A Reversal of Fortunes?

The book explores the profound impact of German unification on women in eastern Germany, particularly in the labor market. Following the collapse of state socialism, women, who comprised nearly half of the workforce by the 1980s, faced significant challenges as the demand for labor plummeted. The transition to a market economy led to a sharp increase in female unemployment, highlighting a re-masculinization of the workforce. Alsop critically analyzes how these economic shifts transformed women's roles and their families' financial stability during this tumultuous period.