List of tables and figures 1 Youth employment promotion in the changing welfare state 1.1 Challenges at the transition from school to vocational training 1.2 Changes in the welfare state and the increasing socio-political importance of education 1.3 Changes in the framework conditions of social work 1.4 Structure of the work 2 The Resource Theory perspective as a theoretical framework 2.1 Resource Theory (IMTM) at a glance 2.2 Resource Theory (IMTM) as a multidimensional theory of inequality 2.3 Resource Theory (IMTM) as a socio-political theory 2.4 Resource Theory (IMTM) in social work 2.5 Understanding the mechanisms of resource distribution by analysing discourses and institutions – the role of political guiding principles and mission statements 3 Changing discourses on labour market policies for youth and youth employment promotion 3.1 Notes on design and method 3.2 Public discourses on youth unemployment and labour market policies for youth 3.3 The discourses of experts and professionals and their political significance 3.4 Discourses of professionals working in the field and subjectification by young people 3.5 Results of the discourse analysis 4 Institutional changes of youth employment support in the government coalitions in Austria (2000–2020) 4.1 ÖVP-FPÖ-Coalition I (2000–2007): The expansion of the company-oriented apprenticeship promotion 4.2 SPÖ-ÖVP-Coalition (2007–2017): From the training guarantee to compulsory training 4.3 ÖVP-FPÖ-Coalition II (2017–2019): The activation of Austrian youths and the blocking of young asylum-seekers 5 Results and conclusions: On the governance of the welfare state 5.1 Results of discourse analysis and institutional analysis 5.2 Social inequalities and new divisions – issues of social justice 5.3 Right-wing populist/extreme right social policy as a hierarchising and exclusionary policy of prevention 5.4 Thinking the welfare state “from below” 6 Impact of socio-political change on social work and on young people 6.1 Changing social pedagogy of transition through social investment labour market policy 6.2 The quasi-pedagogy of the market and right-wing populist/extreme-right exclusionary politics 6.3 Discrimination and lack of recognition as problems of young people and as an issue of social work 6.4 Lack of opportunities for participation and the possibility of vocational political training 7 Conclusion and outlook 8 Tables 9 References 10 Index

“The book provides an insight into Austrian youth employment policy. Austria is often seen as a role model in this area at the European level. This is certainly a correct diagnosis, but it is also worth taking a closer look here, which puts some overly positive reports into perspective. Alban Knecht’s book offers such a closer look.“ Johann Bacher, Social Work Education, May 2024