Centre for Comparative Social Surveys

The Centre for Comparative Social Surveys was set up in the School Social Sciences in October 2003 and works closely with the Department of Sociology. It is housed on the Ground Floor of the Social Sciences Building.

It hosts the multi-nation European Social Survey (ESS) funded by the European Commission, European Science Foundation and national funding agencies. The Centre is the lead partner in the project, under its director and Principal Investigator, Professor Roger Jowell, together with Rory Fitzgerald, Eric Harrison, Lorna Ryan, Sally Widdop, Mary Keane and Heather Flanagan.

The ESS is designed to measure and explain trends in attitudes, beliefs and values across countries in Europe (and its close neighbours). Designed to exceptionally high standards, its twin aims are to improve comparative social measurement within and beyond Europe. Fieldwork is conducted every two years and is currently in its fourth round.

In every round, core questions are asked about political orientations, attitudes and behaviour; underlying social and moral values; national, ethnic and religious allegiances; and, socio-demographic variables. Other topics are covered on a ‘rotating’ basis, following a Europe-wide competition. So far these have included immigration and asylum; active citizenship; attitudes to health and medicine; the balance between work and family; economic morality; the welfare state; and ageism.

ESS data are freely available and may be accessed directly via the archive at http://ess.nsd.uib.no or through the ESS main website www.europeansocialsurvey.org

Individual queries should be directed to the team at ess@city.ac.uk