Exploring European Social Policy

With the growing challenges of economic globalization and national welfare state retrenchment, the development and future of EU social policy has become increasingly important. This exciting new textbook provides a comprehensive, detailed and up-to-date overview of this contested area and examines whether EU social policy is strengthening or weakening European social policy regimes.

The book begins with a general outline of the postwar development of EU social policy and its evolving relationship to the theory and practice of European integration. Then it provides a detailed and theoretically engaged description of the main areas of EU social policy including: labour, gender, anti-poverty, anti-discrimination, elderly, disability, youth, and public health policy. There is also a chapter exploring the social policy role of the structural funds, particularly the European Social Fund. The book concludes by arguing against both sides of the strengthening/weakening debate, calling for a more subtle analysis of the effects of EU social policy on national social policy regimes.

This book is the most up-to-date and comprehensive available and offers the reader a detailed and accessible exploration of the area. It will be essential reading for anyone studying the EU or national social policy, as well as for practitioners in the field.

Robert Geyer is a Lecturer, in the Department of Politics, University of Liverpool.