III. ‘Co-determination’ – a German model for Europe, 1945 – mid 1990s

Researcher: Sophia Friedel; Scientific coordinator: Stefan Berger

Adopting a transnational perspective, the research will consist in a study of discourses on codetermination in Britain, France, Italy and Sweden.  
The German idea of ‘co-determination’ (Mitbestimmung) has provided one of the most discussed models of workplace democracy throughout the post WWII period. The project aims to provide the first sustained study of the circulation of the model of co-determination across different West European trade unions between the 1950s and the 1990s focussing on Britain, France, Italy and Sweden. It will also take into account the reception of those ideas among the employers’ federations and among the political parties that were often closely allied to the trade union movements. Furthermore, it will look at the academic discourse on co-determination and how it influenced the reception and positioning of trade unions towards this concept.

For further information please contact the project team.