In this article we take advantage of the availability of European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) data to address both weak and strong versions of the Europeanization of reference groups thesis. The former proposes that common standards of evaluation emerge as a consequence of knowledge of conditions in other societies. The latter argues that people increasingly perceive themselves as part of a larger European stratification system. Our analysis leads us to reject both versions of the thesis. Material deprivation rather than having a uniform effect is highly dependent on national context. If a process of convergence is underway, it is one that as yet has had a limited impact. In circumstances where the Europeanization of inequality is raising issues relating to both national and transnational forms of legitimacy, it is important to understand that there is no necessary relationship between such Europeanization and the Europeanization of reference groups.
Aiginger, K. and Guger, A. (2006) `The European Socioeconomic Model', in A. Giddens, P. Diamond and R. Liddle (eds) Global Europe, Social Europe. Cambridge: Polity Press.
2.
Alber, J., Fahey, T. and Saraceno, C. (2007) `Introduction: EU Enlargement and Quality of Life: The Context and Purpose of the Book', in J. Alber, T. Fahey and C. Saraceno, Handbook of Quality of Life in the EnlargedEuropean Union. Oxford : Routledge.
3.
Beck, U. (2000) `The Cosmopolitan Perspective: Sociology of the Second Age of Modernity', The British Journal of Sociology51 (1): 79-105.
4.
Beck, U. (2002) `The Cosmopolitan Society and its Enemies', British Journal of Sociology51: 79-106.
5.
Beckfield, J. (2006) `European Integration and Income Inequality', American Sociological Review71: 964-85.
6.
Boehnke, P. (2008) `Feeling Left Out: Patterns of Social Integration in the Enlarged EU', in J. Alber, T. Fahey and C. Saraceno , Handbook of Quality of Life in the EnlargedEuropean Union. Oxford: Routledge .
7.
Brandolini, D. (2007) `Measurement of Income Distribution in Supranational Entities: the Case of the European Union', in J. Micklewright and S. Jenkins (eds) Inequality and Poverty Re-examined. Oxford : Oxford University Press.
8.
Cuperus, R. (2006) `The Vulnerability of the European Project', in A. Giddens, P. Diamonmd and R. Liddle (eds) Global Europe, Social Europe. Cambridge: Polity Press.
9.
Delhey, J. and Kohler, U. (2006) `From Nationally Bounded to Pan-European Inequalities? On the Importance of Foreign Countries as Reference Groups', European Sociological Review22: 125-40.
10.
Delhey, J. and Kohler, U. (2007) `Where We Stand in Europe: Citizens' Perceptions Of European Country Rankings and Their Influence on Subjective Well Being' , in J. Alber, T. Fahey and C. Saraceno, Handbook of Quality of Life in the EnlargedEuropean Union . Oxford: Routledge.
11.
Diamond, P. (2006) `Social Justice Reinterpreted: New Frontiers for the European Welfare State', in A. Giddens , P. Diamond and R. Liddle, (eds) Global Europe, Social Europe. Cambridge: Polity Press.
12.
Fahey, T. (2007) `The Case for an EU-wide Measure of Poverty', European Sociological Review23 (1): 35-47.
13.
Fahey, T., Whelan, C.T. and Maître (2005 ) First European Quality of Life Survey: Income Inequalities and Deprivation. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publication of the European Communities.
14.
Ferrera, M. (2006) `Friends, Not Foes: European Integration and National Welfare States', in A. Giddens, P. Diamond and R. Liddle (eds) Global Europe, Social Europe. Cambridge: Polity Press.
15.
Frey, B.S. and Stutzer, A. (2002) Happiness and Economics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
16.
Ger, G. and Belk, R.W. (1996) `Cross-Cultural Differences in Materialism', Journal of Economic Psychology17: 55-77.
17.
Guillén, A.M. and Palier, B. (2004) `Introduction: Does Europe Matter? Accession to EU and Social Policy Developments in Recent and New Member States', Journal of European Social Policy14 (3): 203-9.
18.
Heidenreich, M. and Wunder, C. (2008) `Patterns of Regional Inequality in the Enlarged Europe', European Sociological Review24 (1): 19-36.
19.
Inglehart, R. and Klingeman, H. (2000) `Genes, Culture, Democracy and Happiness', in E. Diener and E. M. Suh (eds) Subjective Well-being Across Areas. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
20.
Jasso, G. (1999) `How Much Injustice is there in the World?: Two New Justice Indices', American Sociological Review64: 133-68.
21.
Jasso, G. (2000) `Trends in the Experience of Injustice: Justice Indices about Earnings in Six Societies, 1991-1996', Social Justice Research13 (2): 101-1231.
22.
Juhász, G. (2006) `Exporting or Pulling Down? The European Social Model and Eastern Enlargement of the EU', European Journal of Social Quality6 (1): 82-107.
23.
Kangas, O. and Ritakallio, V. (2007) `Relative to What? Cross National Pictures of European Poverty Measured by Regional, National andEuropean Standards', European Societies9 (2): 119-45.
24.
Keyfitz, N. (1992) `Development and the Elimination of Poverty', Economic Development and Cultural Change30: 649-70.
25.
Manning, N. (2004) `Diversity and Change in Pre-Accession Central and Eastern Europe Since 1989', Journal of European Social Policy14 (3): 211-32.
26.
Marlier, E., Atkinson, A., Cantillon, B. and Nolan, B. (2007) The EU and Social Inclusion: Facing the Challenges . Bristol: Policy Press.
27.
Merton, R.M. (1957) `Continuities in the Theory of Reference Groups and Social Structure', Social Theory and Social Structure. New York: Free Press.
28.
Merton R.M. and Kitt , A.S. (1950) `Contributions to the Theory Reference Group Behaviour' , in R. K. Merton and P. F. Lazarfeld (eds) Studies in the Scope and Method of the American Soldier, pp. 40-106. Glencoe: the Free Press.
29.
Muffels. R. and Fouarge, D. (2004) `The Role of European Welfare States in Explaining Resources Deprivation', Social Indicators Research68 (3): 299-330.
30.
Snijders, T. and Bosker, R. (1999) `Multilevel Analysis'. London : Sage Publications.
31.
Townsend, P. (1979) Poverty in the United Kingdom. A Survey of Household Resources and Standards of Living. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.
32.
Whelan, C.T. and Maître, B. (2005) `Economic Vulnerability, Multidimensional Deprivation and Social Cohesion in an EnlargedEuropean Community', International Journal of Comparative Sociology46 (2): 215-39.
33.
Whelan, C.T. and Maître, B. (2007) `Income, Deprivation and Economic Stress in the EnlargedEuropean Union', Social Indicators Research83: 309-329.
34.
Whelan, C.T. and Maître, B. (2009) `The "Europeanisation" of Reference Groups: a Reconsideration Using EU-SILC', European Societies.
35.
Whelan, C.T., Nolan, B. and Maître, B. (2008) `Measuring Material Deprivation in the Enlarged European Union', Economic and Social Research Institute Working Paper249, Dublin.
