemporary Sweden? A new book examines common perceptions of poverty, health, social relationships and working life, drawing on more than 50 years of data on people’s living conditions. The findings show, among other things, that economic hardship has declined over the period despite growing income inequality, and that mental health problems have increased sharply among younger generations.

    Swedish Institute for Social Research
  • illustration photo blurred showing a crowd of peoplewalking on city street.

    New framework explains how inequality shapes resilience

    People who are most likely to face unemployment or low-paid work are also more likely to fall into poverty when these setbacks occur. A study based on data from more than three million people across Europe shows that resilience depends not only on individual abilities, but also on people's exposure to risks and their capacity to cope with them.

    Swedish Institute for Social Research
  • Illustrationsbild från en förskoleverksamhet. En pedagog bygger en bana med träklossar tillsammans med barn.

    For-profit preschools pay lower wages – but staff have better health outcomes

    Wages, worker qualifications and indicators of staff health differ between municipal, for-profit and non-profit preschools in Sweden. A new study by Karin Edmark (Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University) and Lovisa Persson (Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN) and Kristianstad University) compares the provider types using nationwide register data covering the period 2001–2020.

    Swedish Institute for Social Research
  • Portrait of Orsa Kekezi.

    Orsa Kekezi awarded the Young Researcher Prize 2026

    Congratulations to Orsa Kekezi at the Swedish Institute for Social Research on being awarded the Entrepreneurship Forum's Young Researcher Prize 2026! Her research on how places and economic structures shape entrepreneurship has earned her this recognition. The prize is worth SEK 150,000.

    Swedish Institute for Social Research

  • Our researchers nominated for international award

    Marie Evertsson, Ylva Moberg, and Maaike van der Vleuten have been nominated for the Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award for Excellence in Work-Family Research 2026, one of the most prestigious international recognitions in the field.

    Swedish Institute for Social Research

  • Mothers bear the greatest financial burden after separation – but equality can make a difference

    The way work and care are divided in a relationship affects how hard women are hit financially when they separate. A new study in PNAS shows that more equal relationships, in both same-sex and opposite-sex couples, reduce financial losses, but this advantage disappears when caregiving responsibilities fall on one person, usually the one who gave birth.

    Swedish Institute for Social Research

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