Social and Labour Market Policy
The Basics
The Basics Series

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:

• Defining what we mean when we speak of social policy and labour market policy
• Historical origins including Bismarckian and Beveridgian reforms
• The range of social issues social policy aims to address, e.g. housing policy and child provision
• Showing how social policy enhances well-being
• Ideas and ideology and the effects of globalisation
• The functioning of the labour market.

Social and Labour Market Policy: The Basics provides readers with an understanding of their importance to the development of contemporary society. This book is suitable for students of social policy as well as students taking a social policy module as part of a wider course within politics, social work, health care, sociology and economics. Researchers interested in the field will also benefit from reading this book.

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

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).