Will Europe work? Integration, employment and the social order

Book abstract:

This book is a compilation of papers presented at the Fourth European Sociological Association Conference in Amsterdam (August 1999) and subsequently substantially revised. The book is organised to answer the three dimensions posed by its title.

The first part concerns the future of European work and welfare societies and contains four contributions: the first three address the changes in welfare structures and policies and the fourth concentrates on the labour market.

The second part is provided by three contributors who discuss identity and citizenship as key dimensions in the construction of Europe. They explore the roles of borders and border regions - economical, political and cultural power - tensions between nation-state and supra-state and between national citizenship and European citizenship.

The third part focuses on cultural institutions at the European level, and on the sociological perspective. Disappointment in the development of a European public sphere prompts a questioning of the democratic integrity of the EU and asserts that a stronger democratisation would also lead to a stronger European public sphere. Attention is given to the basic cultural institutions - work and family - their impact upon post-industrial society and contribution to the evolving service economy. The challenge to Europeanisation presented by language is also explored: how are the conflicting demands of improved communications and preservation of national language heritage to be accommodated? How is diversity celebrated if the script is always written in English?

This book will be of particular interest to students, scholars and practitioners in sociology.

Martin Kohli is Professor of Sociology at the Free University of Berlin. Mojca Novak is Director of the Social Protection Institute of the Republic of Slovenia and Associate Professor of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Ljubljana.