Srl | Item |
1 |
ID:
101891
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Publication |
2011.
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Summary/Abstract |
Germany's recent debate about immigration misses an important reality: for Germany, and most all developed countries, attracting educated and skilled foreign workers is a matter of economic survival.
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2 |
ID:
118171
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Publication |
2012.
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Summary/Abstract |
Political life in modern Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan is commonly characterized by a strong central government, influential economic elites, and a relatively homogeneous society. In such settings, we would not expect to find much impact by foreigners and small NGO actors on policy changes, but the cases in these countries challenge this assessment. Relatively unskilled foreign workers in present-day Northeast Asia face a range of hardships, and existing government programs have provided little support until recently. Media portrayals of foreign workers-as in several other industrialized democracies-reinforce popular suspicions and fear of these foreigners. Yet, citizens of host countries themselves have formed numerous voluntary associations aimed at assisting foreign workers. I call the activities of these groups "associative activism." My account of associative activism makes explicit the process through which some activists, who initially work in concert chiefly to solve specific problems, eventually form broader political ambitions as they exert pressure on dominant features of the public sphere, especially processes of governance, political representation, and opinion formation. I identify three domains of associative activism through which political influence is exerted by immigrant rights groups: legislative, juridical, and municipal. These efforts illustrate how civil society groups can play an increasing role in protecting foreigners' rights and advancing democratization in Northeast Asia.
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3 |
ID:
175468
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Summary/Abstract |
Global population ageing trends and a rising life expectancy emphasise the significance of policies regarding long-term care services provided to severely disabled elders in various countries. This article focuses on the long-term care policy implemented in Israel and examines its different features and compatibility to client needs. It shows that Israel’s long-term care policy suffers from considerable faults, notably insufficient budgeting, poor quality caregivers, low number of local long-term care workers, and excessive reliance on foreign workers. The article then suggests ways to increase efficacy and improve public policy in long-term care.
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4 |
ID:
115234
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Publication |
2012.
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Summary/Abstract |
The corporatisation of Port Klang from the mid-1980s onwards was a significant moment in the history of Malaysia's political economy and generated considerable momentum for the changes that were to occur in this late industrialising nation under the leadership of the Barisan Nasional government. In particular, the restructuring of how labour was organised in Malaysia's most significant port became frequently cited both within and outside the country as a model for tripartite labour privatisation and the well-managed divestment of state-owned enterprises. However, in the past decade, the organisation of labour in the port has again changed dramatically. Migrant labour from some of the poorest parts of Asia now makes up the majority of semi-skilled and unskilled workers. Based on fieldwork carried out during 2009 with workers from Bangladesh and Nepal who are employed in Port Klang, this paper suggested that a regulatory vacuum now exists in the port, which means foreign workers are often treated badly and have few avenues for dissent. An analysis of the changing labour regime in Port Klang over time can assist in understanding the contemporary political economy of Malaysia as well as illuminate debates about the spaces of migrant labour more broadly.
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5 |
ID:
182894
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Summary/Abstract |
This article examines public policy aimed at planning the domestic housing market and regulating employment in the construction industry, as formulated and implemented in Israel in light of the rapid rise in domestic housing prices. It shows that despite their awareness of the growing discrepancy between supply and demand and its impact on housing prices, policymakers acted mainly to suppress the demand instead of speeding up the pace of construction so as to increase the supply of houses. The article concludes with a number of recommendations of ways to increase the number of workers in the construction industry as a means to reducing housing prices.
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