Equality is a central principle of human rights, enshrined in numerous international and national legal instruments. At the same time, equality is far more than a legal principle: it shapes political, social, and academic discourse and is an essential prerequisite for an inclusive and democratic society.

Despite its fundamental importance, equality is not a clearly defined concept. What equality specifically means in different social contexts and how it can be achieved requires ongoing (academic) examination. At the same time, significant inequalities persist in practice. The principles of substantive equality and inclusion, as well as the need to combat structural discrimination, are not sufficiently taken into account in social discourse, legislation, and legal practice. Structural barriers, institutional practices, and discrimination prevent many people from participating on an equal footing and make it clear that legal guarantees alone are not sufficient. Promoting equality therefore requires both an analysis of individual disadvantages and an examination of the structural conditions that create, perpetuate, or reduce inequality and discrimination.

Focus Areas

The research group focuses on the legal, political, and social conditions and discourses that shape issues of equality, non-discrimination, and inclusion. Since (in)equality is a cross-cutting issue, we analyze its significance in various fields of action and from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Our research follows an intersectional approach that considers how different dimensions of inequality and discrimination can overlap, influence one another, and reinforce each other. Group-based approaches are critically analyzed, as they often neglect the diverse positions, resources, experiences, perspectives, identities, abilities, and social affiliations of group members. At the same time, they carry the risk of stereotyping and increased marginalization. That is why we focus in particular on the intersection of gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, and other characteristics. In doing so, we link human rights issues with current societal challenges.

Regardless of the specific research topic, there are questions and perspectives that continually guide our work. These include, in particular:

• assessing the suitability of existing legal frameworks and policies, both in individual cases and in terms of their societal impacts;
• ensuring that legal guarantees are actually brought to people’s attention and that the promise of equality can be realized;
• taking intersectional perspectives into account and analyzing the interplay of various forms of inequality and discrimination;
• promoting inclusion and the equal participation of people with disabilities;
• addressing gender-based violence and intersectional power dynamics from a human rights perspective, particularly in the context of disability and gender;
• supporting equal treatment agencies, ombudsman offices, and other institutions in the effective implementation of human rights and anti-discrimination legal requirements;
• raising awareness of the cross-cutting nature of (in)equality and (non-)discrimination in law, politics, and society.

Scientific Approach

The starting point for our research is a human rights perspective on issues of equality, non-discrimination, and inclusion. In our work, we combine legal approaches with social science perspectives, particularly from critical political science, disability studies, and feminist studies, to analyze social power relations, inequalities, and mechanisms of exclusion in all their complexity.

We proceed from the assumption that knowledge does not arise in isolation from social contexts but is always developed within social, political, and institutional frameworks. Accordingly, we reflect on the conditions under which scholarly discourses emerge and their impacts, and we incorporate diverse perspectives into our research.

Our work is predominantly applied and aims to make scientific findings usable for policy, administration, and practice. At the same time, we also make basic research contributions to the further development of scholarly debates and theoretical concepts. Participatory research approaches, which systematically incorporate the perspectives of affected individuals and relevant practitioners, play a particularly important role in this regard.

Goals and Achievements

Through its work, the research group contributes to strengthening equality, non-discrimination, and inclusion as central human rights principles in academia, politics, and practice. The goal is to translate scientific findings into concrete courses of action (= translational research) and thereby promote sustainable social change.

Through research and implementation projects, we support public institutions, international organizations, and civil society actors in developing, implementing, and evaluating human rights-based strategies, measures, and tools. In doing so, we combine scientific findings with high practical relevance and contribute to the realization of an inclusive society with equal opportunities.