The University of Konstanz's Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" will continue to receive funding in the context of the German Excellence Strategy. The focus of the second funding phase will be on the question of how it can be prevented that inequality in society develops into a self-reinforcing process.

The Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" at the University of Konstanz will continue to receive funding through the German Excellence Strategy for another seven years. The German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Council of Science and Humanities (WR) made the announcement on 22 May 2025. The Cluster of Excellence applied for around 52 million euros in funding. Clusters of Excellence are large, transdisciplinary research networks that study relevant research topics at the highest level internationally; they are one of the funding lines of the Excellence Strategy.

"Our Cluster of Excellence 'The Politics of Inequality' studies one of the most urgent topics of our times: the political causes and consequences of growing inequality in our society," explains Katharina Holzinger, rector of the University of Konstanz. "I am extremely pleased that our Cluster of Excellence can expand upon its outstanding research during the next funding period. On behalf of our entire university, I congratulate everyone who contributed to this achievement and thank them for their exceptional work."

Understanding inequality
The Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" studies the political causes and consequences of inequality – in Germany and worldwide, in democracies as well as in autocracies. The focus is on the question of how inequality is perceived in society, how this is related to political participation and how this interplay ultimately influences political decision-making processes. In their work, the cluster's researchers combine perspectives from different disciplines, including political science, sociology, economics and linguistics.

"In our second funding phase, we will increasingly concentrate on the question of how it can be prevented that inequality in society develops into a self-reinforcing process. To what extent do our assumptions about the causes of inequality shape the way we deal with it? What role does inequality play in the global resurgence of social protest movements? How can political decisions reduce structural inequalities instead of reinforcing them?" This is how the speakers of the Cluster of Excellence, Marius R. Busemeyer, Claudia Diehl and Gabriele Spilker, summarize the cluster's central goals.

Social responsibility also plays a vital role in the cluster's work. Many of its members use their expertise to advise policymakers and the public. At regular intervals, the cluster conducts the Konstanz Inequality Barometer, a representative study on perceptions of inequality in Germany, which is to be extended to other countries in the future – especially in the Global South. In all of these countries, the cluster will establish an Inequality Discourse Observatory to conduct computational data analyses of the public and political inequality discourse at the level of the media and decision-makers.

Rejoicing and disappointment
"Our joy at hearing about the success of our cluster is, unfortunately, mixed with sadness at our university: Only one of our Clusters of Excellence will continue to receive funding," Katharina Holzinger explains. Funding will not continue for the Konstanz Cluster of Excellence "Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour" (CASCB), that studies the rules of the swarm – from huge animal collectives and human group dynamics to autonomous robot swarms. For years, the cluster’s research findings on collective behaviour have been among the most cited publications in their field worldwide. With the cluster, Konstanz has become an internationally leading hotspot for the study of collectives.

"It is really disappointing for us that a so successful and flourishing research network will not receive further funding," Holzinger explains and adds: "Not only will the university need to restructure its research priority 'Collective Behaviour', but this result also means that we do not meet the requirement of having at least two Clusters of Excellence in order to continue to receive funding through the Universities of Excellence programme."

The Universities of Excellence funding line
Since 2007, the University of Konstanz has received funding as a University of Excellence. After almost two decades of continuous success in every funding line, Konstanz ranks among the top competitors, both in the German Excellence Initiative as well as the follow-up programme, the Excellence Strategy. In 2007, Konstanz was the smallest university to achieve University of Excellence status, standing on equal footing with significantly larger and older institutions. Yet, it is much harder for small universities to continuously sustain two Clusters of Excellence.

"We do not have any extra Clusters of Excellence lined up. Losing one of our clusters thus has drastic consequences for the entire university, since this means we are out of the running for 'University of Excellence' status in the next funding period," Katharina Holzinger says and concludes: "We are very grateful for almost two decades as a University of Excellence. During this period, we were able to thoroughly reposition Konstanz as a research location. Now, we are faced with the mammoth task of upholding the structures established over these years as well as possible, but without continued funding."

Key facts: The Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" at the University of Konstanz will receive funding for another seven years (from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2032). Requested funding: around 52 million euros in total The Konstanz Cluster of Excellence "Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour" will not receive additional funding..