Taking its point of departure from a NATO （North Atlantic Treaty Organization） conference held in Copenhagen in 1953, this papers begins by tracing the foundation of the powerful political role that labor organizati...Taking its point of departure from a NATO （North Atlantic Treaty Organization） conference held in Copenhagen in 1953, this papers begins by tracing the foundation of the powerful political role that labor organizations held during a significant part of the twentieth century. At the conference, ＂labor＂ was emphasized as occupying a ＂key role＂ in the struggle of Western societies to withstand the challenge of communism--military alone could not achieve this objective. Since around 1990, this has fundamentally changed and the paper explores the contemporary situation through an ethnographic study--involving fieldwork at both workplaces and private homes--of Polish migrant laborers participating in the Danish labor market. Firstly, it is shown how the Polish laborers, due to the lower costs they represent, benefit from the new opportunities. Secondly, the paper illustrates how the trade union, though uneasy with the downward pressure on wage and working conditions that the Polish represent, prioritizes the organization of workers in order to maintain some degree of control over the labor market. Finally, the question is raised how the EU （European Union） is able to navigate two contrasting concerns： the urge both to create more cross-border competition and to uphold an image of a ＂social Europe＂ which might be key to maintain cohesion and legitimacy.展开更多
The issue of the future of Europe is becoming increasingly important what with the depth of the economic crisis that started in 2008. In addition to a continuous growth in the number of the unemployed, the crisis part...The issue of the future of Europe is becoming increasingly important what with the depth of the economic crisis that started in 2008. In addition to a continuous growth in the number of the unemployed, the crisis particularly emphasizes the chronic level of energy dependence. The energy saving measures ~energy efficiency）, diversification of sources （stability of supply）, and the creation of substitutes in renewable energy （energy transition）, intertwine with administrative measures and form the response of European countries to the growing energy dependence. At the same time, although facing the threatening warming （or cooling） of the Earth, Europe, as a big advocate of reducing CO2 remains passively dependent on NATO （North Atlantic Treaty Organization） policy in the field of defense in the context of energy dependence. However, for the first time after many decades, Europe and America do not have the same energy, and consequently geo-strategic objective： The US has become energy independent while Europe is chronically energy dependent.展开更多
文摘Taking its point of departure from a NATO （North Atlantic Treaty Organization） conference held in Copenhagen in 1953, this papers begins by tracing the foundation of the powerful political role that labor organizations held during a significant part of the twentieth century. At the conference, ＂labor＂ was emphasized as occupying a ＂key role＂ in the struggle of Western societies to withstand the challenge of communism--military alone could not achieve this objective. Since around 1990, this has fundamentally changed and the paper explores the contemporary situation through an ethnographic study--involving fieldwork at both workplaces and private homes--of Polish migrant laborers participating in the Danish labor market. Firstly, it is shown how the Polish laborers, due to the lower costs they represent, benefit from the new opportunities. Secondly, the paper illustrates how the trade union, though uneasy with the downward pressure on wage and working conditions that the Polish represent, prioritizes the organization of workers in order to maintain some degree of control over the labor market. Finally, the question is raised how the EU （European Union） is able to navigate two contrasting concerns： the urge both to create more cross-border competition and to uphold an image of a ＂social Europe＂ which might be key to maintain cohesion and legitimacy.
文摘The issue of the future of Europe is becoming increasingly important what with the depth of the economic crisis that started in 2008. In addition to a continuous growth in the number of the unemployed, the crisis particularly emphasizes the chronic level of energy dependence. The energy saving measures ~energy efficiency）, diversification of sources （stability of supply）, and the creation of substitutes in renewable energy （energy transition）, intertwine with administrative measures and form the response of European countries to the growing energy dependence. At the same time, although facing the threatening warming （or cooling） of the Earth, Europe, as a big advocate of reducing CO2 remains passively dependent on NATO （North Atlantic Treaty Organization） policy in the field of defense in the context of energy dependence. However, for the first time after many decades, Europe and America do not have the same energy, and consequently geo-strategic objective： The US has become energy independent while Europe is chronically energy dependent.
