CHRISTINE COUSINS is Principal Lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences, University of Hertfordshire. She is the author of Controlling Social Welfare: A Sociology of State Welfare, Work and Organisations.

'...is an ambitious book which works towards an understanding of the complexities of cross-national comparisons in employment and welfare-state structures in European socieites...My admiration for the book derives precisely from the balance it strikes between the empirical evidence of the case studies and the sensivity it shows for current debates on social issues...This outstanding volume will no doubt serve as a virtual bible to the cognnescenti who have already cottoned on to Cooper's project.' - Monica Badia, University of Cambridge

• PART ONE: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND THE PERSISTENCE OF NATIONAL DIFFERENCES Foundations of Modern Society: Germany, Spain, Sweden and the UK The Making of Contemporary Societies: Germany, Spain, Sweden and the UK PART TWO: CHANGING PATTERNS OF WORK AND EMPLOYMENT Employment Protection Regimes and the Regulation of Labour MarketsWomen and Employment The Restructuring of Work PART THREE: SOCIAL WELFARE, GENDER, POVERTY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION IN EUROPE Women and Social Policies in Europe: The Development of Gendered Welfare RegimesPoverty in Europe Conclusion: Social Exclusion in Europe.

CHRISTINE COUSINS is Principal Lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences, University of Hertfordshire. She is the author of Controlling Social Welfare: A Sociology of State Welfare, Work and Organisations.

'...is an ambitious book which works towards an understanding of the complexities of cross-national comparisons in employment and welfare-state structures in European socieites...My admiration for the book derives precisely from the balance it strikes between the empirical evidence of the case studies and the sensivity it shows for current debates on social issues...This outstanding volume will no doubt serve as a virtual bible to the cognnescenti who have already cottoned on to Cooper's project.' - Monica Badia, University of Cambridge

• PART ONE: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND THE PERSISTENCE OF NATIONAL DIFFERENCES Foundations of Modern Society: Germany, Spain, Sweden and the UK The Making of Contemporary Societies: Germany, Spain, Sweden and the UK PART TWO: CHANGING PATTERNS OF WORK AND EMPLOYMENT Employment Protection Regimes and the Regulation of Labour MarketsWomen and Employment The Restructuring of Work PART THREE: SOCIAL WELFARE, GENDER, POVERTY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION IN EUROPE Women and Social Policies in Europe: The Development of Gendered Welfare RegimesPoverty in Europe Conclusion: Social Exclusion in Europe.

CHRISTINE COUSINS is Principal Lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences, University of Hertfordshire. She is the author of Controlling Social Welfare: A Sociology of State Welfare, Work and Organisations.

'...is an ambitious book which works towards an understanding of the complexities of cross-national comparisons in employment and welfare-state structures in European socieites...My admiration for the book derives precisely from the balance it strikes between the empirical evidence of the case studies and the sensivity it shows for current debates on social issues...This outstanding volume will no doubt serve as a virtual bible to the cognnescenti who have already cottoned on to Cooper's project.' - Monica Badia, University of Cambridge

• PART ONE: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND THE PERSISTENCE OF NATIONAL DIFFERENCES Foundations of Modern Society: Germany, Spain, Sweden and the UK The Making of Contemporary Societies: Germany, Spain, Sweden and the UK PART TWO: CHANGING PATTERNS OF WORK AND EMPLOYMENT Employment Protection Regimes and the Regulation of Labour MarketsWomen and Employment The Restructuring of Work PART THREE: SOCIAL WELFARE, GENDER, POVERTY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION IN EUROPE Women and Social Policies in Europe: The Development of Gendered Welfare RegimesPoverty in Europe Conclusion: Social Exclusion in Europe.