Research Seminar: 10 March 2010
Published: Thu 4th March
Professor Johannes Paulmann (German Historical Institute, London) will give a talk on 'Welfare without borders? On the entangled history of German social policy in the Cold War era'. An abstract of the talk is copied below.
The seminar will be held in the John Hume Boardroom, JH Building, North Campus, NUI Maynooth from 6-8pm and is kindly co-hosted by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany (Dublin) and the Department of History (NUI Maynooth).
Since the Centre plans to hold more German historical lectures in the future, we invite everyone to attend a special reception with refreshments in the JH Boardroom from 5.30pm on the day of the
seminar. A special invitation is open to those who were unable to gain access to the Boardroom for the previous seminar.
**IMPORTANT** Please take lift to Floor 3. Lift is located just to left inside front entrance to JH Building
ABSTRACT:
The paper outlines a history of social policy which should be conceived more broadly than just writing on the development of welfare benefits and social insurance schemes. In terms of geographical scope it reaches across boundaries highlighting Germany’s entanglement in long-distance relations with several places in Africa and Asia. The general question behind this is how securing against social risks in the German industrial-capitalist economy was linked to overcoming, or for that matter creating risks and insecurities beyond the nation-state. The paper identifies basic elements of welfare across borders and investigates the beneficiaries’ opportunities for participation.
The presentation does not follow a chronological order but pursues systematic interests. The base lies in post-1945 Germany, both East and West Germany, and thus requires comparison between capitalist and socialist welfare. The case studies focus on essential problems: the questions of entitlement to welfare benefits beyond the nation state; the persistence of the civilising mission and the beneficiaries’ exclusion from participation; the agency of the beneficiaries who live and work in long-distance welfare relations; and finally the extension of social policy into foreign aid schemes. By analysing historic pathways, the paper throws light on Germany’s role and its self-perception in the wider world after 1945. It further seeks to better understand how the opportunities for social security may generally be extended across national boundaries and what determines the conditions of an emerging global social policy.
Professor Johannes Paulmann is Gerda Henkel Visiting Professor 2009-10 at the International History Department at LSE and the German Historical Institute London. He holds a chair in Modern and Contemporary History at the University of Mannheim. His current research focuses on international humanitarian aid and the media in Germany, 1945-1985.
Degree Courses
A number of degree courses related to the study of wider Europe are available at NUI Maynooth, including:
