European labour markets and social policy: recent research and future directions

Abstract

The central social insurance pillar of European welfare states was built on the foundation of full (male) employment, which nowadays is only one of several different types of employment relationships. This chapter discusses the changes in Europe's labor markets in the 21st century and reviews some contributions of social policy research to understanding them. Two broad strands of research are discussed. The first focuses on the impacts of recent labor market changes on key social outcomes. The second concentrates on the macro-political and institutional process of adapting Europe's varied social protection systems to make them more employment friendly. Areas for further research is also addressed, including how social policy affects the ways in which labor markets are organized.