8. Political Economy of Eco-Welfare

Katharina Zimmermann (University of Hamburg) 

Benedetta Cotta (University of Padova) 

Katharina Bohnenberger (German Institute for Interdisciplinary Social Policy Research (DIFIS)) 

Robin Schulze Waltrup (University of Bielefeld) 

Mi Ah Schoyen (Oslo Metropolitan University)  

European welfare states have historically served as key agents of economic and social transformation, legitimizing and managing shifts in labor markets, societal structures, and economic growth. In the face of climate change, they find themselves in a paradoxical position: they are both contributors to environmental degradation, due to their reliance on growth-dependent models, and vital actors in managing the social risks intensified by the climate crisis and decarbonization efforts. This tension between historical foundations and contemporary imperatives opens new analytical questions about the political economy of eco-welfare.  

This stream aims to investigate how welfare states are embedded in and shaped by broader processes of ecological and economic transformation. Rather than focusing on solutions, it seeks to understand the dynamics at play, including (but not limited to): 

- The historical and institutional interplay between welfare systems and growth-oriented economic models 

- How welfare states, ideologies, and interests mediate emerging social risks linked to climate change and the green transition 

- The ways in which ecological imperatives interact with welfare regimes, potentially reshaping their distributive logics, structures, and political foundations 

- The role of welfare states in managing or exacerbating new social cleavages (e.g., eco-social divides) that emerge in the context of climate change and decarbonization 

- How shifting public attitudes and political cleavages around environmental and social justice issues influence welfare state policies and legitimacy.  

By foregrounding these analytical dimensions, the stream invites contributions that examine how the institutional frameworks, political cleavages, and ideational foundations of welfare states intersect with the systemic imperatives of sustainability and ecological transition. Submissions can include cross-national comparative analyses, in-depth case studies, or theoretical explorations that contribute to a deeper understanding of the political economy of eco-welfare. This stream aligns with the conference theme by critically examining whether welfare states are on the verge of a transformative era or remain anchored in traditional paradigms. It situates welfare states at the nexus of long-term structural change and acute crises, providing an analytical lens to explore the forces shaping their evolution in the 21st century.