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Sociologist Valentina Di Stasio has received an ERC Starting Grant, a research subsidy for 1.5 million euros awarded by the European Union. Di Stasio received the grant for her research into the discrimination of ethnic minorities in the job market. Over the next few years, the sociologist from Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� can use the 1.5 million euros to set up her own research project, form a research team and elaborate her academic ideas.

Ethnic discrimination in European job markets is a persistent and widespread problem.

“We regret to inform you that...”is a message that many job seekers receive, but it is especially familiar to people who belong to an ethnic minority. Ethnic discrimination in European job markets is a persistent and widespread problem, but it can also be difficult to identify. In her ERC project, Valentina Di Stasio will study the relationship process that determines whether discrimination claims are contested or found to be valid, or possibly even suppressed. 

Systematic problem

By combining insights from the fields of sociology, social psychology and socio-legal and organisational studies, Di Stasio aims to analyse the circumstances that lead to disadvantaged groups being discriminated against, both at the workplace and in courts of law. The researcher also hopes to make improvements to the current approach for dealing with discrimination, so that it can be treated as a systematic problem instead of a series of episodic incidents.

I’m very happy about the prospect of setting up my own research team.

Very happy

Di Stasio is understandably pleased that her project (What Makes People Targets: A Multi-Actor Study of How Ethnic Discrimination is Perceived, Tackled and Avoided) has been honoured with an ERC grant. “I’m very happy about the prospect of setting up my own research team and contributing to our understanding of how to recognise discrimination.”

Alongside the sociologist Di Stasio, two other Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� researchers have also been awarded a prestigious ERC grant.