Abstract
This editorial motivates the study of perceptions of wealth and wealth inequality. It argues that perceptions are essential for understanding how wealth inequalities arise, how they persist, and why measured wealth inequality may be misaligned with public beliefs about it. The contribution discusses conceptual definitions and implications of wealth, explains why perceptions matter, and outlines strategies for studying wealth perceptions while introducing the contributions to the special issue.
Citation
Daniel M. Mayerhoffer, Hannah E. Olbrich, Jan Schulz & Daria Tisch (2026): Perceptions of Wealth (Inequality). Editorial for the special issue in Historical Social Research.