The social security system of the Federal Republic of Germany.

This article summarizes the major provisions of the West German social security system, briefly outlining coverage, funding sources, and unique features of insurance programs concerned with old age, invalidity and death, sickness and maternity, work injury, and unemployment. The universal program of family allowance and the means-tested program of social aid are also reviewed.     

Treatment of psychotic children and adolescents: A psychoanalytic social work approach from the Federal Republic of Germany

This paper offers data from the inpatient treatment of four psychotic adolescents in a clinic in Tubingen, in the Federal Republic of Germany. The author describes crucial episodes in therapy of each, and includes his own physical sensations and reactions, his dreams, and the thinking and feeling that determined his responses to these young patients. This way of working is a non-medical form of psychoanalysis.     

An analysis of a social work course in the Federal Republic of Germany

This article provides an analysis of a social work course in the Federal Republic of Germany. It describes the wider context of social work education in the FRG and draws comparisons with training and education in the United Kingdom.     

Immigration to the Federal Republic of Germany as a demographic and social problem

"Addressing the question of immigration to Western Europe and especially to Germany from east and southeast Europe and from developing countries of the South, this article considers whether such immigration can compensate for reductions in population in developed countries. It is argued that the demographic deficits of an aging population can only be corrected to a limited extent through immigration. Any solution, in order to be effective, must include a simultaneous increase in the birthrates of Germany and other European Community countries. With particular regard to future social development in Germany and the EC, it would be advisable for governments to effect measures that will provide both for controlled admissions of immigrants from outside the EC and an increase in local reproductive capabilities."     

Policy with respect to aliens and migration research in the Federal Republic of Germany, 1973-1983

The development of policy concerning aliens in the Federal Republic of Germany is described for the period 1973 to 1983. Consideration is given to policy at both the federal and state levels and to policy differences among the main political parties. The author also describes current research on the migration of workers in Germany, including what policymakers hope to get from such research, the main problems in the areas on which research is focused, how researchers view the demand for and current state of research, and what has been the theoretical output from such research.     

The gambling market in the Federal Republic of Germany and the helpseeking of pathological gamblers

The development of the gambling market in the Federal Republic of Germany since the middle of the seventies and data on pathological gamblers seeking help are described. The continuously increasing supply, together with increases in turnover, was followed-with some temporal delay-by an increase in the number of gamblers who sought advice and treatment. Preliminary measures taken by the health authorities as well as some consequences of pathological gambling are discussed.This article is a translation of a German article published in: Deutsche Hauptstelle gegen die Suchtgefahren (1990): Jahrbuch '91 zur Frage der Suchtgefahren. Hamburg: Neuland-Verlag.     

White-collar workers in the labour process: the case of the Federal Republic of Germany

This paper examines the impact of new technology on the labour process and labour market position of clerical and administrative workers in The Federal Republic of Germany. Data are drawn from several recent major case studies of such workers by German research teams. The paper's contributions to the ‘Labour Process’ debate are twofold. Firstly, it examines the position of white-collar workers to show that, contrary to Braverman, their work situation differs crucially in several respects from that of manual workers, despite some convergence in recent decades. Secondly, it shows that variations in the organization of the labour process between capitalist societies are much wider than is commonly recognized. The paper argues that historically evolved social structural and cultural features shape the position of German white-collar workers in the labour process and distinguish it in several respects from that of comparable groups in Anglo-Saxon countries.     

Interaction Theory in the Federal Republic of Germany: Development,Current Position,Themes, and Problems

After the end of World War II in West Germany, action and interaction theories and phenomenological sociology occupied only fringe positions. At the end of the 1960s, criticism of the prevalent neopositivistic research methodology, systems theory, and the rapidly spreading critical theory increased. This, coupled with the positive reception given symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology from the United States, caused interaction theories to flourish. Today they are among the four or five main schools of thought in West German sociology. In methodological work, the “interpretative” or “communicative” social research of the time developed the narrative interview and life history method. Group discussion and participant observation were also used for interactionist social research. A survey of the subjects interactionists have covered in their research shows how widely interaction theory has been applied. The main themes of current interaction theory are: (1) conceptualizing the difference between unpremeditated behavior and meaningful action, (2) formulating a theory that covers both “structure” and “action”, and (3) developing an interactionist macro theory. The future of interaction theory is analyzed and assessed optimistically.     

Realities of life and future prospects within two cultures: unaccompanied minor refugees from South East Asia in the Federal Republic of Germany

From August 1979 on, more than 30,000 refugees from South East Asia were accepted in the Federal Republic of Germany as quota refugees in a special program; among them were 1600 unaccompanied minor refugees. About 1500 were accompanied Vietnamese children and youths who had fled their home country as 'boat people' across the South China Sea. Unaccompanied minor refugees have, like all other recognized refugees, a legal claim to family reunion in the Federal Republic. Today, only parents can join their children and vice versa, and spouses their spouses. The 1st phase of socialization in the lives of the unaccompanied minor refugees evolved in the cultural traditions of their South East Asian country of origin up to the age of 10 to 15 years. In the 2nd phase of socialization--the enculturation--the child establishes its culturally specific emotionality, language, mentality, and patterns of behavior through interaction and verbal communication with the people nearest him. The 3rd phase of socialization begins at school age and reaches full significance at the age of starting to work, with the accompanying expectations of society. Most of the minor unaccompanied refugees from South Asia had already completed their enculturation--the establishment of their cultural identity. The realities of life the young single refugees as foreigners in German society are determined by 4 special factors: 1) the great cultural differences between their country of originin South East Asia and the resettlement country, 2) the young people left their homes as refugees and their resettlement in the Federal Repulic was determined by chance events, 3) they have to live there alone and without the emotional support of their families in a situation of cultural change, and 4) because of their Asian physiognomy they will always appear as foreigners even if they have integrated well. The future prospects of the young South East Asian refugees in German society will be determined primarily by to what extent they will be able to find a satisfactory place within both cultures.     

The social mobility of women and men in the Ontario legal profession

Cette étude de la classe graduée des écoles de Droit en Ontario en 1974 examine la structure de la profession d'avocat. Les facteurs d'origine (e.g., variables démographiques, situation familiale, écoles) sont examinés pour révéler leur influence sur les carrières (e.g., revenu, spécialité, secteur d'emploi). Les voies divergentes sont évidentes pour les femmes et quelques minorités. L'entrée dans les firmes de l'élite (selon la définition de Clement) est attentivement scrutée.
This study of the 1974 graduating class of Ontario law schools examines the mobility structure of the Ontario legal profession. A series of background characteristics (e.g., demographic variables, parental occupation, schooling) are examined to determine their influence upon career outcomes (e.g., income, area of specialization, employment sector). Divergent routes are evident for women and some minorities. Placement into elite law firms (as defined by Clement) is carefully scrutinized.