'With their unique longitudinal analysis, the authors tackle the questions which are likely to be central as nations across the world examine and reform their social policies: How long are people poor, what leads them into poverty, and what can lead them out? The authors' careful, creative analysis should be read by thoughtful people who care about poverty and policy in Germany, Europe, and the world.' David Ellwood, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

'Presents a multitude of interesting facts about poverty and social assistance in Germany, interpreting them within a larger theoretical framework that uses economic as well as sociological/psychological theories on the life course. By and large this analysis is not done by US economists, and the book provides a good example of its value. The authors' distinctions between different subgroups among the poor should be useful to those thinking about US welfare reform, as states attempt to distinguish between social assistance recipients.' Rebecca M. Blank, University of Michigan

'Will become a classic text in the literature of social policy research. It is backed with original theoretical insights and innovative proposals for policy reform. The authors open up a new era of scholarly enquiry into the complex relationships between poverty, social exclusion and class structures as they change over time.' Robert Pinker, London School of Economics and Political Science