Research Digests - launched today

Submitted by Hector Rufrancos on 28 March 2011

Today, The Equality Trust releases its first research digest. Issue 1 focuses on the effects of income inequality on violent crime.

Some of the key points are:

There is a relationship between inequality and homicide. It has been found in many different settings.

Research has shown that small reductions in income inequality cause large reductions in homicide.

This relationship seems to be part of a more generally divisive effect of inequality, which weakens the social fabric.

Read the rest of the digest HTML PDF

The research digests series is part of our commitment to the understanding of the evidence about the impacts of income inequality on societies. As these digests are new (and exciting) you may have questions about them. A short Q&A on the research digests is below.

Q&A on Research Digests

Q: What are research digests?

A: The research digests are short documents to inform you about what the wider academic literature is saying about economic inequality and its effects. The digests will cover diverse strands of research into the impact of inequality.

Q: Why should I read a research digest?

A: To learn more about the evidence relating to income inequality and its impact on all our lives. We have selected important papers in the field, summarised their findings, and identified the wider trends shown. This is valuable as most people don't have access to academic journals. These digests make academic research more accessible, so that everyone can engage with these issues, by providing a useful summary of what has been said in academia and why it matters to society.

Q: But I haven't read The Spirit Level! Do I need to read it in order to understand what you're going to tell me?

A: The research digests are stand-alone documents that require no previous knowledge of The Spirit Level. The digests introduce research by many academics who have spent their careers investigating the impacts of inequality; they show the context in which the findings of The Spirit Level are situated.

Q: Ok, I'm interested, but what else will it do for me?

A: Well, we hope that it will persuade you take action to reduce income inequality. This can take many forms: for example you may wish to discuss these issues with your friends and family. Or, perhaps you could join one of our local equality groups. These may also lead to you becoming a paid up supporter of The Equality Trust. Together we can make a difference: by making society aware of the effects of income inequality we can push for measures to reduce the income gap and build a healthier society.

Q: Who should read these research digests?

A: Everyone!

If you're a campaigner, the research digests will provide you the arguments and evidence of how inequality damages society.
If you work responding to the problems caused by inequality (charities, front-line services, etc.), the digests offer evidence that reducing inequality would improve the life of your clients.
If you're an academic or student, the digest will give you a neat summary of the topic and valuable references, which you might choose to follow up in greater detail.
And finally, if you're someone who would like to convince others of the benefits of more equal society, but feel you lack the evidence to make an effective argument, these digests are also for you. They are written in a simple style and require no technical knowledge. After reading them we hope you will feel more confident about passing on the message to your friends family and co-workers.

Q: How often will the research digests be published?

A: The research digests will appear quarterly. We aim to release them in between our newsletter, which you might like to read if you haven't already to keep you up to date with the campaign!

Q: But I might forget to read the digest next quarter!

A: Never fear, if you enjoyed reading this digest and would like to subscribe to the research digest mailing list click here. Otherwise feel free to check this page periodically.

Q: Ok, I'm off to read them. But what if I have some feedback?

A: Feel free to leave a comment here. Your comments will help us with future publications.