Accessing social rights in France and Germany : inequalities and discriminations, gender and migrations in the multiscalar European space. – ACCESS-PLUS

Our project is dedicated to the study of the influence of Europeanization on women and migrants’ access to social rights and benefits in France and Germany. The specific articulation between forms of discriminations and compensation for inequalities is drastically affected by the European process in both countries. In our project, we conceive social citizenship (i) as a discourse on social cohesion, (ii) as a relationship between citizens’ participation, social protection and statutory norms, and (iii) as a relation to the multiscalar dimension of power. We use this concept as an innovative tool for the analysis of the dynamics of social rights and benefits since 1957. France and Germany showcase contrasting traditions of social citizenship, which are combined differently in the process of Europeanization. The French social citizenship tradition emphasizes the abstract notions of equality and universal social integration, which creates differences with respect to social status and specific policy targeting. The German one is based primarily upon the belonging to a cultural community. It operates mostly through delegation to intermediary groups and admits more disparity in a more decentralized political space. The dynamics of inequality and discrimination in the access to social rights will be considered in the case of women and migrants as both groups have historically been marginalized on the labour market and in the welfare state. Our project is organized in three steps. Firstly, based upon the available literature, we will conduct a historical analysis (i) of the problematization of access to social rights, (ii) legal codification, and (iii) the instrumentation of policy-making in regarding gender, migration, and ethnicity in France and Germany. Secondly, based on legal and administrative documents, we will summarize and assess the definition and regulation of access to social rights at the European level. Thirdly, we analyse the effects of Europeanization on the definition of social rights and benefits in both countries, specifically around the issue of access to social rights for both women and migrants. We will analyse these effects in the aftermath of the European anti-discrimination directives (2000) in particular. This project will contribute to advance the analysis of current transformations, convergences, and obstacles in terms of legal codification and policy instrumentation, which are aimed at addressing inequalities and combating discriminations. We will work on two specific policy domains: 1) access to social minimum income, and 2) access vocational training and career advancement.