Why are policies in Germany so difficult to reform Essay

Why are policies in Germany so difficult to reform - Essay Example These included the modern poor relief, the Bismarckian paradigm or ‘worker policy’, protocorporatist social policy, and scientific social work. While the Bismarckian paradigm addressed workers as reliant on state policy, the proto-corporatist paradigm considered them as a partial subject. The latest measures taken by ‘conservative corporatist’ or Bismarckian welfare capitalistic regimes of Germany have not been examined through systematic comparative research (Bleses and Seeleib-Kaiser, 2004). However, literature related to welfare state change depicts the development of the Bismarckian family of welfare systems, and their distinction from other regimes. Bismarckian welfare systems confront the greatest challenges and require the most intensive changes. At the same time, there is documentary evidence of the Bismarckian welfare systems’ inability to implement essential reforms, state Palier and Martin (2007). On the other hand, Palier and Martin (2007) argue that in Germany over the last three decades, social insurance programmes have been developed, and changes incorporated in the Bismarckian welfare systems. Initially the emphasis was on raising social expenditure and social contribution towards funding a ‘labour shedding’ strategy to resolve the economic crisis. ... Two decades ago, researchers began investigating the ways in which mature welfare states including Germany, responded to those pressures. The findings indicated an absence of fundamental policy shifts, along with a significant contradiction that although structural pressurs for change could not be ignored for longer, there was relative stability in welfare state programmes. The two main approaches of historical institutionalism (Pierson 1994, 1996) and welfare regime theory (Esping-Andersen, 1990, 1999) helped to explain the continued stability inspite of the growing requirements for core changes to take place. According to these two approaches, â€Å"powerful institutional and electoral mechanisms and regime-specific characteristics prevented comprehensive reforms of European welfare states† (Stiller, 2010, p.9). At the same time, these explanations have been challenged, with increasing numbers of substantial reforms taking place across Europe, from the late 1990s onwards. Th is generated extensive research interest in the reasons and manner in which welfare state reform occurs. In the Federal Republic of Germany, the well-established Sozialstaat has undergone significant reform efforts, as seen from Katzenstein’s (2005) observation that major reform efforts related to labour markets, economic policymaking and social policy, together with partisan conflict and political stalemate, may have created a â€Å"recalibration or a dismantling of Germany’s semisovereign state† (Katzenstein, 2005, p.304). This development is significant because Germany has not demonstrated policy flexibility in the past. In fact, the country’s government had long been regarded as the key example of

Observation Report On Special Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Observation Report On Special Education - Essay Example This essay covers on actual status of a special education environment. It extrapolates on observations made during learning hours within a special needs school. In order to ascertain functionality of theoretical concepts in practical settings, we will relate attributes learned in class with those observed in the field. These will include a description of physical elements of the environment, evaluation on teaching strategies employed by teachers, understanding of daily routine within the school and finally a personal reflection based on observations made within the practical context. Description of Classroom Setting The classroom is located at ground floor level together with the mainstream building, with a specially designed exit and entry doors for wheelchairs. Inside the building, I realized that it was a self-contained room with the washroom situated at the back of the room. With a population of thirteen students, one teacher and two aid workers were ready to address any kind of need required by each student. At all times, the two aids Mrs. Francisco and Mrs. Adams arrive in class on time, actually by 11 AM. The teacher, Mr. Molesan, is tasked with delivering class content to the students, who belonged to 5th and 6th grade. On the other hand, Mrs. Francisco and Mrs. Adams assist the challenged students in pushing their wheel chairs or in managing any difficulty related to their disabilities. In order to minimize disruption and inconvenience created by movements, the students are only pulled out of the classroom when necessary, for example during lunch break. Inside the class are seven learning centers each located at strategic positions. With these centers, students can conveniently move from the computers section to the arts and craft center. All the 13 students in the class have various forms of disabilities which include communication impairment, auditory impairment, mild physical challenges and a few with multiple disabilities. Based on the appearance of the classroom setting, I would say that the school has been successful in achieving the underlying objective of delivering special education. According to Smith and Tyler (2010), locating the classroom together with the mainstream building enhances inclusiveness, thus fostering a sense of acceptance among the handicapped students. In addition, locating different learning centers within a single classroom serves as an indication that teachers are committed towards enhancing learning through special approaches. As if those provisions were not enough, timely availability of the two aid workers indicates commitment towards efficiency in assisting learners with special needs. Physical Environment It is undeniable that learners with special needs require a supportive environment that will increase convenience during learning. Based on my observations, such supportive attributes were installed in various parts of the room. Students using wheelchairs were not required to use staircases but enjoyed gently sloping wheelchair case. Additionally, another physical attribute of the class involved vastness of the working space. A class which on normal occasion could accommodate 40 students only had 13 students. According to Boyle (2009), this enables creation of enough space which would allow special maneuvering of physically handicapped members of the class. Students were