Household Strategies in Twentieth-Century Eastern Europe: Coping with Demographic and Economic Shock
Session 81 of the XIVth International Economic History Congress
Calling for papers. For further inquiries, please contact the session organizer.
Household Strategies in Twentieth-Century Eastern Europe: Coping with Demographic and Economic Shock
Organizers
S.A. Afontsev, Dr., Institute for World Economy and International Relations, Russia
G.C. Kessler, Dr., International Institute of Social History, The Netherlands
Address
G.C. Kessler
International Institute of Social History
Cruquiusweg 31
1019 AT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
tel.: +31 20 6685866
fax: +31 20 6654181
e-mail:
Abstract
For many of the countries of the part of the European Continent usually designated as Eastern Europe the twentieth century was a century marked by recurrent periods of severe material deprivation and demographic crises. The wars of the first half of the century were fought with particular ferocity in the region and exacted a heavy toll on both the military and the civil population. The second half of the century, with most of the countries in this region brought under the sway of socialist regimes of Soviet vintage, brought material deprivation at less extreme, but chronic levels. The breakdown of these regimes, finally, started a period of painful reforms and a difficult transition to market economies, again at great social and demographic costs. The session takes a household perspective to explain how the population dealt with the challenges posed by these periods of hardship. Following recent shifts of focus in labour history from the individual to the larger social entities in which individuals are embedded, the household is studied both as a locus of decision-making and as a social safety net which filters the socio-economic impact of crises.
Participants
G.C. Kessler, International Institute of Social History (The Netherlands)
S.A. Afontsev, Institute for World Economy and International Relations (Russia)
A.M. Markevich, International Institute of Social History (Russia)
T.Ya. Valetov, Moscow State University (Russia)