WORKING GROUP 3 – Trends and Support for EU Core Values
WG3 examines how Europeans' commitment to the values that underpin the European Union — pluralism, tolerance, solidarity, equality, and the rule of law — has evolved over time, and how it is being reshaped by overlapping crises and rapid social change. Drawing on the conceptual groundwork of WG1 and the methodological tools developed in WG2, the group traces long-term trends and the variations that emerge across regions, generations, and social groups.
Deliverables
| Code | Deliverable |
|---|---|
| D3.1 | Review of EU documents on values |
| D3.2 | Webinar series on value trends in turbulent times |
| D3.3 | Content and programmes for the three VISTA summer schools |
| D3.4 | Repertoire of data sources on changing values |
| D3.5 | Conference session proposal on value change |
| D3.6 | Special Issue in a scientific journal |
Objectives
1. Map long-term trends in value change across Europe.
Building on the foundations laid by WG1 and WG2, WG3 creates a shared space in which scholars can reflect on past trends and debate how successive crises and societal shifts shape individual and collective values.
2. Analyse support for EU core values among European citizens.
Using established cross-national surveys and databases — notably EVS, ESS, WVS, and Eurobarometer — to identify patterns and variations across demographic groups and regions, and to track how values evolve in response to political, economic, and social change.
3. Develop an integrated approach to studying value change during crises.
Consolidating existing knowledge, fostering collaboration between research groups, and translating findings into actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders.
Activities
Set up a coordinated working unit to review how core values are referenced and framed in EU documents.
Organise a series of at least three webinars bringing together scholars and stakeholders to discuss value trends during crises and major societal shifts.
Contribute content, materials, and programmes to the three VISTA summer schools, in collaboration with the other Working Groups.
Build a curated repertoire of data sources on changing values for the wider research community.
Propose a session on value change at a major international conference (e.g. ESA, ISA, EPSA, IPSA, ESRA, ECPR, WAPOR), involving both senior and early-career researchers.
Coordinate a Special Issue for a leading peer-reviewed journal — for instance European Societies, European Political Science, European Political Science Review, or Journal of Contemporary European Studies.