Karl Hinrichs
What can be learned from Whom? Germany's Employment Problem
in Comparative Perspective
Abstract
In several (large)
states of the European continent, particularly in Germany,
progress in bringing down high unemployment has been slow. In
contrast, 'employment miracles' occurring in a number of
countries of the Western world receive increasing attention
and raise the question of what can be learned from their
obviously more successful political strategies and
institutional reforms for attaining better employment
performance. The first part of the paper discusses different
criteria for evaluating 'successful' employment performance in
comparative perspective. After looking into the 'employment
miracles' and the policies and policy changes which are
commonly ascertained as having been conducive to success -
concentrating mainly on the Netherlands, Denmark and the USA -
the question of transferability is addressed by examining
which elements could be transferred to Germany and other
countries of the European continent. The conclusion is that,
apart from modernizing (active) labour market policy, there is
not much to copy from others. However, successful
institutional arrangements and policy innovations implemented
elsewhere may be informative with regard to the hindrances of
reform in one's own country and the search for possible 'functional
equivalents'.
George Giancinto Giarchi
A Conspectus of Types, Options and Conditions of
Elder-accommodation in the European Continent
Abstract
A European housing
typology for older people does not exist. There is a need to
formulate a workable typology of elder-housing to enable
planners and providers to make use of a meaningful
categorization of accommodation within public, voluntary,
private and mixed housing in a highly diversified Europe. This
paper proposes an overarching typology, incorporating the
notion of independent living accommodation and of assisted
living accommodation as major categories, embracing 21 housing
options. The usual use of the category of social housing is
excluded because in Europe it has conflicting and overlapping
meanings. Using the suggested typology, the provisions of
independent living and of assisted living are commented upon
in centre-periphery terms. Finally, the paper indicates that
although the EU is the main European provider of welfare, it
has virtually no housing policy, and its planning and
provision are hindered by long-term constraints.
Leonard A. Stone
The Islamic Crescent: Islam, Culture and Globalization
Abstract
This paper is an
interdisciplinary consideration of Islam in general, and of
Islam within the Islamic crescent in particular. Scholarly
approaches to the study of Islam are explored, as well as the
unity and commonality of attitudes and sentiments that exists
right across the Islamic world. This last point is contrasted
with differences within Islamic countries in the crescent,
particularly in the context of culture. Indeed, this paper
stresses the need to understand the relationship between
culture and Islam. The paper concludes with an analysis of
Islam and globalization, paying particular attention to
modernization and Islamic identity.
Frane Adam, Mitja Hafner-Fink and Samo Uhan
Public Conceptions and Images of the European Union: The
Case pf Slovenia
Abstract
The intention of this article is to show the
way the conceptions and perceptions of (Western) Europe and
the European Union (EU) are constructed and articulated by
general public opinion as well as by political parties and
intellectual circles in Slovenia as a candidate country for
the accession into the EU. It is also discussed how the images
concerning reference countries and the future position in the
integration process are connected with the process of
formation of national selfunderstanding and identity. Some
elements of so-called Euro-realism which is the common
denominator of prevailing European orientation are outlined
and explained.
