Since the 9th of
November 1998 people have visited this page
:-)
!!! extended bibliography: here !!!
Content of the seminar:
The internetseminar "Reforming the Welfare State and Social Security Systems: USA, Germany, Chile - A Comparison" will take place during the winter semester 1998/99, from 20th of October until February combined with weekly sessions (Thursdays, 11-13 a.m.) together with our Lecturer Dr.Harald Barrios at the Institute of Political Science, Melanchthonstr. 36, Tübingen, Germany.
The national processes of "welfare state transformation" vary significantly from case to case. Scope and consequences of social security system adjustments differ depending on specific configurations of actors and patterns of conflict regulation. Previous public policy outcomes and former levels of social security seem to be an important factor explaining diversity of range and results of reform efforts. Social system budgetary overstretch could be another important determinant. By comparing three very different cases we explore the specific contexts of social security reform and try to assess explanations for swift and sweeping transformation on the one hand, and gradual reform or political deadlock situations on the other. We hope that co-operation between the Graduate School of International Studies, University of Denver and the Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Universität Tübingen using the tools provided by the Internet will reward us with a lively and fruitful debate across the Atlantic producing a valuable comparative analysis.
Every participant of the seminar should have read the required readings by October so that we can start right away with our discussion in the newsgroup and with the papers. By now you can view those papers mentioned by hitting the button workingpapers in the left frame of the website. Since their quarter started in January, Prof. Dr. Patrick Ireland at the GSIS at the University of Denver is having a seminar on welfare state retrenchment. You can also view some of their papers on our site (again by going to the overview workingpapers).
Together with the students from Denver we are discussing our ideas in the newsgroup - we will be very pleased to meet you there as well!!!