Marina A. Adler

Women's Work Values in Unified Germany Regional Differences as Remnants of the Past

This article examines East-West differences in work values among German women, using data from the 1991 German Social Survey (ALLBUS). Our analyses indicate a clear regional gap in work values: East German women are more likely than West German women to consider employment to be very important and to highly value its socioeconomic and social rewards. We contend that this gap exists because of the effect of preunification differences in state ideology and policy on the life experiences of German women in the two regions. We discuss the implications of the findings for the claim that East Germany was more successful than West Germany in fostering positive attitudes toward market work among women.

The Utility of Modeling in Evaluation Planning: The Case of the Coordination of Domestic Violence Services in Maryland.

Abstract This pilot study illustrates the modification of evaluation planning tools, such as documents models [Rutman, Evaluation research methods: A basic guide, 1984], logic models [Burt et al. Evaluation guidebook. Projects funded by S.T.O.P. Formula Grants under the Violence Against Women Act, 1997] and program theory models [Weiss, Evaluation. Methods for studying programs and policies, 1998] in planning the evaluation of the coordination of domestic violence (DV) services in the metropolitan area of Baltimore, Maryland. Coordinated community responses (CCR) are systematic approaches to intervention—in this case for DV intervention—that emphasize comprehensive, collaborative and integrated service delivery. Evaluation studies typically focus on assessing the performance of programs within various components of the system (judicial, crisis intervention, social services, health care). The present paper argues for a holistic, theory-based evaluation approach to examine the entire system, which involves modeling the structure of, and linkages among, the system components. This process reveals that the activities of the agencies in the CCR are guided by varying intervention models, leading to different priorities: batterer sanctioning, victim advocacy, service delivery, or family reunification. Any subsequent evaluation of the intervention system as a whole has to take these differences into account. Data collection methods and indicators for a system-wide process evaluation are suggested.

German Unification as a Turning Point in East German Women's Life Course: Biographical Changes in Work and Family Roles

In order to explore the effects of German unification on the life course of East German women of three age cohorts, 36 biographical interviews were conducted. The purpose of the research was to examine whether unification meant a complete break with the German Democratic Republics (GDR) standard biography in terms of a voluntary acceptance of West German patterns, or a modification of old patterns based on necessity. Results demonstrate that the historical moment of 1989/90 (the Wende or turning point) has changed the life plans of the three cohorts of women in East Germany in different ways, depending on its timing in their life course. The life patterns of the youngest cohort differ most significantly from the standard biography of the “GDR woman” in that family formation is postponed and employment prioritized over family. Rather than being a complete break with tradition and a voluntary adoption of Western norms, this means a modification of the life course, because the desire to combine work and family continues to dominate.

Xenophobia and Ethnoviolence in Contemporary Germany

This paper uses 1980s and 1990s data on xenophobia and ethnoviolence in Germany to organize theoretical arguments holding capitalism, social change, group threat or political culture responsible for the observed patterns. The selected indicators of xenophobia and ethnoviolence reflect mixed support for the various theories. In support of the long-term effects of capitalism, the data show that right-wing membership, ethnoviolence and xenophobia had already increased in the 1980s, and that mens re-employment rates are inversely related to violence and membership. The dramatic acceleration of these increases after unification bolsters social change arguments. Immigration statistics suggest that not the actual size of the foreign population (real group threat), but the perceived number of foreigners (threat fostered in the political culture) may be held responsible for increased violence. Possible implications for observed trends are presented.

Feminist Cross-cultural Research: Observations from a Research Project in Germany

Recent research indicates that the rapid imposition of West German structures (policy, economy, culture) on East Germany caused economic hardships and personal insecurities which leave many East German women feeling vulnerable. This essay depicts the experiences involved in conducting an ethnographic study to examine the situation of women East and West of the former German border. Secondary analysis, survey research, observation and interviews with womens representatives show significant differences in the actual and perceived consequences of unification for womens lives in East and West. The feminist nature of the research and the complex structure of German bureaucracy were often impediments to the progress of this study. Recommendations for researchers planning to do cross-national studies on women an discussed