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.     

Economic implications of migration into the Federal Republic of Germany, 1988-1992

"An analysis of the effects of the last wave of migration into West Germany on labor markets, public finances and economic growth, this study points at the often ignored fact that the migrants were rather successful in finding jobs and thus helped in eliminating labor shortages in certain industries. Simulations with a macroeconometric model for the FRG indicate that in 1992 the GDP was almost 6 percent higher than without migration, that 90,000 jobs were created and that migration created a surplus of DM14 billion in the public sector, compared to the baseline. This study also makes clear, however, that these effects mainly depend on a quick absorption of migrants by FRG labor markets, and as to the social system, the relief may be only transitory."     

Energy conservation by private households in the Federal Republic of Germany: The efficacy and distributional effects of energy policy

In this study, the pattern of household energy consumption in the FRG, in the period after the oil crisis and the impact of government policies on household behavior is analyzed. The conclusions are that (1) energy conservation as a consequence of the price rises of 1979–1980 came about mainly through various types of investment, (2) the energy conservation achieved is still relatively small, (3) the policy concerning energy conservation neglected the supply side, and (4) the efficacy of demand-oriented policies is doubtful because distributional effects were not taken into account.     

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 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.     

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."     

Sociological research and social policy: The case of family violence

Articles in sociological journals on physical and sexual assault within the family show that research on family violence has grown exponentially since 1970, despite the fact that evidence indicates no increase in family violence. The paper suggests that this extraordinary growth in research is explained by changes in American society and in sociology as a discipline. The experience of the Family Research Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire is used to examine the interrelation of family violence research with social movements, and some pervasive and difficult aspects of these interrelationships, including the role of values in research, the selective use of research findings, and the involvement of the mass media in efforts to promote application of sociological research.Revised version of a presidential address presented to the Eastern Sociological Society in Providence, Rhode Island, April 13, 1991.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Rights and controls in the management of migration: the case of Germany

In May 1999 Germany took a significant step away from its reliance on blood based belonging, revising its nationality law to introduce an element of territory ( jus soli ) in the designation of citizenship. This paper offers Germany as a case study in the management of migration through a hierarchical system for the granting of rights, and considers the likely impact of the new law on the legal structures of inclusion and exclusion. It is argued that alongside the enhanced recognition of the original guestworker population a set of contradictory pressures now dominate the politics of migration – the recognition of human rights, the management of the labour market and the protection of welfare resources. These pressures are mediated by the granting and withholding of rights as part of a system of selection, surveillance, deterrence and control which has broader implications for our thinking about citizenship.     

Macroeconomic determinants of migration: the case of Germany, 1964-1988

Macroeconomic determinants of immigration are analysed with pooled cross-country and time series data on net immigration to Germany from European countries during 1964-1988.
Results demonstrate clearly that both high and low frequency determinants have been important. Long run trends are determined by the degree and speed of per capita income convergence between the sending and receiving countries, while year-to-year changes in net immigration flows are dominated by cyclical economic conditions.