Journal of European Social Policy recent issues

The importance of socio-economic and political losses and gains in welfare state reform

Vis, B. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:39:00 PST

When do governments pursue unpopular reform, such as cutting benefits? And when do they engage in not-unpopular reform, such as activation? Current approaches in welfare state research cannot systematically explain the cross-government variation in the two types of reform. Based on insights from prospect theory, a psychological theory of choice under risk, this article complements existing theories by arguing that losses and gains matter crucially for welfare state reform. A fs/QCA analysis of labour market reforms pursued by 23 Danish, German, Dutch and British Cabinets between 1979 and 2005 corroborates this hypothesis. Specifically, it shows that an improving political position (a gain) is the necessary condition for not-unpopular reform while for unpopular reform it is a deteriorating socio-economic situation (a loss). This finding helps account for the puzzling cross-government variation in different types of welfare state reform.

Blaming Europe? Exploring the variable impact of national public service dissatisfaction on EU trust

Kumlin, S. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:39:00 PST

European Social Survey data suggest that dissatisfaction with national public services has direct negative effects on EU trust in most EU15 countries, but also that there is significant country variation in their actual magnitude. Two-thirds of this variation can be explained jointly by two macro factors: the effect is stronger in larger welfare states where elites and citizens may perceive EU-induced obstacles for welfare state expansion. Likewise, it is stronger in political systems where the most Eurosceptic parties have tended to be the most welfare state-supporting ones. Under such conditions, it is more probable that citizens receive political cues conducive to a negative effect of dissatisfaction on EU trust.

Hybrid inclusion -- the new consumerism of Danish welfare services

Hojlund, H. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:39:00 PST

Over the last decade, fundamental changes have occurred in Denmark with regard to welfare structures. These changes have taken place in the sectors of social care and health where decision-making structures have been reformed to become more consumer-oriented. This article examines elderly-care services specifically in order to explore how changes in decision making have altered structures of inclusion. The analysis is based on systems theory, which allows an exploration of how each of three decision-making systems has particular conditions for participation and inclusion. The article argues that inclusion has assumed a hybrid form.

Mapping European healthcare systems: a comparative analysis of financing, service provision and access to healthcare

Wendt, C. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:39:00 PST

Healthcare systems have been institutionalized to provide healthcare for those in need. Therefore, comparisons should focus in particular on differences in healthcare provision and on how access to healthcare services is regulated. This article presents a typology of healthcare systems which simultaneously takes into account data on expenditures, financing, provision and access to healthcare in 15 European countries. On this basis, three types of healthcare system have been constructed using statistical cluster analysis: a health service provision-oriented type that is characterized by a high number of service providers and free access for patients to medical doctors; a universal coverage — controlled access type where healthcare provision has the status of a social citizenship right and equal access to healthcare is of higher importance than free access and freedom of choice; and a low budget — restricted access type where financial resources for healthcare are limited and patients’ access to healthcare is restricted by high private out-of-pocket payments and the regulation that patients have to sign up on a general practitioner’s list for a longer period of time.

Exploring the pathways of inequality in health, health care access and financing in decentralized Spain

Costa-Font, J., Gil, J. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:39:00 PST

The regional organization of the Spanish national health system offers a ‘unique field’ for exploring the sources of health inequalities as well as for testing the effects of political decentralization on health and healthcare inequalities. Drawing from the results of an empirical analysis where inequalities in three dimensions of health (outcome), healthcare (access) and healthcare payments (financing) are estimated, this article first explores the association between three such inequality dimensions alongside other system and socio-economic controls. Second, we examine whether the first wave of asymmetric healthcare devolution which took place in Spain between (1980—2001) — whereby health policy responsibilities were transferred to a few region states (autonomous communities [ACs]) — correlates with higher inequalities in health, healthcare and health financing. Our findings suggest that inequalities in health and healthcare appear to be driven by income inequalities and inequalities in use but not by inequalities in financing and health expenditure. Region states politically responsible for the organization of healthcare did not exhibit significant differences in health and healthcare inequalities and tend to exhibit a better equity performance.

Digest

Barbier, C., Ghailani, D. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:39:00 PST

Book Review: M. Seeleib-Kaiser (ed.) Welfare State Transformations. Comparative Perspectives. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2008, 280 pp., {pound}50.00 (hbk), ISBN 9780230205789

Goedeme, T. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:39:00 PST

Books Received

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:39:00 PST

Acknowledgement of Referees 2009

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:39:00 PST

Editorial Foreword

Borsch-Supan, A., Hank, K., Jurges, H., Schroder, M. — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:07:49 PDT

Introduction: empirical research on health, ageing and retirement in Europe

Borsch-Supan, A., Hank, K., Jurges, H., Schroder, M. — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:07:49 PDT

In our introduction to this Special Issue of JESP, we first sketch what we know and what we do not know about the adaptation process to a society with a large proportion of older individuals. We develop a framework of empirical analysis which exploits the power of multidisciplinary, longitudinal and cross-national comparative data collection. Second, we provide a brief overview of SHARE, the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. The 2004—05 baseline wave and the first longitudinal wave of SHARE collected in 2006—07 provide data on the life circumstances of some 45,000 individuals aged 50 and over in 14 European countries. SHARE constitutes a unique data infrastructure for researchers from various disciplines — notably economics, sociology and health — to better understand the individual and population ageing process. Third, we introduce the five studies in this Special Issue to show that the multidisciplinary, longitudinal and cross-national comparative data of SHARE permit a much better understanding of ageing and retirement in Europe than was possible before.

Educational level and changes in health across Europe: longitudinal results from SHARE

Avendano, M., Jurges, H., Mackenbach, J. P. — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:07:49 PDT

We use cross-national, longitudinal data to explore the impact of educational level on changes in health outcomes among Europeans aged over 50. Our analyses are performed separately for Northern, Western and Southern Europe, as these regions broadly represent different welfare state regimes. We find that low education is associated with higher incident events — over a two-year period — of poor health, chronic diseases and disability, but it is less consistently associated with new events of long-standing illness. Net of behavioural risk factors, educational effects are more consistent in Western and Southern Europe than in the Nordic welfare states. In Northern Europe, lower education is associated with less financial and employment disadvantage than in Southern or Western Europe. After controlling for educational differences in these factors, effects of educational level on health deterioration remain significant for most outcomes in Western and Southern Europe, whereas they are weaker and non-significant after adjustment in Northern Europe.

Participation in socially productive activities and quality of life in early old age: findings from SHARE

Siegrist, J., Wahrendorf, M. — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:07:49 PDT

In order to understand variations of quality of life in early old age, associations between socio-economic status, socially productive activities and well-being are studied across 14 European countries. Information on three different types of productive activities and their exchange characteristics is included. We used the first two waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) including some 15,000 retired men and women. Well-being is measured by a standardized quality of life measure (CASP-12). Findings of multilevel analyses show larger within-country than between-country variability in prospective quality of life. Strong individual predictors were the experience of reciprocity in social productive activities and high socio-economic position. Continued participation in socially productive activities, in particular those that offer opportunities of experiencing reciprocity in exchange, improves prospective quality of life in early old age.

The social connectedness of older Europeans: patterns, dynamics and contexts

Kohli, M., Hank, K., Kunemund, H. — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:07:49 PDT

Using longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), our article shows that the population aged 50 or older is socially connected in several ways. The various dimensions of social connectedness turn out to be complementary rather than substitutive, except for the relationship between informal social relations and family relations, which tends to be characterized by substitution. Our longitudinal analysis reveals that the dynamics of formal and informal social relations as well as family relations tend to be driven by individuals’ resources and needs. While the associations between elders’ social connectedness and individual characteristics are very similar across countries, we find significant regional variation regarding the levels and the dynamics of social connectedness.

The role of institutions and health in European patterns of work and retirement

Borsch-Supan, A., Brugiavini, A., Croda, E. — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:07:49 PDT

This article uses the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to investigate the role of pension and social security institutions in shaping the European patterns of work and retirement. The key novelty of our article is a careful account of the health status of the respondents. We provide new evidence on the extent of health-adjusted ‘unused capacity’ in the labour force, on the institutional determinants of the pathways to retirement, and on the relationship between actual health status and disability-benefit recipiency. We find that institutional differences between countries explain much of the cross-national differences in work and retirement, while differences in health and demographics play only a minor role.

Income, wealth and financial fragility in Europe

Christelis, D., Jappelli, T., Paccagnella, O., Weber, G. — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:07:49 PDT

The article examines the distribution of income and wealth among the generation of Europeans aged 65 and over, using data drawn from the first wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). It looks at how cross-country comparisons of income, wealth and debt are affected by differences in purchasing power, household size and taxation, and shows that some seemingly wide international differences appear less so when the proper adjustments are made. The article reveals wide differences in income, wealth and indebtedness of elderly households in Europe, and provides background information on social issues such as the adequacy of savings at retirement, and the financial fragility of the elderly.

Digest

Barbier, C., Baeten, R., Ghailani, D. — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:07:49 PDT

Attitudes towards redistributive spending in an era of demographic ageing: the rival pressures from age and income in 14 OECD countries

Busemeyer, M. R., Goerres, A., Weschle, S. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:07:03 PDT

This article is about the relative impact of age and income on individual attitudes towards welfare state policies in advanced industrial democracies; that is, the extent to which the intergenerational conflict supercedes or complements intragenerational conflicts. On the basis of a multivariate statistical analysis of the 1996 ISSP Role of Government Data Set for 14 OECD countries, we find considerable age-related differences in welfare state preferences. In particular for the case of education spending, but also for other policy areas, we see that one's position in the life cycle is a more important predictor of preferences than income. Second, some countries, such as the United States, show a higher salience of the age cleavage across all policy fields; that is, age is a more important line of political preference formation in these countries than in others. Third, country characteristics matter. Although the relative salience of age varies across policy areas, we see — within one policy area — a large variance across countries.

Migration and welfare state solidarity in Western Europe

Mau, S., Burkhardt, C. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:07:03 PDT

In recent decades Western Europe has had to face increasing migration levels resulting in a more diverse population. As a direct consequence, the question of adequate inclusion of immigrants into the welfare state has arisen. At the same time it has been asked whether the inclusion of non-nationals or migrants into the welfare state may undermine the solidaristic basis and legitimacy of welfare state redistribution. Citizens who are in general positive about the welfare state may adopt a critical view if migrants are granted equal access. Using data from the European Social Survey (2002/2003) for European OECD Countries we examine the relationship between ethnic diversity and public social expenditure, welfare state support and attitudes towards immigrants among European citizens. The results indicate only weak negative correlations between ethnic diversity and public social expenditure levels. Multilevel regression models with support for the welfare state and attitudes towards the legal inclusion of immigrants as dependent variables in fact reveal a negative influence of ethnic diversity. However, when controlling for migration in combination with other contextual factors, especially GDP, the unemployment rate and welfare regime seem to have a mediating influence.

Investing in human capital? The determinants of private education expenditure in 26 OECD countries

Wolf, F., Zohlnhofer, R. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:07:03 PDT

By employing multiple regression analysis, the article identifies the social, economic and political determinants of overall private education expenditure and private spending on tertiary education in 26 OECD countries, testing hypotheses derived from theories of comparative public policy. We find that overall private education expenditure is higher in federal countries and under Conservative parties in government, while it is lower where voters prefer state-centred solutions, where Catholicism is strong and where a Church tax exists. Analysing private expenses for tertiary education only, these findings reappear with one exception: the size of the student population, which is without substantive effect on general private education expenditure, yields the largest single effect in the tertiary sector.

Who supports delayed retirement? A study of older workers in Israel

Litwin, H., Achdut, L., Youssim, I. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:07:03 PDT

Delayed retirement is a policy measure aimed at ensuring financial stability in many countries, but this particular pension reform mechanism still lacks public support. Using data from the Israeli sample of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement (SHARE) in Europe, this article examines factors which predict support for delayed retirement among older Israeli workers (n=556). Hierarchical regression analysis of agreement with recently instituted delayed retirement measures showed that the perceived societal consequences of the reform were the strongest predictors. Older and more educated respondents and those more confident in their present workplace were also more likely to support delayed retirement. Those who favour state responsibility for care of older people tended to support delayed retirement less. The findings suggest that information campaigns on the contribution of continued employment to health and family solidarity might diminish current fears regarding the delayed retirement-based pension reforms. They also imply that non-partisan leadership is needed in order to recruit broader public support for such reform.

If work is out of sight. Activation and citizenship for new refugees

Hagelund, A., Kavli, H. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:07:03 PDT

Activation has become an important paradigm for social policies in Europe. New migrants and refugees especially constitute a category with particular problems in accessing the labour market, and have thus become a prime target group for activation in some countries. The article addresses the tension between aims of employment and economic self-sufficiency, and social inclusion and participation in a wider sense. Using data from the implementation of the Norwegian introductory programme for newly arrived refugees, we analyse local caseworkers' attempts at negotiating this tension when working with clients whose labour market prospects are conceived of as poor. Two distinct frameworks of interpretation, with distinct consequences for practical implementation, are identified: an activation discourse where the main emphasis is on labour market inclusion; and a citizenship discourse which broadens the goals to include other forms of social participation.

Digest

Barbier, C., Baeten, R., Ghailani, D. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:07:03 PDT

Book Review: Steffen Mau and Benjamin Veghte (eds) Social Justice, Legitimacy and the Welfare State Aldershot, Ashgate, 2007, 282 pp., {pound}60.00 (hbk), ISBN 0754649393

Raven, J. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:07:03 PDT

Book Review: Tomasz Inglot Welfare States in East Central Europe 1919--2004 Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2008, 382 pp., {pound}55.00 (hbk), ISBN 9780521887250

Korkut, U. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:07:03 PDT

Books Received

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:07:03 PDT

JESP Symposium: The European Union's global social role

Orbie, J., Tortell, L., Kissack, R., Gstohl, S., Wouters, J., Hachez, N. — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:32:35 PDT

This symposium considers Europe's global social policy through an exchange of ideas between scholars with different areas of expertise. The lead article provides an overview of the EU's objectives and instruments in promoting the social dimension of globalization, illustrating its focus on international labour standards and the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the shift from trade measures to a broader spectrum of soft external policy instruments. More specifically, we analyse the horizontal and vertical coherence of the EU's international social policies. The three other contributions to this symposium elaborate on this distinction by examining the social dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy, the `uploading' of the EU social model in the ILO, and the EU's promotion of corporate social responsibility in the world. These accounts suggest that market-enhancing goals often take priority over social objectives, and that the EU can at best be seen as a regional social power. In addition, the contributions point to the limitations of an ambitious EU role in this area.

Europeanization of inequality and European reference groups

Whelan, C. T., Maitre, B. — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:32:35 PDT

In this article we take advantage of the availability of European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) data to address both weak and strong versions of the Europeanization of reference groups thesis. The former proposes that common standards of evaluation emerge as a consequence of knowledge of conditions in other societies. The latter argues that people increasingly perceive themselves as part of a larger European stratification system. Our analysis leads us to reject both versions of the thesis. Material deprivation rather than having a uniform effect is highly dependent on national context. If a process of convergence is underway, it is one that as yet has had a limited impact. In circumstances where the Europeanization of inequality is raising issues relating to both national and transnational forms of legitimacy, it is important to understand that there is no necessary relationship between such Europeanization and the Europeanization of reference groups.

Barriers to entry: insider/outsider politics and the political determinants of job security regulations

Emmenegger, P. — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:32:35 PDT

Job security regulations, here understood as restrictions on hiring and firing, figure prominently in the policy recommendations of international organizations or national reform programmes. However, in contrast to the prominence of job security regulations in the current reform discourse, hardly any attention is paid to their determinants. In this article, the insider/outsider theory of employment and unemployment is examined. Advocates of this approach argue that job security regulations mainly benefit the labour market insiders. As a consequence, insiders will fight all reforms that aim to dismantle these regulations. The insiders are supported by Social Democratic parties, which only represent the interests of the insiders. In this article it is maintained that this simple argument is wrong. Labour market outsiders can be expected to be equally supportive of job security regulations and Social Democratic parties as labour market insiders. This claim is supported by the empirical analysis using survey data.

Adapting labour law and social security to the needs of the 'new self-employed' -- comparing the UK, Germany and the Netherlands

Buschoff, K. S., Schmidt, C. — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:32:35 PDT

The emergence of the category of 'new self-employment' presents a challenge for political actors in European countries. The new self-employed are exposed to the same social risks as dependent employees, but they generally enjoy fewer social and labour rights. How are social policymakers reacting to this situation? Our response to this question is structured as follows. First, comparing the situation in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, we briefly describe the factors which have contributed to the increase in self-employment and the structure of `new self-employment'. Second, we outline the initiatives to adjust legislation in these countries so as to accommodate new self-employment and those types of work that are found on the borderline between dependent employment and self-employment. We then describe the ways in which these types of work are considered under national labour legislation and the extent to which they are taken into account by the respective statutory social security systems. The main finding that emerges is that despite the similar challenges faced by the three countries, path-dependency has led national legislators to adopt very different strategies to adjust social security and labour law regulations.

A share of new growth for children? Policies for the very young in non-EU Europe and the CIS

Stewart, K., Huerta, M. C. — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:32:35 PDT

Economic collapse in the former communist bloc saw the erosion of financial support and services for young children. Since 1998 even the poorer countries of the bloc have seen a return to economic growth. But have the benefits been felt by children? Drawing on administrative and household survey data, this article examines three aspects of government support for young children — maternity benefit, child allowances and preschool provision — in four countries in different parts of the region: Bulgaria, Albania, Moldova and Tajikistan. The article concludes that these services remain vastly inadequate. In some countries child allowances are well targeted towards poorer households, but are too small in size to have an impact. Preschool overwhelmingly benefits urban families and the better-off, while paid maternity leave is increasingly rare. Given what is known about the long-term impact of both early education and early childhood poverty, the findings are of considerable concern.

Digest

Barbier, C., Baeten, R. — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:32:35 PDT

Book Review: D. Raventos, Basic Income: the Material Conditions of Freedom. London, Pluto Press, 2007, 230 pp., 14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780745326290

Van Lancker, W. — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:32:35 PDT

Book Review: T. Meyer, P. Bridgen and B. Riedmuller (eds), Private Pensions versus Social Inclusion? Non-State Provision for Citizens at Risk in Europe. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2007, 272 pp., {pound}69.95 (hbk), ISBN 9781847203533

Koslowski, A. S. — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:32:35 PDT

Book Review: P. Vanhuysse, Divide and Pacify. Strategic Social Policies and Political Protests in Post-Communist Democracies. Budapest and New York, Central European University Press, 2006, 170 pp., {pound}21.95 (hbk), ISBN 9789637326790, L. Cook, Postcommunist Welfare States. Reform Politics in Russia and Eastern Europe. Ithaca and London, Cornell University Press, 2007, 268 pp., {pound}20.50 (hbk), ISBN 9780801445262

Goedeme, T. — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:32:35 PDT

Book Review: G. Schmid, Full Employment in Europe: Managing Labour Market Transitions and Risks. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2008, 385 pp., {pound}85.00 (hbk), ISBN 9781847205209

van Huizen, T. — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:32:35 PDT

Books Received

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:32:35 PDT