With ongoing concerns about a 'care deficit' in Europe, as well as changing demographics, employment and social trends, there is a need for greater understanding and sharing of the policies that shape care today. now complex and highly varied arrangements for the care of children, disabled and older people in Europe, set within the context of changing labour markets and welfare systems. It includes analyses of the modernisation of informal care and new forms of informal care, topics often neglected in the literature. Issues of gender, family change, social integration and citizenship are all explored in a series of chapters that report on original empirical, cross-national research. comparative research, which usefully broaden the study of social policy and its parameters. Programme, funded by the European Union. reading for social policy and sociology academics, particularly those who are interested in comparative policy analysis, gender, labour markets and families. It is also recommended reading for graduate level students in these fields and policy makers, for whom the book provides a unique resource on the latest European developments in this critical policy area.

This refreshing volume introduces a theory for explaining cross-national differences in the social practice of women (and men) in the areas of family and employment. This provides a theoretical framework for the ensuing comprehensive cross-national analysis of the degree and forms of labour market integration of women in three European countries - Finland, West Germany and the Netherlands - from the 1950s until 2000. Cross-national differences are explained with a focus on cultural change and the development of welfare state, labour markets, the family and social movements. It is evident that change took place along different development paths that were based on deep-rooted historical differences in the cultural ideals of the family. Such historical differences and their explanations also form part of the analysis. The results of this survey contribute to the further development of cross-national sociology on social change, social and gender inequality, welfare state, labour markets and family structures.

Informal work - family care, voluntary work, and undeclared or unregulated work - is a critical form of labor in today's economy, yet remains underanalyzed and examined. This volume develops a comprehensive conceptual framework of informal work and analyses systematically the relationship of formal and informal work. Using a coherent theoretical and methodological approach, this volume explores informal and formal work in six countries and contributes to our empirical knowledge of informal work and its different interrelations with formal work in various societies. A landmark study in the analysis of work, the book demonstrates how the relationship of formal and informal work is developing, how this can be explained in the specific context of the arrangement of work and welfare, and in which ways informal work possibly contributes to social integration and social cohesion.

Informal work ? family care, voluntary work, and undeclared or unregulated work ? is a critical form of labor in today's economy, yet remains underanalyzed and examined. This volume develops a comprehensive conceptual framework of informal work and analyses systematically the relationship of formal and informal work. Using a coherent theoretical and methodological approach, this volume explores informal and formal work in six countries and contributes to our empirical knowledge of informal work and its different interrelations with formal work in various societies. A landmark study in the analysis of work, the book demonstrates how the relationship of formal and informal work is developing, how this can be explained in the specific context of the arrangement of work and welfare, and in which ways informal work possibly contributes to social integration and social cohesion.

This refreshing volume introduces a theory for explaining cross-national differences in the social practice of women (and men) in the areas of family and employment. This provides a theoretical framework for the ensuing comprehensive cross-national analysis of the degree and forms of labour market integration of women in three European countries - Finland, West Germany and the Netherlands - from the 1950s until 2000. Cross-national differences are explained with a focus on cultural change and the development of welfare state, labour markets, the family and social movements. It is evident that change took place along different development paths that were based on deep-rooted historical differences in the cultural ideals of the family. Such historical differences and their explanations also form part of the analysis. The results of this survey contribute to the further development of cross-national sociology on social change, social and gender inequality, welfare state, labour markets and family structures.

Contents:
Part I. Introduction
1. Introduction: Theorising Comparative Gender Inequality Simon Duncan
Part II. Gender Divisions of Labour - Paid and Unpaid Work
2. Paid Work: Participation, Inclusion and Liberation Gunnel Forsberg, Lena Gonäs and Diane Perrons
3. Households and Families - Changing Living Arrangements and Gender Relations Montserrat Solsona and Maria-Jose Gonzalez-Lopez
4. Reconciling Divisions of Labour Eileen Drew
Part III. Gender Divisions of Power - Citizenship, Rights and Control
5. Gender and European Welfare States: Contexts, Structure and Agency Henrik Bang, Per Jensen and Birgit Pfau-Effinger
6. Gender, Migration, and Social Inequalities: the Dilemmas of European Citizenship Marina Calloni and Helma Lutz
7. Male Violence and Control: Constructing a Comparative European Perspective Carol Hagemann-White
Part IV. Gendered Understandings: Cultures and Values
8. Challenging and Negotiating the Myths: Gender Divisions in the Situation Comedy Lisa Tsaliki
9. Living Through the Myths: Gender, Values, Attitudes and Practices Rosemarie Sackmann
Conclusion
10. Gender Cultures and Social Change in the European Context Birgit Pfau-Effinger

There have been major shifts in the framework of social policy and welfare across Europe. Adopting a multi-level, comparative and interdisciplinary approach, this book develops a critical analysis of policy change and welfare reform in Europe. It specifically asks: To what extent do welfare states undergo profound change? Is the welfare state moving in qualitatively different directions? What generates change? What are the outcomes of change in terms of social cohesion? policy changes that are often poorly understood in the welfare literature, and contributes to a further development of the theoretical and conceptual frameworks for understanding social change. simultaneously: changes in the discipline of Social Policy itself; the changing character of social problems; changes in social policy and citizenship; and the emergence of new forms of social integration. The book also speculates on how different dimensions of change are interlinked. postgraduate or level 3 students in social policy, sociology and politics.

The Handbook examines contemporary trends and issues in the formation of families over the different stages of the life cycle and how they interact with family-oriented social policies of modern welfare states, mainly in the OECD countries of Western Europe, East Asia and the U.S. Focusing largely on family needs in the early stages of the life course, the conventional package of policies tends to emphasize programs and benefits clustered around measures to support marriage, childbearing, care, the reconciliation of employment and childcare during the preschool years. Drawing on a multidisciplinary group of experts from many countries, this book extends the conventional perspective on family policy by also looking at later phases of the family life course. In taking a life course perspective, this Handbook extends the purview to encompass the three main stages of family life. These are (1) cohabitation, marriage and starting a family; (2) the early years of parenting, care and employment, and (3) the period of transitions and later life: family breakdown and intergenerational supports across the life course.

Culture and Welfare State provides comparative studies on the interplay between cultural factors and welfare policies. Starting with an analysis of the historical and cultural foundations of Western European welfare states, reflected in the competing ideologies of liberalism, conservatism and socialism, the book goes on to compare the Western European welfare model to those in North America, Asia and Central and Eastern Europe. Comprehensive and engaging, this volume examines not only the relationships between cultural change and welfare restructuring, taking empirical evidence from policy reforms in contemporary Europe, but also the popular legitimacy of welfare, focusing particularly on the underlying values, beliefs and attitudes of people in European countries. This book will be of great interest to sociologists and political scientists, as well as social policy experts interested in a cultural perspective on the welfare state.

In diesem Band untersuchen SozialwissenschaftlerInnen aus Westeuropa und den USA, was Strukturveranderungen in der Erwerbsarbeit, Grenzverschiebungen zwischen bezahlter und unbezahlter Arbeit und Arbeitsmarktreformen fur das Verhaltnis und die soziale Lage von Mannern und Frauen bedeuten.

Das Buch befasst sich theoretisch und auf der Grundlage empirischer Analysen mit der Frage, auf welche Art und Weise in den Gegenwartsgesellschaften die Trennungslinie zwischen Gesellschaft und Tier konstruiert wird, inwieweit es Erosionstendenzen gibt und welche Ambivalenzen damit verbunden sind.