Despite growing societal recognition, LGBTI+ communities in Europe continue to face social and economic challenges. In a shifting political landscape, often marked by setbacks in minority rights, evidence-based research and networked approaches are essential to address social inequalities effectively.
The COST Action CA19103 “LGBTI+ Social and Economic (In)Equalities” responded to this need by establishing a Europe-wide research network. Over four years, more than 100 researchers from 43 countries collaborated to investigate, document, and develop policy solutions addressing social and economic inequalities affecting LGBTI+ individuals.
The project
At the heart of the COST Action was the creation of a comprehensive network that transcended disciplinary and national boundaries. Its objective was to analyse the lived experiences of LGBTI+ people holistically, raise political visibility, and foster tangible improvements. Three thematic working groups focused on particularly sensitive areas where inequalities manifest: family and community, employment and economic wellbeing, and social and legal inclusion.
A key focus was on promoting interdisciplinary collaboration. Participating researchers contributed perspectives from gender studies, sociology, law, health sciences, economics, and political science. This interdisciplinary approach enabled the development of innovative methodologies, such as better integration of LGBTI+ topics into existing datasets, raising awareness of intersectional discrimination, and strengthening participatory research with active involvement from LGBTI+ communities themselves.
Knowledge transfer was equally central. The Action developed online courses, training modules, and educational resources for educators, students, civil society organisations, and policymakers. Through these activities, the network made a measurable contribution to increasing awareness of LGBTI+ issues in education, the workplace, and political spheres. In countries with limited public discourse on sexual and gender diversity, the initiative provided a particularly valuable stimulus—through support for local researchers, fostering collaborations, and offering professional guidance.
A key outcome of the Action was the establishment of the Association for LGBTI+ Studies and Research based in Vienna. This organisation ensures the continuation of the work beyond the project’s lifespan, providing a sustainable structure for future LGBTI+ researchers.At the heart of COST Action was the creation of a broad network that transcended disciplinary and national boundaries. The aim was to holistically analyze the realities of life of LGBTI+ people, make them more politically visible and improve them. Three thematic working groups addressed particularly sensitive areas in which inequalities manifest themselves: family and community, employment and economic well-being, and social and legal inclusion.
The role of the Austrian partners
Austria’s involvement in the COST Action was pivotal to its success. The Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) served as a central research institution, providing substantial support to the network. Dr Karin Schönpflug from IHS assumed a leading role as Vice Chair of the international management team. Two network meetings were also hosted with generous support from IHS at the Palais Strozzi in Vienna—an important platform for scientific and civil society exchange.
The project gained further visibility through contributions from high-level experts, including the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the Vienna Anti-Discrimination Office for Queer Lifestyles. This engagement created a vital bridge between research and practice, fully reflecting the transdisciplinary and applied nature of the COST Action.
Through the Vienna-based Association for LGBTI+ Studies and Research, a permanent infrastructure has been established to enable continued research, networking, and policy impact on LGBTI+ inequalities from Austria.
The added value of an EU project
"The project was heavily affected by the pandemic and lockdowns during the initial phase. Many project partners only met in person in the second or third year. Online networking with unfamiliar colleagues proved very challenging. Our project also faced so-called COST tourism; only in the second round of exchange meetings was it clarified who was genuinely familiar with the Action’s topics, and invitations were subsequently adjusted. It was further complicated by the automatic inclusion of a second national COST participant, sometimes bringing individuals who were not familiar with the subject.
It was therefore only in the final phase of the project that additional research applications could be submitted from the network (e.g., EU CERV), a joint book project on research methodologies was submitted to Palgrave in 2025, and a follow-up association for the Action was established in Vienna.
Nevertheless, without the COST network, several very important partnerships would never have been established, particularly for our members from newer EU countries—it was essential for them to make these connections.
The work with early-career researchers greatly benefited from the Action’s summer schools in this very new field of LGBTI+ research. It was also crucial to build resilience across research institutions in such a precarious field through international contacts," reflects project coordinator Karin Schönpflug.