DIFIS International Scientific Workshop 'Public Opinion and Social Policies. Legitimacy and Acceptance of the Welfare State and Specific Life Course'

DIFIS International Scientific Workshop:

Public Opinion and Social Policies 

Legitimacy and Acceptance of the Welfare State and Specific Life Course Policies

An event organised by DIFIS Research Field 4 'Life Course and Social Policy'
and by DIFIS-area 'Research Infrastructure'

Against the background of large societal trends such as demographic change, labour market flexibilization, migration, and the digital transition, the traditional model of the welfare state has increasingly been challenged. Current political debates particularly evolve (again) around the ideas of reorganising welfare and the relocation of responsibilities from the state to either the market or individuals and families. Such debates are often intertwined with discussions about declining trust in the welfare state and the question of how it can be maintained in an increasingly digital, diverse and ageing society.

At the same time, public discussions often address welfare state responsibilities in specific policy fields. How can, for example, family policies adapt to the rising labour market participation of women and ensure gender equality in both paid and unpaid work? How can working times adapt to meet the increasingly diverse demands of individuals? How can public policies ensure the provision of sufficient and high-quality care services in times of demographic change? How can labour market and welfare policies provide adequate levels of security for the entire population when flexibilization increasingly erodes the stable employment relationship?

Social policy research has often addressed these and similar challenges from a structural perspective, i.e., by discussing how reforms of welfare state institutions can provide possible solutions. Yet, the successful implementation of such policies equally relies on sufficient public support within the population. The planned workshop aims to shift the research focus to the subjective perspective of individuals, by analysing public perceptions of and attitudes towards social policies in a changing welfare landscape.

Within the two days, we will discuss findings from 24 papers on either the general legitimacy of the welfare state or attitudes towards reforms in a broad array of specific policy fields, including migration, family and care, pension and labour market and eco-social policies.

Two introductory presentations will open the workshop. Dr. Natalie Herdegen and Dr. Philipp Kugler will provide an overview of the data landscape on attitude indicators. Dr. Magnus Brosig will provide some insights into the results of a recent German online survey on attitudes towards health, long-term care and pension policy: the “Sozialstaatsradar”.

The keynote of Prof. Dr. Giuliano Bonoli, which will address perceptions of legitimacy of social investment types of social policies, will be another highlight of the workshop. The workshop will also feature a panel discussion, bringing together highly relevant representatives from academia, politics and practice. In addition to Prof. Dr. Giuliano Bonoli, these include Dr. Mareike Bünning, Dr. Dina Frommert, Prof. Dr. Frank Nullmeier and
Dr. Wolfgang Strengmann-Kuhn.

The workshop will take place from 12 February, 1:30 p.m. to 13 February, 5:30 p.m. at the 'Haus der Wissenschaft' in Bremen.

You can find the full programme at this link.
We have also provided a link to a list of hotels in Bremen, which includes the hotel rooms we have reserved for self-paying guests.

We welcome everyone who is interested in the event. We look forward to receiving your registration! 
Prof. Dr. Dirk Hofäcker, Dr. Achim Schmid und Miriam Laschinski

Detailed information on data protection at DIFIS can be found here (https://difis.org/en/data-protection/). Your consent to our data protection regulations forms the basis for your participation in the event. If you have any objections, please contact the persons listed in the document or the event team. 

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