The European Social Sciences Laboratory was founded in 2013 with the aim to promote, encourage, support and conduct social research at a European scale. The Laboratory emerges as a consortium of several Spanish research groups whose activity can be framed within the European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and the Spanish National Research Plan. With a clear trans-disciplinary profile, the members of the Laboratory work on different lines of research such as social diversity and inequality, human rights and democracy, economy and sustainability, and the European dimension of socio-territorial changes.

Since its inception, the Laboratory has worked to establish a stable framework of collaboration between the research groups involved. In a first phase, the main objective has been the consolidation of a solid research infrastructure –a highly qualified human team and the adequate material resources- that enables and optimizes the development of scientific and management tasks. In a second phase, the Laboratory is working to promote and foster joint research initiatives and postgraduate training. The European Social Sciences Laboratory is thus constituted as a platform capable of attracting funds and managing competitive research strategies. The collaboration with international research institutions and the involvement in scientific initiatives linked to other fields of knowledge are considered key objectives for the future of the Laboratory.

The European Social Sciences Laboratory is part of the International Center of the University of Seville and the Campus of International Excellence Andalucía Tech located in the city of Seville.

The Laboratory is led by a multidisciplinary team of social scientists of the University of Seville:

- Bericart Alastuey, Eduardo

- Mármol Conde, Amparo

- Márquez Carrasco, Mª del Carmen

- Prados Velasco, Mª José