This thesis analyzes the evolution of European social policy via focusing on the unfolding contentions between two different notions that disagree over Europe&rsquo / s direction regarding the best social-economic system in Europe. Taking its point of departure in the ratification crisis and the impasse surrounding the Constitutional Treaty, the thesis argues that the contrasting interpretations of the Treaty and the attendant cleavages in the European polity are illustrations of such ongoing ideological struggles among alternative paradigms and approaches. Naming these contending approaches as &ldquo / project of neoliberalism&rdquo / and &ldquo / project of regulated capitalism&rdquo / , the evolution of European social policy is investigated with a focus on interplays between these projects / the self-transformation of the projects in the course of integration / and the relations between economic and social governance in the construction of an &ldquo / ever closer Union&rdquo / . To this purpose, the thesis theoretically employs Polanyian conceptual framework of &ldquo / double movement&rdquo / alongside theoretical approaches of Streeck, Hooghe&amp / Marks, and Pochet that view the evolution of European social policy in conflictual encounters between two opposing notions. Against this theoretical background, the thesis surveys the integration history from the Treaty of Rome until the Lisbon Treaty of 2007. It concludes that the European social policy has evolved within interplays among projects of neoliberalism and regulated capitalism and there has always been an asymmetric relationship between the economic and social governance in Europe as the social governance has always had a secondary and even a subservient position with regard to economic governance in the European polity.

The thesis mainly scrutinizes the evolution of European Social Dimension from the early period of the European integration to the Lisbon Summit of 2000 and the formation of the draft EU Constitution in 2003. While the focus is on the changing role of social policy at the European Union level during the period of welfare state transformation, the thesis tries to lay down the normative and discursive linkages constructed between the concepts of European Social Model and the Social Market Economy. Subsequent to the inquiry made into the theoretical foundations of the Social Market Economy and its practice in Germany, the thesis discusses how diverse European actors employ the concept, which is ambiguous in nature, as a comprehensive framework within which a European political identity that may be constructed around European Social Model could be grounded.

The thesis attempts to provide an analysis of the role of trade union membership in the formations of trade union consciousness and worker identity and the assumption that the trade union membership is influential in the formation of worker identity is tested in this study. It is mainly based upon a field study conducted in Railcar Factory of T&Uuml / VASAS in Sakarya, makes a comparison between union member workers and non-union member subcontractors in terms of the formation of trade union consciousness and worker identity. It will also be possible to point out concretely that the formations of trade consciousness and worker identity are analysed through perceptions, consciousness and attitudes by taking the social, economic and political dimensions into consideration. It is analysed that the trade union membership has not a significant influence on the formation of worker identity and there are no big differences among the union member workers and subcontractors in terms of the aproaches towards trade unionism, working class consciousness and worker identity.

This thesis studies the perceptions of the selected representatives of environmental non-governmental organizations&rsquo / (NGO) about the human and nature relationship in Turkey. The representatives of the NGOs&rsquo / perceptions about human-nature relationship are studied refering to four dimensions, Production and Consumption processes, Energy Production, role of Science and Technology, and the concept of Sustainability. Approaches of the NGOs about Policies and the Activities of Environmental NGOs in Turkey are also examined. The perceptions of the NGO representatives have been evaluated according to Pepper&rsquo / s comparison of &lsquo / conventional&rsquo / versus &lsquo / green&rsquo / values regarding the differences between the national, international and public NGOs.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009. / Prepared for: School of Social Work. Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Bibliography: leaves 176-193.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1987.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1985.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1985.

Not available / text

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences