Roelof Hortulanus is a senior lecturer in urban sociology in the Interdisciplinary Social Science Department at Utrecht University, The Netherlands.Anja Machielse is a lecturer in the Interdisciplinary Social Science Department at Utrecht University.Ludwien Meeuwesen is an associate professor in the Interdisciplinary Social Science Department at Utrecht University.

• Part 1: Social Isolation 1. The Issue of Social Isolation 2. Theories on Social Contacts and Social Isolation 3. A Typology of Social Contacts Part 2: Personal and Social Factors 4. Life Events and Social Isolation 5. Personal Competences and Social Isolation 6. Health and Social Isolation 7. Social Isolation: Formal and Informal Support 8. Societal Participation and Social Isolation 9. Social Environment and Social Isolation Part 3: Comparisons and Differentiation 10. Social Isolation in City and Countryside 11. Social Isolation: A Combined Analysis 12. The Social Contact Typology: A Further Subgroup Profiling Part 4: Reflections 13. Research on Social Isolation into Perspective 14. Towards a New Policy Vision on Social Isolation Appendices References Index

Roelof Hortulanus is a senior lecturer in urban sociology in the Interdisciplinary Social Science Department at Utrecht University, The Netherlands.Anja Machielse is a lecturer in the Interdisciplinary Social Science Department at Utrecht University.Ludwien Meeuwesen is an associate professor in the Interdisciplinary Social Science Department at Utrecht University.

• Part 1: Social Isolation 1. The Issue of Social Isolation 2. Theories on Social Contacts and Social Isolation 3. A Typology of Social Contacts Part 2: Personal and Social Factors 4. Life Events and Social Isolation 5. Personal Competences and Social Isolation 6. Health and Social Isolation 7. Social Isolation: Formal and Informal Support 8. Societal Participation and Social Isolation 9. Social Environment and Social Isolation Part 3: Comparisons and Differentiation 10. Social Isolation in City and Countryside 11. Social Isolation: A Combined Analysis 12. The Social Contact Typology: A Further Subgroup Profiling Part 4: Reflections 13. Research on Social Isolation into Perspective 14. Towards a New Policy Vision on Social Isolation Appendices References Index