Globalisation Processes in Modern Societies : Theoretical Basics, Empirical Recording and Effects on Individual Life Courses

Abstract

The article presents the findings of two large international comparative social research projects, the project 'GLOBALIFE - life courses in the globalisation process' and the research network 'TransEurope', on the effects of globalisation processes on individual life course patterns in modern societies. On the basis of an index for measuring the multidimensional phenomenon of globalisation, it is demonstrated how this phenomenon can be illustrated and how its historical development can be traced empirically. Based on a comparative analysis of life course patterns from seven European countries (Belgium, Germany, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands), we examine if and which ways the globalisation process has impacted on selected aspects of life and employment histories of women and men in modern industrial societies. The results show that globalisation has not contributed to a generalisation of risks and an accelerated development of patchwork careers. Rather, globalisation-induced risks concentrate systematically on specific groups in the labour market. Country-specific welfare state institutions and different modes of labour market regulation 'filter' the globalisation process and contribute to a wide diversity of 'globalisation effects' among different modern industrialised countries. (IAB)

Cite article

Blossfeld, H., Hofäcker, D., Raab, M., Ruland, M. & Buchholz, S. (2009): Globalisierungsprozesse in modernen Gesellschaften. Theoretische Grundlagen, empirische Erfassung und Auswirkungen auf individuelle Lebensverlaufmuster. In: B. Pfau-Effinger, S. Sakac Magdalenic & C. Wolf (Hrsg.) (2009): International vergleichende Sozialforschung : Ansätze und Messkonzepte unter den Bedingungen der Globalisierung, p. 19-39.