Welfare states in a turbulent era

Front Matter -- Copyright -- Contents -- Figures -- Tables -- Contributors -- Preface -- 1. Welfare states in turbulent times -- 2. Demography - once again and still challenging the welfare states -- 3. Self-employment and technology: different models of labor relations -- 4. The perceived dilemma between debt reduction and a fair society: saving for a rainy day without increasing poverty? -- 5. The evolution of welfare attitudes in Europe over the past four decades -- 6. Climate change and its effect on welfare states -- 7. Keynesian economics steering is back - end of liberal economic policy? -- 8. The welfare state and handling health challenges -- 9. Welfare states, growth regimes, and the emergence of the knowledge economy: social policy in turbulent times -- 10. Allies or enemies of the welfare state? Welfare support and critiques from (left-wing) protesters in Europe -- 11. Conflicting demands and financial abilities? -- 12. Effective and fair labour markets: more and focused active labour market policy? -- 13. Mass migration due to climate change? A critique of the security focus on climate mobilities -- 14. The welfare state in turbulent times: a perspective from the United States -- 15. The way welfare states can develop in turbulent times -- Index.

Front Matter -- Copyright -- Contents -- Figures -- Tables -- Contributors -- Preface -- 1. Welfare states in turbulent times -- 2. Demography - once again and still challenging the welfare states -- 3. Self-employment and technology: different models of labor relations -- 4. The perceived dilemma between debt reduction and a fair society: saving for a rainy day without increasing poverty? -- 5. The evolution of welfare attitudes in Europe over the past four decades -- 6. Climate change and its effect on welfare states -- 7. Keynesian economics steering is back - end of liberal economic policy? -- 8. The welfare state and handling health challenges -- 9. Welfare states, growth regimes, and the emergence of the knowledge economy: social policy in turbulent times -- 10. Allies or enemies of the welfare state? Welfare support and critiques from (left-wing) protesters in Europe -- 11. Conflicting demands and financial abilities? -- 12. Effective and fair labour markets: more and focused active labour market policy? -- 13. Mass migration due to climate change? A critique of the security focus on climate mobilities -- 14. The welfare state in turbulent times: a perspective from the United States -- 15. The way welfare states can develop in turbulent times -- Index.

"This insightful book provides a systematic analysis of the development of affluent Western welfare states in this turbulent era. It explores the consequences for welfare states of modern crises such as climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine. Most importantly, it investigates how to prioritize scarce resources in the face of many competing demands and argues that there is an urgent need to improve crisis funding whilst at the same time maintaining provision for vulnerable groups. Bringing together a diverse team of expert contributors, chapters explore the key challenges faced by welfare states in this turbulent era, including changing demographic compositions, the impact of technological advances on working practices, financial crises, and shifting voter attitudes and expectations. Emphasizing how instability poses opportunities for new directions and developments, the book ultimately explores the pressures and possible ways forward for welfare states in years to come. Providing nuanced perspectives on welfare states, this timely book will be ideal for students and scholars of sociology, social and public policy, political science, and development studies."