Where is my pretzel?
The first ISI Wealth Conference was a great success! Nearly 150 researchers from more than 20 countries gathered in Munich to discuss new perspectives on wealth and inequality. You can read the full recap on our website. More photos and videos will be published over the coming weeks, but for a first impression, you can already find some highlights here.
We also shared reels in real time during the conference — you can watch them here.
New Member of Staff
Welcome Clara!
We are delighted to welcome Clara Löffler as the first PhD candidate at ISI. Although she has only just begun her doctoral journey, Clara brings an impressive background that bridges sociology and journalism. She has written for major German outlets such as Die Zeit, Süddeutsche Zeitung and taz. Clara holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, for which she received academic distinction, and has presented her work at several conferences. In her Master’s thesis she explored how films reproduce ideologies about social inequality, and she continues to be fascinated by social narratives about wealth.
Clara has already worked internationally in the UK, Australia and Italy, and spent significant time in France, where she deepened her academic and cultural perspective. She often collaborates with art and design students to explore creative ways of communicating research. With her interdisciplinary experience, media insight and global outlook, she is a tremendous addition to the ISI team.
Read more about Clara and her research here.
Clara Löffler
Not Our Event (But Still Cool)
Call for Papers: 39th IARIW General Conference
The International Association for Research in Income and Wealth is heading to Brussels! From August 24 to 28, 2026, researchers from around the world will gather to discuss all things income, wealth, and inequality. The deadline for submissions has just been extended to October 31, 2025 — so there’s still time to polish your abstract (or finally start it).
Ten themes cover everything from housing inequality and well-being to non-traditional data and the top end of the income distribution. You’ll find all details, organizers, and the submission portal on the IARIW website.
Let’s go to Brussels!
Hey there!
We know, following research institutes online isn't exactly the plot of a Netflix thriller.
But we promise: smart updates, sharp visuals, behind-the-scenes moments, and inequality insights in snackable form.
If you've read this far, congratulations
You’ve just reached the end of the fourth issue of our ISI newsletter. After an intense conference week, we’re collectively running on caffeine, leftover pretzels, and the faint hope that our inboxes will one day be empty.
So yes — we’re taking a moment to recalibrate.
But before we fully dissolve into spreadsheets and recovery snacks, we’d love to hear from you. What did you enjoy most about the conference? What didn’t quite hit the mark? And what can we do better next time?
Send your thoughts, ideas, or gentle complaints to Michèle — she promises to read them all (possibly with a pretzel in hand).
Thanks for sticking with us while we recover, rethink, and rehydrate. The next issue will land when our brains (and coffee supplies) are back to full capacity.
Until then, enjoy the quieter season, stay curious, and don’t forget to question the assumptions.
Affectionately yours,
The ISI team
Yes, this guy works here, too.