Research Areas

Social policies for citizenship
The practical perception of citizenship’s social dimensions implies, apart from an accountability of society as a whole, a particular accountability from the State in the development of public policies that fight discrimination and inequality, guarantee levels of welfare for all that are compatible with the available resources and promote the participation of citizens in the systems and in the provision of needs. This line of research uses these principles as objects of research, with special emphasis on the comparative, multi-faceted and evaluative analysis of the impacts.

Psychosocial risks and vulnerabilities: collective action, families, networks and organizational forms
In this line of research, we aim to develop plural approaches regarding psychosocial risks and vulnerabilities based on the discussion of family dynamics, citizenship rights and on the promotion of public policies capable of fighting exclusion and promoting social inclusion. The analysis falls on both the risk and vulnerability production processes, formal and informal, by which people, families and society are organized, in order to define fighting strategies and frameworks for social protection.

Social inequality and classes
Social inequalities cross all societies, being their downsizing a constant challenge for social sciences, especially now that we see the situation worsening. POSTRADE’s main goal is to study the social processes that produce social inequality based on social class, gender, ethnic background, age, disability and other social differentiation criteria that are relevant for the studied social contexts, as well as the reformulations, social dynamics and policies affecting the phenomenon.

Labour relations and Syndicalism
This line of research is particularly attentive to the changes in contemporary labour markets where processes of precariousness and fragmentation of labour relations have emerged. Therefore, special attention is given to the new labour relations configurations arising from these changes, as well as the role played by the trade union actors in defending citizenship and labour rights in various places and acting scales.