Ursula Apitzsch - Böcker

This ground-breaking Handbook broadens empirical and theoretical understandings of work, work relations, and workers. It advances a global, intersectional labour studies agenda, laying the foundations for the politically emancipatory project of decolonising the political economy of work.Moving beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries, this Handbook provides a comprehensive account of the relations between different forms of work, exploitation, class configuration and worker resistance. With insights from global experts across the social sciences, it examines changes in technology, geographies of production, and the dynamics of the global capitalist political economy to map modern configurations of work. Using ongoing empirical qualitative research, contributors explore key issues such as capital accumulation, migration, digital work, trade unionism and reproductive labour. There is a particular focus on perspectives from the Global South, with in-depth analyses of class and work in countries and regional economic blocs used to explore the dynamics between the local and the global.Providing an authoritative overview of traditional and current debates, this Handbook will be an essential resource for students and researchers of political economy, industrial relations and the sociology of work, critical management studies, social movement studies, and development.

This book uses a range of interpretive approaches to reveal the dynamics of service users' and professionals' individual experiences and life-worlds. From their research the contributors show how biographical methods can improve theoretical understanding of professional practice, as well as enrich the learning and development of professionals, and promote more meaningful and creative practitioner - service user relationships. The book:· reviews applications of biographical methods in both policy and practice in a range of professional contexts, from health and social care to education and employment;· explores the impact of social change in three main arenas - transformation from Eastern to Western types of society in Europe, major shifts in social and welfare principles, experiences of immigration and of new cultural diversities - on professional practice;· critically evaluates subjective and reflexive processes in interactions between researchers, practitioners and users of services;· considers the institutional arrangements and cultural contexts which support effective and sensitive interventions;· draws on actual projects and tracks reflection, progress and outcomes.With contributions from leading international experts, it provides a valuable comparative perspective. Researchers, policy analysts and practitioners, postgraduate students, teachers and trainers will find this book a stimulating read.

This book uses a range of interpretive approaches to reveal the dynamics of service users' and professionals' individual experiences and life-worlds. From their research the contributors show how biographical methods can improve theoretical understanding of professional practice, as well as enrich the learning and development of professionals, and promote more meaningful and creative practitioner - service user relationships. The book:· reviews applications of biographical methods in both policy and practice in a range of professional contexts, from health and social care to education and employment;· explores the impact of social change in three main arenas - transformation from Eastern to Western types of society in Europe, major shifts in social and welfare principles, experiences of immigration and of new cultural diversities - on professional practice;· critically evaluates subjective and reflexive processes in interactions between researchers, practitioners and users of services;· considers the institutional arrangements and cultural contexts which support effective and sensitive interventions;· draws on actual projects and tracks reflection, progress and outcomes.With contributions from leading international experts, it provides a valuable comparative perspective. Researchers, policy analysts and practitioners, postgraduate students, teachers and trainers will find this book a stimulating read.

This volume summarizes some results of the trans-national European research project „Self-employment activities concerning women and minorities: their success or failure in relation to social citizenship policies“ that was supported by the Directorate General Research of the European Commission within the Targeted Socio-Economic Research Program (TSER). The research was carried out over three years. We aimed at contributing to the knowledge of social exclusion and social integration through our analysis of non-privileged self-employment of na- ve women and migrant men and women in European countries. The research consists of comparative case studies in six European countries, in Northern and in Southern Europe. We concentrated on the study of four metropolitan regions, i.e., the Rhine/Main Region in Germany, Athens in Greece, Stockholm in Sweden, and London in the UK. In Denmark, the semi-metropolitan region of Aalborg and Aarhus were research sites. In Italy, we examined se- employment activities in the semi-rural region of Calabria. Research teams from the universities of Frankfurt/Main, Greenwich, Aalborg, Umeaå, Calabria, worked on the national cases of Germany, UK, Denmark, Sweden and Italy respectively, whereas the national case of Greece was conducted by the teams of the universities of Crete and Dundee and the Women’s Research Centre in Athens.