8th ESPAnet Conference 2010Social Policy and the Global Crisis:
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14. Post-Socialist Welfare Systems
Economic Performance, Global Financial Crisis, Democratization and Consolidation of Democratic Institutions in the CEE-CIS Region
The global financial crisis has put into question the political, economic and social achievements of post-communist countries. This has implied a reconsideration of the political, economic and social reforms already implemented, as well as, and even more worryingly, the legitimacy of recently established democratic institutions. A joint survey by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the World Bank conducted on a sample of 29,000 households in 28 transition countries (plus Turkey) has shown, for example, increasing levels of citizens’ distrust for the recently established market and democratic institutions with obvious repercussions for the stability of elected governments. To quote only few of the worrying results, in 2006 (well before the current economic crisis!) only 30 percent of Eastern respondents believed that life is better now than in 1989, with market and democracy supported primarily by better off and educated people (that is the winners of transition).
In addition, not only one in ten still supported a combination of planned economy and authoritarian government, but the levels of societal trust were even stronger prior to 1989. What are the negative repercussions of the global financial crisis for the political, economic and social stability of post-communist countries? Which is the role that welfare institutions may play in democratizing and consolidating the democratic institutions recently established? Is democracy still ‘the only game in town’ in the region? Or, are new forms of support for authoritarianism and populism emerging?
This stream welcomes contributions that explore the link between economic performance, global financial crisis, democratization and consolidation of democratic institutions from a theoretical as well as empirical perspective. The countries involved in this stream include: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia for Central Europe; Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania for the Baltic States; Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo Under UNSC 1244, TFYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia for South-East Europe; Belarus, Moldova, Russian Federation and Ukraine for the Western CIS; Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia for the Caucasus; and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for Central Asia.
Convenor:
Dr. Alfio Cerami
Research Associate
Centre d'études européennes
Sciences Po
28 rue des Saints Pères
75007 Paris - France
Homepage: http://www.policy-evaluation.org/cerami/
E-mail: alfio.cerami@policy-evaluation.org
Friday, 17:00-19:00 Room 05, Session 14./A
Presentations
1. Eveline Baumann: Post-Soviet Georgia: the Rocky Path towards Modern Social Protection [abstract] [paper]
2. Michael Rasell: A grey revolution or democracy in action? Understanding protests against welfare reform in contemporary Russia [abstract] [paper]
3. Markus Kainu: Attributions for Poverty in European Post Socialist Countries [abstract] [paper]
4. Wojciech Woźniak: War against poverty or war against the poor? How the public discourse in Poland shapes attitudes towards social policy objectives. [abstract] [paper]
Contributed papers:
1. Wlodzimierz Okrasa, Jan Herbst, Rafał Lange, Wojciech Sadlon, Malgorzata Such: The faith-based organization and local social welfare. Some evidence from Poland [abstract] [paper]
Saturday, 9:00-11:00 Room 05, Session 14./B
Presentations:
1. Caroline de la Porte - Kerstin Jacobsson: Analysing the influence of the EES in new member states [abstract] [paper]
2. Blerta Drenofci: Are people with disability included in the social welfare system? [abstract] [paper]
3. Serena Romano: Three dimensions of welfare transformation. Welfare reforms and poverty in post-socialist Hungary, Poland and Estonia [abstract] [paper]
4. Alexi Gugushvili: Comparative Political Economy of Social Assistance in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus [abstract] [paper]
Contributed papers:
1. Eva Mitchell: Financial support for families in Central and Eastern Europe: Differences, similarities, and the impact of recession [abstract] [paper]
2. Katalin Ficsór: Post-Socialist Health Care System in Hungary [abstract] [paper]
Important dates
17 November 2009 = Call for stream convenors
18 December 2009 = Deadline for stream convenors
25 January 2010 = Call for abstracts
29 March 2010 = Deadline for abstract submission
3 May 2010 = Registration starts
6 June 2010 = Reduced fee application deadline
21 June 2010 24:00 (CET) = Early bird registration deadline
13 August 2010 24:00 (CET) - Deadline for submission of papers
16 August 2010 - Deadline for Registrations and payments
Registration fee is 160 Euros for early birds, 210 Euros for late birds. Central and Eastern European PhD students and professionals can apply for a reduced fee of 60 Euros at info@espanet2010.net until 6th June.
Registration opens on the 3rd May, early bird registration closes on the 21th June at 24:00 (CET).
Theme of the Conference
The theme of ESPAnet’s 2010 Annual Conference is the social consequences of the global financial crisis and its differential impact across Europe. The main questions for consideration include:
How is the crisis affecting already existing inequalities? How are different social classes and groups, especially those in poverty, affected by the crisis? What are the adaptable capacities of the different “worlds of welfare”? Does the intensifying social vulnerability lead to the re-structuring of the programs to provide more security? How far have new programs been developed, and how far have new questions of social policy and welfare been opened up by the crisis?
We would like to broaden the horizon of social policy analysis and see global environmental concerns taken into account: How far are responses to the crisis re-thinking the role of the national and international/global state and the role of the European Union in creating economically, socially and environmentally sustainable societies?