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Being Long-Term Unemployed in Germany: Social Contacts, Finances and Stigma

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Experiencing Long-Term Unemployment in Europe

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the social contacts and personal networks of young long-term unemployed in Germany, making use of semi-structured qualitative interviews of long-term unemployed between 20 and 34 years of age in the city of Cologne. It is argued that two dimensions have an impact on the interplay of unemployment, social contacts and social activities: the financial situation of the young unemployed on the one hand and their experience of stigma on the other. To compensate for financial hardship the young people make use of social capital, and to prevent stigmatization they use justifications of their unemployment. The effectiveness of these strategies is, at least partly, shaped by the living conditions of the young unemployed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universität Siegen, Fakultät I—Soziologie, Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 2, 57068, Siegen, Germany

    Bettina Grimmer

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  1. Bettina Grimmer
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany

    Christian Lahusen

  2. University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

    Marco Giugni

Appendix 1

Appendix 1

Table 3.1 List of interviews
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Grimmer, B. (2016). Being Long-Term Unemployed in Germany: Social Contacts, Finances and Stigma. In: Lahusen, C., Giugni, M. (eds) Experiencing Long-Term Unemployment in Europe. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-50487-6_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-50487-6_3

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-50486-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-50487-6

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