We are pleased to annouce that our Ph.D Candidate in Economic Sociology and Labour Studies Hanne Gaukel has been awarded the Fondazione Franceschi's research Grant for MSc and Ph.D. students, with a research titled: 'Geography and Social Stratification: The Impact of Geographical Origin, Mobility, and Local and Trans-regional Social Ties on Life Chances'.

The research Grant is intended to finance research in the field of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of social pathologies and forms of social exclusion, in line with the Foundation's mission. 

Hanne's awarded research aims to integrate aspects of geography and social ties to assess individuals' future life chances via occupational attainment and intra- and inter-generational social mobility. Taking Italy as an example, regional inequalities are omnipresent alongside vast patterns of internal migration from marginal to central areas. Thus, the study of individuals' life chances along geographical lines should provide insight into the realities of these disparities in the Italian case and more broadly.