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Question
In the view of a sociological journalist what would you view Barack Obama on social stratification?
For the first time in U.S. history, Barack Obama has introduced in the political language concepts like "equality" and "class". These concepts are connected with other principles that are already part of American tradition: democracy, freedom, national unity, and so on. I believe his political program is aimed at achieving a substantive democracy (and not just formal, as in the past). Making substantial democracy means ensuring - creating conditions of parity and equal opportunities for all - to every American citizen the access and the opportunity to enjoy equal rights. The formal democracy, instead, is concerned only to enshrine in law the equality of rights. To achieve a substantive democracy, you must think the society in its class, racial, gender, etc. discriminations.
Obama is focusing his initial efforts as President especially in internal affairs. He promised about two million of new jobs and a strong support to the middle class to overcome the economic crisis. He has also promised measures to support poor families and changes in the national health system in order to help those citizens who are currently excluded from the health service because without private insurance. Certainly a "revolutionary" program for America. That's why the media are talking about the Obama’s New Deal. Obama's recall to concepts like equality, class, does not mean, however, for him, to encourage the class, racial, gender, etc. antagonism/conflict (as in the best Marxist tradition). His program of social justice provides a route that in some ways reminds me more "Gandhi" than "Marx".
To implement his program he called to work in his staff very important economists, social and political scientists. In short, a program that is to reduce the social gap, to give greater prosperity to all American citizens.
Hi, Cristina
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Answers by Expert:
dr. Cristina Carpinelli
Expertise
Cristina Carpinelli is a sociologist/politolog. She deals with research works, from economic and social point of view, concerning Central-Est Europe (Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland), South-Est Europe (Bulgaria, Romania, balkan Countries), Russia and all Former Soviet Union Countries. Recently, She has also become an expert on gender issues in Countries mentioned above. She can't answer the questions relative to other geo-economic and political areas or about other questions outside her competence/knowledge. She lives and works in Milan (Italy).
Experience
Cristina Carpinelli wrote many articles and essays on the Ussr and on the transition of the Fsu from a planned economic system to a free market one. She wrote also some books. Now, She is collaborating with some magazines/reviews (The Calendar of People, Slavia, Cassandra, Marxism today ecc.).
Organizations
She is a Scientific Committee Member of Cespi (International Problems Study Center) of Milan - Italy. (www.cespi-ong.org). She is part of the teaching staff of ISPI school (professional diploma for economic operators in Russia) for the training courses "Objective: Russia" (http://www.ispionline.it/it/school.php?id=76). She is a permanent collaborator of the Italian Magazine "noidonne" (www. noidonne.org) and the Italian Magazine on-line "Cassandra" (www.cassandrarivista.it). She is also an editorial staff member of the Italian Magazine on-line "Antonio Gramsci oggi" (www. gramscioggi.org).
Publications
“Soviet society in the years of the perestrojka”, New Authors, Milan 1991; "Women and family in Soviet Russia", F. Angeli, Milan 1998; "Identities in Transition: Fsu Countries after the Collapse of Real Socialism", Cespi, February 2004; "Women and poverty in Russia under El’cin administration (the era of liberal transition)", F. Angeli, Milan 2004; "The contradictions of real socialism in Soviet Union" in 'Marxism Today' n.2/2007; "The Russia in pieces" (Achab, Verona 2008); "The Enlargement of Europe to the Eastern European Countries"; Cespi, May 2008.
Education/Credentials
Cristina Carpinelli graduated during the academic year 1983/84 with the thesis "The process of demografic ageing of the population in Soviet Union" - State University of Milan - Faculty of Political Sciences (Statistics Department). The thesis of degree was elaborated in the Ussr, at the State University Lomonosov of Moscow.
For a more detailed professional profile of Cristina Carpinelli, you can connected to: http://www.beepworld.it/members/criliberoit/curriculumenglish.htm
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