Reconciliation Policy in Germany 1998-2008

Cornelius Grebe offers an analysis of work-family reconciliation policy in Germany during the Socialdemocrat-Green coalition government of 1998 to 2005. His emphasis lies on Anti-Discrimination Policy, Childcare Policy, Parental Leave Policy, and Working Time Policy. The study combines a social constructionist stance with an alternative feminist standpoint, thus offering a new methodology for political science. Although no ready-made solutions to the incompatibility problem are suggested, its changed representation is analyzed closely, leading to engaging conclusions about how policy might be different if policy-makers understood the problems differently.

The study is an entirely original contribution to understanding social policy in Germany and essential reading for researchers and students from the social sciences, in particular sociology and political science.

Vorwort
Construing the 'Problem' of the Incompatibility of Paid Employment and Care Work

Autorentext
Dr. Cornelius Grebe completed his PhD research at the University of Nottingham in 2008.

Zusammenfassung
'In all research, the choice of object is primary and decisive. This refers to the set of c- cepts which determines the delimitation among the totality of phenomena of those selected as objects of analysis'(Topalov 1979: 446). In this quote Topalov addresses the 'fundamental illusion' of empiricist research approaches: that objects of inquiry are self-evident givens. The rejection of this - piricist 'illusion'constitutes the foundation of this thesis. This thesis modifies a c- textual social constructionist paradigm of inquiry and combines it with a feminist standpoint in the analysis of policies claimed to be aimed at reconciling paid - ployment and care work in Germany from 1998 to 2005. 1.1 Genesis of the study The present study developed out of three interrelated strands of our intellectual - riosity which evolved, triggered by an engagement with a discipline unique to the UK in its approach, Social Policy. First, in what can be described as a fruitful int- lectual adaptation process to a new discipline, an initial interest in welfare state transformation in Eastern Europe developed into a keen interest in family policies.

Inhalt
Theoretical positioning and literature review.- Methodology.- A brief history of the incompatibility 'problem'.- Anti-discrimination policy.- Childcare policy.- Parental leave policy.- Working time policy.- Conclusion.