Familienberichte: Aufgabe, Probleme und Lösungsversuche der Sozialberichterstattung über die Familie

Abstract

In Germany as well as in other European Countries a special means of social reporting on the family has been developed, namely the so-called "Family Reports". Especially in Germany these are characterized by a dialogical structure. They consist of an analysis by an independent group of experts, reactions and a position statement by the government.Since the law requires that these reports be regularly submitted to parliament, they display a high degree of "manifest" institutionalization. This is supplemented by a "latent" institutionalization based on a close thematic and personnel connection with the Scientific Advisory Board of the Family Ministry.The reception of the reports can be devided in three phases: A discussion in parliament and in the media immediately following publication, reception in journals and the general use of the reports in university teaching and in administrative work. As far as possible this reception is documented using the example of the fifth German Family Report. This report is also interpreted in terms of a few dominant topics and especially in view of broadening the definition of the family in the five German Family Reports.In order to point out special features, the strength and weaknesses of the Germany Family Reports, they are compared with those of other European countries. The analysis itself is an attempt to view the social reporting of the family in the perspective of a discourse analysis based upon interactional premises.