The European Union's (EU) commitment to social equality is challenged when bureaucratic discrimination impedes fair access to social benefits for mobile EU citizens. While accountability is frequently proposed as a remedy against bureaucratic discrimination, the empirical evidence for its effects is mixed. Since its role has hardly been studied cross-nationally or in the multi-level European context, little is known about how administrative contexts moderate the effects of accountability measures. This study asks: First, how do accountability interventions affect bureaucratic discrimination of mobile EU citizens? Second, (how) do these interventions’ effects vary across different national administrative contexts? Our multi-method research design employs two complementary research approaches. First, a choice-based conjoint experiment with Hierarchical Bayes estimation uses survey data from bureaucrats in Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, and Denmark. Second, we trace causal mechanisms underlying decision-making processes and contextual effects using vignette-based in-depth interviews with welfare bureaucrats. As expected, bureaucrats’ empirical responsiveness to accountability interventions varies significantly across administrative contexts. The results of this research aim to inform policy recommendations for enhancing equality in European social security systems.
ALL AUTHORS:
Anita Manatschal (University of Neuchâtel)
Valon Hasanaj (University of Neuchâtel)
Eva Thomann (University of Konstanz)
Christian Adam (Zeppelin University, Friedrichshafen)
Jana Gómez Díaz (University of Konstanz)
Xavier Fernández i Marín (University of Barcelona)
Liz López (University of Konstanz)
Oliver James (University of Exeter)
Carolin Rapp (University of Copenhagen)