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The European Union and Material Deprivation: Measuring the Evolution of Inequalities over the 2000s

Author

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  • Susanna Traversa

    (Italian Center of Excellence on Logistics, Transport and Infrastructures (CIELI), Department of Economics, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy)

  • Enrico Ivaldi

    (Faculty of Communication, IULM University, Via Carlo Bo, 1, 20143 Milan, Italy)

  • Alessia Forciniti

    (Faculty of Arts, Fashion and Tourism, IULM University, Via Carlo Bo, 1, 20143 Milan, Italy)

Abstract

Since the early 2000s, the European Union has increasingly prioritized policies aimed at combating social exclusion, with a focus on efficient fund allocation for social and sustainable cohesion objectives. Given the multidimensional nature of material deprivation, synthetic indicators are frequently employed in the literature to measure this phenomenon. However, these indicators often lack suitability for temporal analysis, which is crucial for understanding the persistence of disadvantaged statuses over time and the effectiveness of national and international policies. This article offers an innovative examination of the trends in material deprivation among European Union Member States during the period of 2005–2022. It provides a structured reconstruction of the phenomenon at the NUTS-1 level, within the context of the major economic and health crises that have characterized the 21st century. This study’s key innovation lies in the creation of a temporal index of material deprivation, employing the AMPI method, which incorporates a partially compensatory aggregative synthesis and allows for the monitoring of the phenomenon over time against a baseline year. This novel approach ensures the capability to analyze the evolution of material deprivation over time and across regions, with 2005 as the reference year. The findings reveal a general improvement in material deprivation levels compared to 2005, despite deteriorating conditions in the Mediterranean and Baltic regions. By maintaining 2005 as the reference year, this index facilitates the ongoing monitoring of the impacts of COVID-19 and the effects of national recovery policies, as well as the resilient and sustainable social policies promoted by the RecoverEU fund.

Suggested Citation

  • Susanna Traversa & Enrico Ivaldi & Alessia Forciniti, 2024. "The European Union and Material Deprivation: Measuring the Evolution of Inequalities over the 2000s," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:14:p:6148-:d:1437974
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Enrico Fabrizi & Chiara Mussida & Maria Laura Parisi, 2023. "Comparing Material and Social Deprivation Indicators: Identification of Deprived Populations," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 165(3), pages 999-1020, February.
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    5. Michael Freudenberg, 2003. "Composite Indicators of Country Performance: A Critical Assessment," OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers 2003/16, OECD Publishing.
    6. Matteo Mazziotta & Adriano Pareto, 2018. "Measuring Well-Being Over Time: The Adjusted Mazziotta–Pareto Index Versus Other Non-compensatory Indices," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 136(3), pages 967-976, April.
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