Navigating subjective socioeconomic insecurity in times of crisis: An interplay of social status, crisis experiences and perceptions

Wang, Hequn
(2025) Soziale Welt : Zeitschrift fuer sozialwissenschaftliche Forschung und Praxis — Vol. 75, n° 4, p. 379-407 (2024)

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Using experiences from the financial crisis, this paper investigates the extent to which subjective socioeconomic insecurity among Germans has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine war. I analyse how subjective insecurity is associated with individuals’ social status and their personal crisis experiences and perceptions during the crises. I distinguish between objective and subjective social status, addressing the more crucial role of the latter in shaping subjective insecurity. Using panel data from 2020 to 2022 and additional Eurobarometer data, the results show that Germans are less concerned about their jobs and more about their economic conditions. Subjective economic insecurity experienced a substantial increase in summer 2022, potentially due to the energy crisis and inflation, which have been exacerbated by the war. The increase was primarily observed among individuals who perceive themselves at the bottom of society, indicating a crucial role of subjective social status in explaining changes in feelings of insecurity. Objective status based on income, education or occupation does not explain the changes. Overall, lower-status groups are more likely to feel insecure. During crises, this negative association is intensified by individuals’ crisis experiences such as income loss and their perceptions of economic affectedness.
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Wang, H. (2025). Navigating subjective socioeconomic insecurity in times of crisis: An interplay of social status, crisis experiences and perceptions. Soziale Welt : Zeitschrift fuer sozialwissenschaftliche Forschung und Praxis, 75(4), 379-407. https://doi.org/10.5771/0038-6073-2024-4-379 (Original work published 2024)