1st Edition

Social and Labour Market Policy The Basics

By Bent Greve Copyright 2018
154 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

154 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

154 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

Social and Labour Market Policy: The Basics is an engaging and accessible introduction to the subject, which explores the broad historical, social and economic factors which have affected the differing types of social and labour market policies found in welfare states. Drawing links between social policy and labour market policy the book explores key introductory topics including:... Read more

List of figures

List of tables

Foreword

List of abbreviations

Chapter 1. What is it all about?

1.1. Introduction

1.2. Historical trajectories

1.3. What is social and labour market policy?

1.4. Overview of the book

1.5. Some delimitations

1.6. Summing up

References

Chapter 2. Elements of social policy

2.1. Introduction

2.2. Central fields in social policy

2.3. Basic concepts

2.4. Core actors in social policy

2.5. Summing-up

References

Chapter 3. Aims of social policy

3.1. Introduction

3.2. What are well-being and welfare?

3.3. Old and new social risks

3.4. Instruments and well-being

3.5. Poverty and inequality

3.6. Is it the same in all welfare states?

3.7. Summing-up

References

Chapter 4. Crisis and new ways in welfare states

4.1. Introduction

4.2. Why crisis?

4.3. Legitimacy of social policy

4.4. Abilities to finance welfare

4.5. How to choose the best pathway – evidence in social policy

4.6. Summing-up

References

Chapter 5. Ideas and social policy

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Why ideas matter

5.3. Keynesian, neo-liberal and social investment

5.4. The influence of regionalisation and globalisation

5.5. Summing-up

References

Chapter 6. Labour market policy

6.1. Introduction

6.2. What is a labour market and employment/unemployment?

6.3. Fourth industrial revolution

6.4. Central concepts to understand the development

6.5. Flexicurity – as buzzword

6.6. The impact of free movement of workers and migration

6.7. Summing-up

References

Chapter 7. Active labour market policy

7.1. Introduction

7.2. What is active labour market policy?

7.3. Different aims of active labour market policy

7.4. What does and does not work in active labour market policy?

7.5. Summing-up – the way forward for labour market policy

References

Chapter 8. The future

8.1. Introduction

8.2. Why is social and labour market policy important?

8.3. Future challenges for social and labour market policy

8.4. Possible changes

8.5. Summing-up

References

Index

Biography

Bent Greve is Professor in Social Science with an emphasis on welfare state analysis at the University of Roskilde, Denmark. His research interest focuses on the welfare state, and social and labour market policy, often from a comparative perspective. He has published extensively on social and labour market policy, social security, tax expenditures, public sector expenditures and financing of the welfare state. He is editor of Social Policy & Administration. Recent books include Long-Term Care for the Elderly in Europe: Development and Prospects (ed., 2017); Handbook of Social Policy Evaluation (ed., 2017); Technology and the Future of Work (2017); The Impact on Labour Markets and Welfare States (2017).

'In this very concise and well-written book, Bent Greve provides a compelling introduction to the closely-related areas of social policy and labour market policy. His short book should help students, researchers, and informed readers to grasp the meaning of key concepts in these two areas."' -  Daniel Béland, Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy.

'At a time when social and labour market policies are under increasing scrutiny, this lively new book attempts to systematize and critically analyse what is known about these core functions of the modern welfare state. What is ‘social’ and ‘labour market policy’, how have these policies evolved, and how do they relate? How do social and labour market policies and functions differ across nations, what are their effects and what societal outcomes do they produce? Social and Labour Market Policy: The Basics is an invaluable contribution to understanding the issues and pressing challenges facing welfare systems ahead.' - Christopher Deeming, Journal of Social Policy and University of Strathclyde, UK