Social Exclusion in European Welfare States

by Ruud Muffels, Panos Tsakloglou, David G. Mayes

Overview

Social Exclusion in European Welfare States focuses on the complex relationship between economic welfare, labour market performance and social inclusion/exclusion. The contributors in the volume examine in detail the alleged trade-off between the social and economic capabilities of a society and their impact on the well-being of the citizens. Furthermore, they identify welfare regimes whose policies are more balanced in terms of prioritizing economic as well as social goals and, hence, are more successful in promoting social inclusion along with faster growth.

The book attempts to promote a better understanding of the differences in policy regimes and the performances of different regime types in view of their own goals and objectives. Contributors from a broad range of disciplines - economics, sociology and political science - explore the scope for European policy coordination and the form that this should take.

The book focuses on a problem that is widely considered to be one of the most intractable and damaging in contemporary European society. It will be invaluable to policymakers in a broad range of fields including employment, social policy, education and social work as well as to economists, sociologists and political scientists engaged in research and teaching in these fields.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781840648034
Publisher:	Edward Elgar Publishing
Publication date:	12/29/2002
Series:	Globalization and Welfare series
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Edited by Ruud Muffels, Professor of Socio-Economics, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Tranzo, Scientific Center for Care and Wellbeing, the Netherlands, Panos Tsakloglou, Associate Professor, Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece and the late David G. Mayes, formerly Professor of Banking and Financial Institutions, Director, Europe Institute and Director, NZ Governance Centre, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Table of Contents

Contents: Preface 1. Introduction: Empirical Approaches to Analysing Social Exclusion in European Welfare States Part I: Labour Market Integration in European Employment Regimes 2. Macroeconomic Factors, Policies and the Development of Social Exclusion 3. Employment Regimes and Labour Market Attachment: Evidence from the ECHP 4. Flexibilisation of Labour Markets: Does it Resolve Long-term Unemployment? Finland, Germany and the UK Compared 5. The Proliferation of Part-time Work, Family Employment and Household Income Security Part II: Social Exclusion in European Welfare States 6. Identifying Population Groups at High Risk of Social Exclusion: Evidence from the ECHP 7. The Nature of Social Exclusion – Spiral of Precariousness or Statistical Category? 8. Income and Deprivation Approaches to the Measurement of Poverty in the European Union 9. Do European Welfare Regimes Matter in Explaining Social Exclusion? Part III: Lessons for European Social Policy 10. How Well Do European Employment Regimes Manage Social Exclusion? 11. Employability and Social Exclusion: A Capabilities Approach 12. Workfare and Social Exclusion – Evidence from the Recent Welfare Reform in the USA 13. Conclusions: Social Exclusion at the Crossroads of EU Employment and Inclusion Policies References Index

Editorial Reviews

'This book provides useful analysis for social policy academics with a European bent, and should embolden policymakers. It does not underplay the challenges facing the EU, and especially southern countries and the UK, but it affirms that employment and welfare policy can and do make a difference.'

T. Burchardt