Challenges To European Welfare Systems

This book provides the first comprehensive analyses of the challenges all European welfare systems have been facing since 2007, combining in-depth country-based studies and comparative chapters. It focuses on: 1) the economic and financial crisis, 2) demographic change, and 3) the balance between avoiding risks and opening up opportunities in social policy. The results show that European welfare systems tend to face the same challenges in different ways and that also their responses to those challenges differ considerably. Although the EU also plays a part in shaping national welfare systems, it becomes evident that European welfare systems are by no means converging: in terms of social policy, national diversity within Europe is still a major factor that will shape future developments in European welfare systems.

Combining theoretical and empirical analysis, the authors examine globalisation, its links with recent changes in European welfare states' attitudes regarding welfare provision and the formulation and implementation of related policies.

In this first analytical monograph on the subject, George Katrougalos and Gabriella Lazaridis examine the social welfare state of the main four Southern European countries, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece. They conduct an overall system analysis of the welfare state in Southern Europe which challenges the prevalent Ferrera model. Additionally, they present a detailed outlook of policies adopted in the fields of employment, migration, health, social security, pensions and gender-family issues.

Social welfare is riddled with ingrained problems that have already defeated all standard approaches, and reform calls for counterintuitive action. Digital Social Innovation (DSI) is primarily about promoting grassroots initiatives to address localized societal problems, and is not normally talked about in relation to welfare reform, but perhaps social innovation initiatives, with their localized and case-based approach, could help to solve the enormous structural problems faced by our welfare democracies today. This book addresses the potential and implications of DSI for the reform of the European welfare state. The 14 papers collected here focus on key issues, such as the nature of social innovation and its effects; scaling up to address structural problems and make systemic change; new social risks and challenges; the role of digital thinking and emerging technologies; public governance approaches; tolerance of institutions; integrating innovation in the welfare system; and the empowerment of marginalized citizens. These topics are examined from an integrated and multi-disciplinary perspective, taking into consideration not only current EU debate on policy trends for social protection, but also the nature of digital transformation and its effects on social change. The book also highlights barriers to adoption, as well as the potential limitations and failures of this emerging approach. Digital social innovation is an emerging discipline that deserves more attention from policy makers and more resources from government. Drawing on welfare studies, political science, sociology, psychology, law and computer science, this book will be of interest to researchers, practitioners and policy makers alike.

As the standard of living has increased, aspirations and financial constraints have required major rethinking. There is considerable disparity between European countries in how they approach the welfare system, with differing concern over aspects such

This book introduces the concept of new social risks in welfare state studies and explains their relevance to the comparative understanding of social policy in Europe. New social risks arise from shifts in the balance of work and family life as a direct result of the declining importance of the male breadwinner family, changes in the labour market, and the impact of globalization on national policy-making. They differ from the old social risks of the standard industrial life-course, which were concerned primarily with interruptions to income from sickness, unemployment, retirement, and similar issues. New social risks pose new challenges for the welfare policies of European countries, such as the care of children and the elderly, more equal opportunities, the activation of labour markets and the management of needs that arise from welfare state reform, and new opportunities for the coordination of policies at the EU level. The book includes detailed and up-to-date case studies of policy development across these areas in the major European countries. These studies, written by leading experts, are organized in a comparative framework which is followed throughout the book. They highlight the way in which national welfare state regimes and institutional arrangements shape policy-making to meet new social risks. A major feature of this volume is the analysis of developments at the EU level and their interaction with national policies. The EU has been largely unsuccessful in its interventions in old social risk policy, but appears to have more success in its attempts to coordinate policy for new social risks. Experience here may provide lessons for future developments in EU policy-making. The comparative framework of the book seeks to inform an understanding of the development of new social risks in Europe and of the particular political opportunities and challenges that result. It provides an original analysis of pressing issues at the forefront of European welfare policy debate and locates it at the heart of current theoretical debates.

This book provides the first comprehensive information and detailed data on the welfare systems of all twenty-seven EU member states and offers the reader an invaluable introduction and basis for comparative welfare research. The introductory chapter summarizes the actual debate about welfare states and welfare (state) regimes, gives an overview on current welfare (state) research and analyses the main recent developments necessitating a new focus on European Welfare Systems. The twenty-seven chapters on the welfare systems of the member states are written on the basis of a common structure by experts from the individual states. An additional chapter analyses the current social and welfare policies of the EU and focuses on the interplay and limits between European and national social policies. Two concluding chapters provide (a) a first comparative analysis on the basis of all twenty-seven European Welfare Systems and (b) a theoretical reflection both arguing for and venturing the idea of politically limited pluralism in European welfare politics.

Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject Politics - Political systems in general and in comparison, grade: 2,0 (B), Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen (Nijmegen School of Management), course: The American Political System, language: English, abstract: The following paper is a result of the course „The American Political System“ given by Prof. Slomp at the Faculty of Management of the University of Nijmegen, where the author studies as an exchange student at the moment. In the introduction of the course the students had to think about the most important differences between the political systems of the United States and the European countries. Among other major points the class came to the result that especially the different ways and extents of providing social security and welfare for their citizens can be regarded as one of the most important differences between the American and European systems. Moreover the different models of welfare state p layed an important role in the discussions between European and American exchange students in the last months and a lot of mutual prejudices dealing with the different kinds of welfare capitalism had to be cleared up. For this reason the author chose the topic of social security and welfare in Europe and the States for this assignment. Today systems of social security and welfare are part of every modern democracy in the world and most of the people in the „western countries“ – including the US - count on the social services and provisions given by the state. Over the last 120 years and especially since World War II social and welfare policy has become one of the major cores of modern democracies, without most of them the political systems could be regarded as much more instable today. Nevertheless the differences between the single systems and their historical, economical and social backrounds are still strong, especially between America and Europe. Accordingly to the questions given above, in the following paper the author wants to - give a brief and critical overview of the american system of social security and welfare (Chapter 2), - describe challenges and perspectives of the american system on the basis of two state issues (Chapter 3), - give a short comparison of the general character of the american and european systems of social security on the basis of the course literature, the modell of Esping-Andersen and statistical data (Chapter 4) [...]

This book analyzes the impact of choice on welfare states in Europe and asks whether the shift towards more choice will ultimately benefit the users and providers of the welfare state, and have a positive impact on society as a whole. Explores the recent focus on choice in many welfare states, which has created a more market-orientated approach, changed users to consumers, and increased emphasis on private providers Examines the impact of these recent reforms on equality, not only from an economic perspective, but also in relation to gender, education, age, and access to services Draws on examples from different European countries and sectors of the welfare state, including the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and the Czech Republic Informed by theoretical and empirical approaches, and uses a variety of methodologies

Identifies the relative merits of welfare state systems in the US and Europe; examines and assesses cultural, economic, and political problems they face; and suggests policy to alleviate the problems. Queries whether the continued integration of Europe will result in all citizens being guaranteed only certain basic social rights, and being required to pay for health care, pension provision, and insurance. Concludes that the movement to reduce government debt will require either a big jump in taxes or a big drop in services. Also discusses the transition from communism to capitalism in eastern Europe. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR