Yoko KITAMURA

Main Research Field: German History in the 19th and 20th Century

1) Gender relations in modern German history

I am interested in German social history of the 19th and 20th centuries, especially the period of the two world wars. What I am focusing on is the linkage between social changes before and after the war and changes in gender relations. One example is women's entry into the workforce to cover labour shortage during the war. After the war, the return of men from the front line increased the pressure on women to turn back to the home again.

2) The impacts of the World Wars on welfare state development

In the 20th century, the German welfare state developed a general welfare system with public support for the war-disabled and the bereaved families of fallen soldiers, i.e. military social policy, at its core. It includes extending the scope of the Employment of Severely Disabled Act from disabled veterans and victims of industrial accidents to the general workforce, as well as insurance coverage for artificial limbs and guide dogs for war disabled, and the development of sports for the persons with impairment from the rehabilitation for disabled veterans.