About the conference

Inequalities continue to plague all areas of society, from education and income, to health and life expectancy. Successive governments and decades of policy initiatives have targeted the unequal life chances across communities, countries and generations.

But why do these disparities persist? And who faces the greatest risks? The UK’s longitudinal studies are leading sources of evidence on life course and intergenerational inequality. CLOSER’s 2017 conference sought to bring together researchers from across disciplines to showcase the contribution longitudinal research has made to our understanding of inequalities.

The conference gave longitudinal researchers, from across disciplines and sectors, the opportunity to share ideas and innovations with peers from both the UK and abroad.

Throughout the two day event, delegates had the opportunity to:

• hear from leading experts from across the social and biomedical sciences
• consider the potential for cross-study comparisons in their own research
• network with colleagues from across disciplines, sectors and locations
• learn about the latest resources for research.

Keynote speakers

The Rt. Hon. the Lord David Willetts, Executive Chair of the Resolution Foundation spoke about intergenerational inequalities focusing particularly on the living standards of today’s millennials compared to Britain’s older generations.

The second keynote presentation was delivered by Professor Kate Pickett, University of York. Professor Pickett spoke about how longitudinal studies can improve our understanding of health inequalities.

Conference resources

Visit the CLOSER website to access presentation slides and recordings of the keynote talks here.