30 years after reunification: Empirical analyses of social inequalities between East and West Germany
Forty years of German division have created very different life courses and contexts in East and West Germany. Even today, East and West Germans seem to differ in several aspects, especially in the labour market participation of women, in attitudes towards gender roles or political attitudes. Given the more similar institutional and political conditions in the reunified Germany, however, the question arises whether these differences are still pronounced among younger respondents or whether the so-called "post-reunification generation" actually hardly differs at all. In this course, we will therefore focus on the questions: To what extent do East and West Germans differ to today? Are these differences still relevant for younger cohorts? Which factors explain possible differences?
In the seminar, we will first read and jointly discuss some theoretical and many empirical articles to explore the existing literature on East-West disparities. In the second part of the seminar, we will get to know an ongoing database on the topic, the Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics (pairfam), and individually develop a short research paper based on this data.
Statistical knowledge up to the level of ordinary least squares (OLS) as well as basic knowledge in data analysis with Stata is therefore assumed and strongly recommended (there will be no basic introduction to Stata, but continuous help and guidance throughout the course). Ideally, the course participants have basic knowledge of labour market and/or family sociology.
The examination procedure is: seminar paper.
Forty years of German division have created very different life courses and contexts in East and West Germany. Even today, East and West Germans seem to differ in several aspects, especially in the labour market participation of women, in attitudes towards gender roles or political attitudes. Given the more similar institutional and political conditions in the reunified Germany, however, the question arises whether these differences are still pronounced among younger respondents or whether the so-called "post-reunification generation" actually hardly differs at all. In this course, we will therefore focus on the questions: To what extent do East and West Germans differ to today? Are these differences still relevant for younger cohorts? Which factors explain possible differences?
In the seminar, we will first read and jointly discuss some theoretical and many empirical articles to explore the existing literature on East-West disparities. In the second part of the seminar, we will get to know an ongoing database on the topic, the Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics (pairfam), and individually develop a short research paper based on this data.
Statistical knowledge up to the level of ordinary least squares (OLS) as well as basic knowledge in data analysis with Stata is therefore assumed and strongly recommended (there will be no basic introduction to Stata, but continuous help and guidance throughout the course). Ideally, the course participants have basic knowledge of labour market and/or family sociology.
The examination procedure is: seminar paper.
- Moderator/in: Gundula Zoch
Semester: 2020/21 Wintersemester