Offers a discussion of the political issues surrounding unemployment in Europe. This book provides both a policy and institutional perspective and studies the perspective of individual members of civil society who engage in collective action related to the issue of unemployment.

Contents: Introduction: State and civil society responses to unemployment: welfare, conditionality, and collective action, Marco Giugni; Unemployment and social protection, Bengt FurÃ¥ker; Adapting employment policies to post-industrial labour market risks, Giuliano Bonoli; Work and welfare: the rights and responsibilities of unemployment in the UK, Peter Dwyer and Nick Ellison; The promises of labour: the practices of activating unemployment policies in Switzerland, Christoph Maeder and Eva Nadai; Trade Unions and the unemployed in the inter war period and the 1980s in Britain, Andrew Richards; Belgian trade unions, the unemployed and the growth of unemployment, Jean Faniel; Political challengers, service providers or service recipients? Participants in Irish pro-unemployed organizations, Frédéric Royall; Welfare states, labour markets, and the political opportunities for collective action in the field of unemployment: a theoretical framework, Marco Giugni, Michel Berclaz and Katharina Füglister; The hidden hand of the European Union and the silent Europeanization of public debates on unemployment: the case of the European Employment Strategy, Christian Lahusen; Bibliography; Index.

'Exploring how public policy has developed in response to the increasingly structural nature of unemployment has been one of the most daunting tasks for European social scientists. This volume moves the investigation forward in providing detailed and stimulating documentation of how policies vary within institutional contexts, how they practically affect the life conditions of the unemployed, and how collective action and mobilization can change their course. Drawing on their expertise, the authors convincingly argue that unemployment is not only an economic and social issue, but a fundamental civic challenge for Europe. This collection will be immensely valuable to policy analysts and stake-holders.' Richard Balme, Sciences Po, Paris, France and School of Government, Peking University, China 'Although this book takes a sociological or social policy approach , many readers of this journal will find it a valuable collection. For those interested in social movements, social policy, or unemployment, this collection is a significant contribution.' Labour History Review