Uneasy relations between East and West, new immigrants and native Germans, left and right, and labour and business, have marked the period since German reunification, which has been the most tumultuous in the country's history since World War II. Published soon after the Christian Democrats yielded power after 16 years, this book seeks to make sense of the changes during this period. Twenty-six scholars address topics such as the role of the Greens, women in the new German intellectual and literary scene, and the effects of political and cultural change on German national identity.
Peter H. Merkl is one of the leading authorities on modern Germany. He is Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
"[Parmet's] biography has put Dubinsky back on the historical map and is a must read for historians." --"The Journal of American History"-, "For four decades, David Dubinsky stood in the top ranks of American labor. As head of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU), he helped organize basic industry and led the fight to provide workers everywhere with decent wages, health care and housing. A leading liberal and anti-communist, a powerful figure in New York politics, and an important player in Cold War foreign policy, Dubinsky sparked fury among his opponents and fierce loyalty among his many supporters. At last this extraordinary figure has a biographer who does him justice. Robert Parmet draws on years of deep research to paint an admiring but not uncritical portrait of Dubinsky in "The Master of Seventh Avenue", judiciously taking us through the intricate world of the garment industry and its hothouse politics. Parmet does a great service in bringing back to life this once household name." --Joshua B. Freeman, author of "Working-Class New York: Life and Labor since World War II "-, "Parmet's work will surely have an honored place on the shelves of Cornell University's Kheel Labor Center, as has an earlier work, David Dubinsky: A Life with Labor, co-authored by Dubinsky himself and A.H. Raskin, one of the New York Times's famed labor reporters." -"The Weekly Standard", "Superb...this study is destined to be the authoritative work on Dubinsky's career. Parmet's balanced assessment of his subject, combined with the breadth of his research and the skillful writing, make this an exemplary biography." --"American Historical Review" -, "This volume, which contains an eight-page photo section, will appeal to labor history scholars and biography enthusiasts." -"CHOICE", recommended,
