Reforming the Bismarckian Welfare Systems

by Palier, Bruno; Martin, Claude

• ISBN13: 9781444306798
• ISBN10: 1444306790
• Edition: 1st
• Format: eBook
• Copyright: 2009-03-09
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

Gathering among the best European specialists of welfare state comparisons, this book organises comprehensive and up to date information on European welfare state reforms in an analytical framework which allows a new approach to social policy changes.

• Demonstrates that, contrary to the common view, 'Bismarckian' welfare states have changed significantly
• Contains long term but also very accurate data and perspective beginning from the 1980s and up to the most recent reforms
• Speaks to two literatures: the one on welfare state, social policies and welfare state reforms; the other to the political science literature on changes, path dependency and incremental changes
• Organises comprehensive and up to date information on European welfare state reforms in an analytical framework
• Includes contributions from the best specialists of the field, including members of the European academic community of social policy comparativists

Author Biography

Bruno Palier is CNRS Researcher at Sciences Po. Trained in social science, he has a PHD in Political science, and is a former student of Ecole Normale Superieure. He is studying welfare reforms in Europe, and is currently conducting a comparative project on the politics of welfare reforms in Continental Europe. He was Visiting Scholar at Northwestern University (Spring quarter 2007), at Center for European Studies from Harvard University in 2001 and Jean Monnet Fellow in the European University Institute in Florence in 1998-1999. He is currently the scientific coordinator of an European Network of excellence RECWOWE (Reconciling Work and Welfare).

Claude Martin is CNRS senior research fellow at the University of Rennes 1 (Centre de recherches sur l’action politique en Europe) and director of the LAPSS at the National school of public health. Trained in sociology (PhD), he teaches at the Institute of political science in Rennes and at Sorbonne University. He was a member of the European Observatory on Social situation, demography and the Family of the European Commission (1998-2005). His research interests concerns social care and social policies in Europe. He is co-editing with Jane Jenson the international journal: Lien social et politiques and is a member of the board of Social Policy and Administration.

Table of Contents

1. Editorial Introduction: From ‘a Frozen Landscape’ to Structural Reforms: The Sequential Transformation of Bismarckian Welfare Systems (Bruno Palier and Claude Martin).

2. When Past Reforms Open New Opportunities: Comparing Old-age Insurance Reforms in Bismarckian Welfare Systems (Giuliano Bonoli and Bruno Palier).

3. Towards Neo-Bismarckian Health Care States? Comparing Health Insurance Reforms in Bismarckian Welfare Systems (Patrick Hassenteufel and Bruno Palier).

4. Continental Drift: On Unemployment Policy Change in Bismarckian Welfare States (Daniel Clegg).

5. From Subsidiarity to ‘Free Choice’: Child- and Elder-care Policy Reforms in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands (Nathalie Morel).

6. Activation as a Common Framework for Social Policies towards Lone Parents (Trudie Knijn, Claude Martin and Jane Millar).

7. Long-term Care Policies in Italy, Austria and France: Variations in Cash-for-Care Schemes (Barbara Da Roit, Blanche Le Bihan and August Österle).

8. Family Policies in Germany and France: The Role of Enterprises and Social Partners (Ute Klammer and Marie-Thérèse Letablier).

Index.