Dimitri A. Sotiropoulos, (2016), “Greeks and Social Europe”, EU Forum, 8 Ιουνίου In pre-crisis Greece, Social Europe used to mean a welcome invitation to make Greece’s living standards converge with those of the rest of the EU. It also meant a less welcome push to introduce into Greece labour market and pension reforms, which would alter a patronage-based divide between insiders and outsiders. European social policies, including active labor market policies …Read More
Policing the crisis in Greece: The others’ side of the story
Vasilaki, Rosa, (2016), “Policing the crisis in Greece: The others’ side of the story”, GreeSE Paper No.98, April 2016 This article looks at the experience of policing protests in Greece during the period of the crisis from the point of view of police officers. Policing in Greece – and especially the subjective experience of police officers themselves – is a non-subject of sociological research for historical and political reasons peculiar to Greece and …Read More
How long before growth and employment are restored in Greece?
Papadimitriou, Dimitri B., Nikiforos, Michalis, Zezza, Gennaro, (2016), “How long before growth and employment are restored in Greece?”, Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, Strategic Analysis, January. The Greek economy has not succeeded in restoring growth, nor it has managed to restore a climate of reduced uncertainty, which is crucial for stabilizing the business climate that promotes investment. On the contrary, a new round of austerity measures that has agreed upon will imply another year of …Read More
‘Social Need’ or ‘Choice’? Greek Civil Society during the Economic Crisis
Simiti, Marilena, (2015), “‘Social Need’ or ‘Choice’? Greek Civil Society during the Economic Crisis”, GreeSE Paper No.95, Hellenic Observatory Papers on Greece and Southeast Europe, November. The paper analyses the impact of the economic crisis on Greek civil society. It explores currents trends in the non-profit sector as well as the proliferation of new alternative networks. Academic research has documented that civil society’s density has increased and its autonomy vis-à-vis the …Read More
Pension Poor and Housing rich in Greece? A generational perspective argues for policy entrepreneurship
Tinios, Platon, (2015), “Pension Poor and Housing rich in Greece? A generational perspective argues for policy entrepreneurship”, LSE blog, 12 November The Greek crisis can be framed as an ageing narrative. Greece confronted dilemmas that all ageing societies are bound to face. For example, it was forced in June 2015 to choose between discharging a legal obligation – repaying the IMF– and an ethical obligation – paying pensions; ethics won out. …Read More
Investigating the psychological effects of the Greek financial crisis
Davou, Bettina, (2015), “Investigating the psychological effects of the Greek financial crisis”, LSE blog, 22 October In the past six years thousands of Greeks have been socially displaced. This significant life change has triggered powerful negative emotions. As an outside event affecting the Greek society, the crisis initially cultivated a negative emotional atmosphere which by time settled to a permanently distressing emotional climate. Relevant Posts Zartaloudis, S. (2014) “The financial …Read More
The crossroad of reforms for the Greek public administration
Makrydemetres, Anthony, D. Zervopoulos, Panagiotis, Eliana Pravita, Maria, (2015), ” The crossroad of reforms for the Greek public administration”, LSE blog, 9 October The reform of Greek public administration in order to enhance efficiency is a key recommendation put forth by the OECD. Efficient public administration ensures both the optimal utilisation of the resources engaged by public bodies and the allocation of excessive public funds to civil society or to activities promoting economic growth. The reform …Read More
Greece Without Illusions
Varoufakis, Yanis, (2015), “Greece Without Illusions”, Project Syndicate, 5 October “The costliest minor government reshuffle in Greece’s history.” That is at least one way to describe the result of the Greek general election on September 20. Indeed, with few exceptions, the same ministers have returned to the same offices as part of an administration backed by the same odd pair of parties (the left-wing Syriza and the smaller right-wing Independent …Read More
Greece Isn’t a Morality Tale
Buchanan, Mark, (2015), “Greece Isn’t a Morality Tale”, Bloomberg View, 29 July One of the more troubling elements of the recent drama over Greece’s debt was the urge by many to see a deficiency of national character, rather than euro-zone economics, as the problem. Right-leaning opinion, not only in Germany but around the world, put the trouble down to Greek corruption and, worse, laziness: The bad people of Greece retire too …Read More
Investment-led Growth, Not More Cuts, Is The Only Way For Greece
Horn, Gustav, (2015), “Investment-led Growth, Not More Cuts, Is The Only Way For Greece”, Social Europe Journal, 15 July The agreement reached in Brussels yesterday between EU governments and Greece came only with a huge loss of mutual trust. It remains to be seen whether the deal in these circumstances will win majority political support. Economically, it would at least offer a small opportunity for a recovery in the Greek …Read More