Europe’s new state of welfare. Unemployment, employment policies and citizenship

Book abstract:

This work arises from research undertaken by an interdisciplinary group of sociologists, economists and political scientists working under the title COST Action A13.

The volume aims to provide an updated view of unemployment and unemployment policies in a number of European countries. Chapter one serves as an introductory chapter and attempts to set the unemployment issues in the context of 'full citizenship'. Chapter two provides a brief summary of some main empirical findings, and provides a reference point for the following chapters. It also sums up some of the lessons to be drawn in relation to European unemployment problems. The next ten chapters present detailed studies of the situation in the labour markets, policy changes and the efficacy or otherwise of these policies in particular countries. Coverage of the three major welfare models in northern Europe is provided as well as welfare states with highly different unemployment records, including the welfare states of Norway, Switzerland and Slovenia, along with seven EU Member States. Chapter 13 draws together the evidence of earlier chapters and explores the prospects for the future management of unemployment issues in Europe. The conclusion does not present a single way forward for Europe and much of the success or failure of policies lies with national traits and is worthy of continuing research.

The book will interest students, academics, researchers, policy makers and practitioners in the fields of labour relations, social sciences, economics and European Studies.

Jørgen Goul Andersen is Professor of Political Sociology at the Centre for Comparative Welfare Studies, Aalborg University, Denmark.

Jochen Clasen is Professor of Comparative Social Research at the Centre for Comparative Research in Social Welfare, University of Stirling, UK.

Wim van Oorschot is Professor of Sociology at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Tilburg University, the Netherlands.

Knut Halvorsen is Professor and Research Director at the Faculty of Economics, Public Administration and Social Work, Oslo University College, Norway.

http://www.socsci.auc.dk/cost/ http://www.socsci.auc.dk/cost/

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