Making a European Welfare State?: Convergences and Conflicts Over European Social Policy

This volume provides an up–to–date account of developments in Europe across a range of policy areas, from labour markets to disability and poverty to health care. Drawing on sociological, social policy, political science and economic perspectives, it situates debates about welfare convergence in a theoretical context. Each chapter is written by an expert in this rapidly changing field and is based on original research. Together, these experts demonstrate that EU commitment to an open market economic programme currently gives rise to tensions in accommodating different approaches to social welfare, and that moves to enlargement will compound the pressure.

Spis treści:
1. Introduction: Open markets versus Welfare Citizenship – Conflicting Approaches to Policy Convergence in Europe: Peter Taylor–Gooby (University of Kent).
2. Pressures on State Welfare in Post–industrial Societies: Is More or Less Better?: Mads Meier Jaeger (Danish National Institute Of Social Research, Copenhagen) and Jon Kvist (Danish National Institute Of Social Research, Copenhagen).
3. When Is A Change Big Enough To Be A System Shift? Small System‑Shifting Changes in German and Finnish Pension Policies: Karl Hinrichs (University of Bremen) and Olli Kangas.
4. Organisational Restructuring in European Health Systems: The Role of Primary Care: Ana Rico (European Observatory on Health Care Systems, Madrid), Richard B. Saltman and Wienke B.W. Boerma.
5. The Uncertain Convergence of Disability Policies in Western Europe: Bjørn Hvinden (Norwegian University of Science and Technology).
6. Adaptation to Labour Market Change in France and the UK: Convergent or Parallel Tracks?: Anne Daguerre (University of Kent) and Peter Taylor–Gooby (University of Kent).
7. Mending Nets in the South: Anti–Poverty Policies in Greece, Italy, Portugal And Spain: Manos Matsaganis (University of Crete), Maurizio Ferrera (Universit y of Pavia), Luis Capucha (Higher Institute for Business and Labour Studies, Lisbon) and Luis Moreno (National Research Council, Madrid).
8. The Trajectory of Welfare State Development: The Cases of Post–Communist Bulgaria and Romania: Dimitri A. Sotiropoulos (University of Athens), Ileana Neamtu and Maya Stoyanova.
9. Convergence in the Social Welfare Systems in Europe: From Goal to Reality: Denis Bouget (Maison des Sciences de l′Homme Ange Guépin Nantes).

Nota biograficzna:
Peter Taylor–Gooby is Professor of Social Policy at the University of Kent. His recent publications include European Welfare States Under Pressure (edited, 2001), Risk, Trust and Welfare (edited, 2000) and European Welfare Futures (co–authored with V. George and G. Bonoli, Polity, 2000). He has directed a number of ESRC and EU projects, including the Economic Beliefs and Behaviour programme, the Social Contexts and Responses to Risk network and the Welfare Reform and the Management of Societal Change programme.

Okładka tylna:
This volume provides an up–to–date account of developments in Europe across a range of policy areas, from labour markets to disability and poverty to health care. Drawing on sociological, social policy, political science and economic perspectives, it situates debates about welfare convergence in a theoretical context. Each chapter is written by an expert in this rapidly changing field and is based on original research. Together, these experts demonstrate that EU commitment to an open market economic programme currently gives rise to tensions in accommodating different approaches to social welfare, and that moves to enlargement will compound the pressure.