Activation as a global model of world politics? : conceptual considerations on labour market policy shifts in European welfare states

Abstract

"Since the last decades of the twentieth century, European welfare states have faced a significant increase in unemployment. Referring to the neoliberal discourse, the emerging criticism of the welfare state has led to a gradual realignment of social policy and its administrative apparatus. Activation has since become a crucial attribute of labour market reform activities all over Europe, causing a step-by-step convergence of European welfare regimes as well as increasingly isomorphic structures of different welfare states. However, the neoliberal discourse encounters different state-dominated institutions and organizations, each with its own history, tradition, and culture. Hence, differences related to labour market policy practices still persist." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Sowa, F. & Zapfel, S. (2015): Aktivierung als globales Modell der Weltpolitik? Konzeptionelle Überlegungen zum Wandel der Arbeitsmarktpolitik in europäischen Wohlfahrtsstaaten. In: Sozialer Fortschritt, Vol. 64, No. 3, p. 47-54. DOI:10.3790/sfo.64.3.47