Czech Social Reform/Non-reform: Routes, Actors and Problems

In this contribution, the author first considers the characteristics of the Czechoslovak communist welfare state and its theoretical alternatives. Throughout the reform process, dependency on both corporatist and socialist regimes won out, while residualist efforts were promoted in the beginning, but were later held back. The author then considers the possible actors involved in social reforms. In this respect, when proceeding from a general to a more concrete level, thought should first be devoted to the social classes and their ideologies, and second to political parties and their leaders. The author goes on to summarise the particular problems and traps in individual sections of the Czech social system. While no objection to decent standards of social protection and health care could be raised, the poor efficiency of their achievement should evoke concern. The author concludes by reflecting on the possible specificities of Czech social reform in comparison with the other countries undergoing reform and the EU. The current lethargy of the Czech welfare system corresponds to a “frozen edifice”, just as in most Western countries. However, such stagnation is apparently acceptable to both the politicians (who mask it in reformist rhetoric) and the population (which learned to master taking advantage of the generous welfare state) and thus is basically sustainable in the long run.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/40037/3/wp651.pd

The Impact of Social Transfers in Central and Eastern Europe

This paper analyses the impact of social transfers in seven Central and Eastern European countries using 16 datasets provided by the Luxembourg Income Study (Czech Republic 1992, 1996; Estonia 2000; Hungary 1991, 1994, 1999; Poland 1986, 1992, 1995, 1999; Romania 1995, 1997, Slovakia 1992, 1996; Slovenia 1997, 1999). The principal objective is (a) to provide an overview of the development of social inequality in Central and Eastern Europe; and (b) to quantify the change of poverty rates among the total population and among targeted groups (unemployment compensation, means-tested and family benefits beneficiaries) before and after transfers. The results of this paper show that although the access to these benefits is no guarantee for leaving poverty, social transfers significantly improve the economic conditions of families in need. Without the existence of these types of provisions, Central and Eastern European societies would not only be more unequal societies, but would be also more atomised and disaggregated societies. In the long run, this might seriously damage further reforms or the democratisation process itself

Rewarding work : cross-national differences in benefits, volunteering during unemployment, well-being and mental health

Due to increasing labour market flexibilisation a growing number of people are likely to experience unemployment and, as a consequence, lower mental health and well-being. This article examines cross-national differences in well-being and mental health between unemployed people who engage in voluntary work and those who do not, using multilevel data from the European Quality of Life Survey on unemployed individuals in 29 European countries and other external sources. This article finds that, regardless of their voluntary activity, unemployed people have higher levels of well-being and mental health in countries with more generous unemployment benefits. Unexpectedly, the results also suggest that regular volunteering can actually be detrimental for mental health in countries with less generous unemployment benefits. This article concludes that individual agency exercised through voluntary work can partially improve well-being but the generosity of unemployment benefits is vital for alleviating the negative mental health effects of unemployment

From Provider to Enabler of Care: Reconfiguring Local Authority Support for Older People and Carers in Leeds, 2008 to 2013

This article explores developments in the support available to older people and carers (i.e., caregivers) in the city of Leeds, United Kingdom, and examines provision changes during a period characterized by unprecedented resource constraint and new developments in national-local governance. Using documentary evidence, official statistics and findings from recent studies led by the author, the effects of these changes on service planning and delivery and the approach taken by local actors to mitigate their impact are highlighted. The statistical data show a marked decline in some types of services for older people during a five year period during which the city council took steps to mobilize citizens and develop new services and system improvements. The analysis focuses on theories of social quality as a framework for analysis of the complex picture of change related to service provision. It concludes that although citizen involvement and consultations exerted a positive influence in delivering support to some older people and carers, research over a longer timescale is needed to show if these changes are adequate to protect older people and carers from the effects of ongoing budgetary constraints

Adapting a Floral Biogeography Model to Prairie-Dependent Lepidoptera

Analysis of data collected for a study of prairie dependent Lepidoptera in the northern tallgrass prairies showed four distributional patterns. A logical distributional pattern links species\u27 distribution, i.e. Catocala abbreviatella, to larval host plants. Absence of larval host plant data, which is the case for most species of moths, requires inference based on habitat data of known specimens, i.e. Tarachidia binocula, or in the case of infrequently encountered species, i.e. Crambus murellus, capture data for a limited number of specimens. A fourth distributional pattern, i. e. Atrytone arogos, can be explained by hypotheses which explain the immigration of native grassland species eastward into the Midwest before the last glacial maximum and northward into the Midwest and East Coast from Florida and the Gulf Coast following the last glacial maximum. The hypothesized distributional patterns can be used to predict the occurrence of species in yet,to,be discovered populations along the migration routes as well as explain their absence in other seemingly nearby localities. The widely disjunct distribution, i.e. East Coast and Midwest, of many species, including those not found in prairies, is easily explained by the hypotheses presented here

Sosiaalipolitiikan kilpailevien ideologioiden vertailua : Hyvinvointivaltion eurooppalainen malli ja uusliberalismi vaihtoehtoisina esikuvina

Julkaisu esittelee ja vertailee eri näkökulmista ns. hyvinvointivaltion eurooppalaista mallia ja uusliberalismia sosiaalipolitiikan vaihtoehtoisina esikuvina. Raportti kuvaa näiden kahden mallin ideaalityyppisiä ominaispiirteitä ja eroja. Tarkastelu kohdistuu ajattelumallien pääpiirteisiin, sosiaalipolitiikan toimintaperiaatteisiin, toimeenpanijoihin, instituutioihin ja keinoihin kansallisvaltioiden tasolla sekä toimintaperiaatteisiin ja toiminnan seurauksiin yleismaailmallisella tasolla. Esitetty vertailu ei vastaa itse ideologian paremmuutta koskeviin kysymyksiin, mutta on hyödyllinen työkalu jokaiselle, joka haluaa tutkia tai suunnitella sosiaalipolitiikkaa tai ymmärtää sen kehittämistä.5,55 euro