Why do international migrants send money home? What are the implications of these monetary flows for developing countries? Long debated by economists and sociologists, these questions have received very little attention in the political science literature. This dissertation argues, however, that remittances—money sent home or “remitted” by international migrants—have significant implications for the study of politics. My main contention is that international migrants assume a more significant welfare burden when their home government’s commitment to social insurance provision is in decline. Remittances, in other words, flow to compensate non-emigrating citizens for state retrenchment and the absence of a robust welfare state. I argue that this “transnational safety net” makes remittance recipients (RRs) less vulnerable to economic instability than neighbors who do not receive this money. All else equal, RRs should be more contented with their economic circumstances and have fewer economic grievances with which to politicize. The income-stabilizing and insurance effect of remittances, then, should reduce public pressure on the state, leaving RRs less motivated to mobilize against and punish incumbents for a poor economy when public safety nets are weak. Evidence comes from an original survey of 768 Mexican households, field interviews, and time-series data published by the Bank of Mexico. Statistical tests reveal that Mexicans abroad remit more to families that do not receive social benefits and send roughly $2.5 million more home for every $10 million reduction in spending on social programs by the Mexican government. Analyses furthermore reveal that despite being very poor on average, RRs tend to enjoy higher levels of income stability, are less likely to identify an economic matter as “the most important problem facing Mexico,” and make more positive and optimistic assessments of the national economy and their own financial circumstances. In the 2006 Mexican presidential election, I find that RRs were up to 15 percent more likely to stay home on election day at the expense of the primary opposition party and significantly less likely to punish the incumbent party with a vote for either of the major opposition parties if they did vote. / text

What does the prevalence of stress and burnout in community-based work reveal about the impacts of welfare state withdrawal? Drawing on the experiences of frontline community organizers in Toronto, this research argues that welfare state withdrawal is subsidized by a ‘Currency of Caring’ whereby frontline community organizers are expected to fill gaps in the social safety net, working to a point of burnout if necessary, because they care. This research investigates how funders operating within this context can promote health and wellness in community-based work. Broadly, research findings provide insights into how neoliberalism and welfare state withdrawal shape frontline community work in ways that exacerbate stress and burnout, and impede systemic change efforts. In addition, research findings describe the limitations and possibilities for funders to be allies in collective change efforts by being invested in the health and wellness of frontline community organizers.

This study investigates how young adults in vocational education perceive risk in regard to their professional futures in East Germany and the United States. It analyzes students’ career aspirations and life plans in both countries and how they cope with uncertainties at the labor market. It further outlines underlying values, beliefs, and attitudes that guide young Americans and East Germans in their planning. Several theoretical frameworks ground this study and comprise the majority of the relevant literature. This cross-cultural comparative case study takes a mixed method approach using a concurrent triangulation design. The inquiry is framed by theories in the field of risk and cultural risk perception, school-to-work transition, vocational education and training, and welfare studies. In both countries, 129 students filled out a questionnaire. Additionally, narratives from nine focus groups and 29 biographical interviews were conducted. A three level analysis of the data was compiled that outlines the themes and categorizes them according to an individual, institutional, and macro-structural level of influence on risk perception in each country. Emerging premises on an individual level were choice, family and career planning concerns, geographical and occupational flexibility, further education and training, and agency. On the institutional level the influence of public career advisement institutions, teachers, parents, peers and friends was outlined. On the macro-structural level unemployment, political welfare reforms, the vocational education and training system were themes that have been of concern among the East German population. The dissertation also offers a comparative analysis of the data. This study reveals that young adults in East Germany are highly concerned about their occupational futures and tend to be pessimistic about current welfare reforms. They hold on to the idea of a standard biography and try to make strategic career plans. Their counterparts in the United States are highly optimistic about their futures, expressed little concern about labor market policies, but also appeared to be short term oriented in their life planning in order to remain flexible and mobile.

Magistriniame darbe „Šiuolaikinė socialinė valstybė“ nagrinėjamas socialinio valstybingumo principo įtvirtinimas ir jo realizavimas pozityviųjų (socialinių) teisių užtikrinimu Lietuvoje, atsižvelgiant į šiuolaikinės socialinės valstybės doktriną. Tokiu būdu siekiama patvirtinti darbo hipotezę, jog Lietuva veikia pagal socialinio valstybingumo principą ir užtikrina socialines teises. Magistriniame darbe atskleidžiama šiuolaikinės socialinės valstybės samprata, socialinio valstybingumo principo bendrieji požymiai doktrinoje. Socialinio valstybingumo principas nagrinėjamas pagal jo įtvirtinimą Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucijoje bei Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucinio Teismo aiškinimus. Tai leidžia pateikti socialinio valstybingumo formalaus neįtvirtinimo Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucijoje, socialinės valstybės oficialiosios doktrinos neišplėtojimo problemas. Darbe nagrinėjamas socialinių teisių įtvirtinimas Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucijoje ir tarptautiniuose teisės aktuose. Socialinių teisių pagal Europos socialinę chartiją (pataisytą) užtikrinimo prisiimtiems įsipareigojimams tyrime nurodomi bendrieji socialinių teisių užtikrinimo duomenys bei nagrinėjami kai kurių konkrečių socialinių teisių užtikrinimo neatitikimai įsipareigojimams. Tai leidžia iš dalies atskleisti socialinio valstybingumo principo realizavimą Lietuvoje. / The consolidation of the principle of the social statehood and its realization to assure positive (social) rights in Lithuania are analysed on the strength of the doctrine of the modern welfare state in the master’s work “The modern welfare state”. That is intended to confirm the working hypothesis that Lithuania operates according to the principle of social statehood and assuring social rights. The objective of this article is to reveal the conception of the modern welfare state and general features of the principle of social statehood in the doctrine. The principle of the social statehood is analysed according to its consolidation in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania and explanations of the Constitutional Court of Lithuania. That allows to give the problems of the formal disconsolidation of the social statehood in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, the disamplification of the official doctrine of the social state. The consolidation of the social rights in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania and in the instruments of international law is analysed in this paper. The general data of assurance of social rights are shown in the research of social rights under the assurance of the European social chart (revised) to undertaken obligations. That allows partly to reveal the realization of the principle of the social statehood in Lithuania.

Although trafficking in human beings is not a new issue of our society as its history reach ancient times, it becomes especially important because of increasing scope of migration influenced by economic crisis in Europe and worldwide. Thus it is essential to promote awareness raising campaigns in order to decrease the scope, however not less important is assistance for victims of this crime. Assistance and integration for victims of human trafficking are one of the main principles of the EU policy in the counter-trafficking field. One of the most important steps of successful victims integration into society is entering into employment, thus victims of human trafficking (re-)integration into the labour market was chosen as an object of the research. The aim of the research is to study the phenomenon of human trafficking focusing on the social policy measures in victims of human trafficking (re-)integration into the labour market process in Austria, Finland and Lithuania. During the study a scientific literature review of the research object and analysis of secondary data and statistics are done. In order to reveal experts’ and victims of human trafficking personal experience in (re-)integration into the labour market process, a qualitative research method was chosen. 11 specialists and 2 victims were questioned by semi-structured interviews in Austria, Finland and Lithuania. The data of the research is analysed by a phenomenology approach. A research reveals that issue of... [to full text] / Nors prekybos žmonėmis reiškinys nėra nauja visuomenės problema, kurios istorija siekia senovės laikus, ji šiuo metu tampa ypatingai svarbi dėl blogėjančios ekonominės situacijos Europoje ir pasaulyje bei dėl šios priežasties augančio migracijos masto. Svarbu įgyvendinti ne tik prevencines kampanijas, keliant visuomenės sąmoningumą ir tokiomis priemonėmis mažinti didėjančius prekybos žmonėmis aukų skaičius. Taip pat yra svarbu suteikti pagalbą šio reiškinio aukoms. Pagalba aukoms ir jų integracija yra vienas svarbiausių ES įgyvendinamos kovos su prekyba žmonėmis politikos principų. Sėkmingos aukų integracijos į visuomenę vienas iš žingsnių yra jų įsitvirtinimas darbo rinkoje, tad prekybos žmonėmis aukų (re-)integracija yra pasirinkta šio darbo tyrimo objektu. Tyrimo tikslas – ištirti prekybos žmonėmis reiškinį sutelkiant dėmesį į politines priemones įgyvendinamas prekybos žmonėmis aukų (re-)integracijos į darbo rinką procese Austrijoje, Suomijoje ir Lietuvoje. Tyrimo metu atlikta mokslinės literatūros apžvalga, antrinių šaltinių ir statistinių duomenų analizė apie tyrimo objektą. Siekiant atskleisti ekspertų, dirbančių prekybos žmonėmis aukų pagalbos srityje, bei prekybos žmonėmis aukų asmeninę patirtį (re-)integracijos į darbo rinką procese buvo pasirinktas kokybinio tyrimo metodas. 11 specialistų ir 2 prekybos moterimis aukos buvo apklaustos interviu pagalba Austrijoje, Suomijoje ir Lietuvoje. Tyrimo duomenys analizuojami fenomenologinio požiūrio pagalba. Tyrimas... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

SANTRAUKA Nijolė BALČIENĖ Lietuvos privačių pensijų fondų vaidmuo kuriant gerovės valstybę Magistrantūros studijų baigiamasis darbas, 68 puslapiai, 26 paveikslai, 31 lentelė, 71 literatūros šaltiniai, 5 priedai, lietuvių kalba. RAKTINIAI ŽODŽIAI: Gerovės Valstybė, senatvės pensijos, socialinė apsauga, privatūs pensijų fondai, anuitetas, investicijų pelningumas. Tyrimo objektas - Lietuvos pensijų fondai. Tyrimo dalykas – PF veiklos efektyvumas ir reikšmė kuriant gerovės valstybę priklauso nuo fondų veiklos ypatumų valstybėje, nuo dalyvių supratimo dėl savo pasirinkimo galimų pasekmių ateityje. Tyrimo tikslas – įvertinti Lietuvos pensijų fondų įtaką kuriant Gerovės Valstybę. Tyrimo tikslui pasiekti keliami šie uždaviniai : • Patikslinti pensijų fondų sąvoką ir apibūdinimą; • Nustatyti socialinės apsaugos uždavinius, kuriuos padeda spręsti privatūs pensijų fondai kuriant šalyje gerovės valstybę; • Atskleisti fondų veiklos rezultatų vertinimo rodiklių panaudojimo problemas; • Parengti privačių pensijų fondų vertinimo metodiką ir įvertinti Lietuvos pensijų fondų įtaką Gerovės valstybės kūrime per socialinės apsaugos uždavinių įgyvendinimo rezultatus; • Pateikti Lietuvos privačių pensijų fondų veiklos vertinimą. Tyrimo metodai – loginė analizė ir sintezė, literatūros analizė ir sintezė, statistinių duomenų struktūrinė ir palyginamoji analizė ir sintezė, grafinio vaizdavimo metodas, modeliavimas. / SUMMARY Nijolė BALČIENĖ Role of Lithuanian Private pension funds in Creating Welfare State Final work of University Postgraduate Studies, includes 68 pages, 26 pictures, 31 tables, 5 appendix, 71 references, Lithuanian language. KEY WORDS: Welfare State, pensions, social security, private pension funds, annuity, profitability of investments. Research object - Private pension funds in Lithuania. Research aim is to evaluate influence of private pension funds to creating Welfare State in Lithuania. Research subject – efficiency of the pension funds activity and its significance of creating Welfare State depend on the peculiarity of the funds activity in the state some as on the participants understanding of the probable consequences of their choice in the future. Objectives: 1) To specify the concept of private pension funds. 2) To perform the theoretic analysis of the social insurance models and their potential use in the practice of private pension funds. 3) To estimate potential ways of sponsorship and administration of the pension funds. 4) To frame the methodology of evaluation of private pension funds. 5) To evaluate private pension funds in Lithuania according to the prepared methodology. Research methods: the analysis and synthesis of scientific literature, logical analysis and synthesis, comparable analysis, structural comparative analysis, the analysis and synthesis of statistical information, graphic methods of modeling, method of rating.

<p>The study concentrates on a particular type of state intervention in social policy. It considers whether policy reforms and subsequent provision of information with regards to the issue of parental leave and part-time work arrangements, makes an impact on gender equity in the labour market (Del Boca, 2002 / Naldini &amp / Saraceno, 2008). Giddens&rsquo / theory of structuration is the conceptual framework from which this study approaches these questions. It is thus held that agents (in this instance, women) are constrained by structures (labour policy framework and institutionalised labour practices) to achieve specific social goals. And further: that the apparent lack of power on the part of agents requires intervention on the part of the state apparatus to correct the failure (or inability) of the labour market to deliver the social justice as aspired to in the cited European Employment Strategy, as well as fostering economic efficiency (Barr, 1992). I further contend that not only are agents constrained by structural properties, but that institutional reform (in the form of labour policy reform) is constrained by the human action1 of the management of firms and enterprises as economic agents within the policy framework.</p>

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

What does the prevalence of stress and burnout in community-based work reveal about the impacts of welfare state withdrawal? Drawing on the experiences of frontline community organizers in Toronto, this research argues that welfare state withdrawal is subsidized by a ‘Currency of Caring’ whereby frontline community organizers are expected to fill gaps in the social safety net, working to a point of burnout if necessary, because they care. This research investigates how funders operating within this context can promote health and wellness in community-based work. Broadly, research findings provide insights into how neoliberalism and welfare state withdrawal shape frontline community work in ways that exacerbate stress and burnout, and impede systemic change efforts. In addition, research findings describe the limitations and possibilities for funders to be allies in collective change efforts by being invested in the health and wellness of frontline community organizers.

Diss. Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2008.