Southern European Societies series – serie

This interdisciplinary book provides a sociological view of the contemporary experiences of children in Southern Europe. Focusing on regions deeply affected by the 2008 economic crisis, it offers a detailed investigation into the impact of economic downturn and austerity on the lives of children.Established childhood studies and sociology researchers unpack recent changes in the quality of children's lives and our understanding of children's rights in the modern world. Focusing first on contemporary changes to children's forms of living, the book then turns to the prevalence of poverty in Southern Europe, before scrutinising the experiences of migrant and highly mobile children. Illustrating these experiences with key case studies from across Southern Europe, this book presents a powerful critique of the promises and pitfalls of structural changes to children-centred public policy.This informative book is essential reading for academics and higher-level students of childhood studies. Policy makers and practitioners in education, law, health, social services and children's rights organizations in need of strong, empirical research into childhood experiences will appreciate the thorough case studies analysed in the book.Contributors include: G. Argento, R. Barn, E. Brey, R.T. Di Rosa, M. Domínguez-Serrano, N. Fernándes, L. Gaitán, A. Kiliari, F. Kougioumoutzaki, S. Mateus, L. del Moral-Espín, A. Nunes de Almeida, S. Pantazidis, Y. Pechtelidis, V. Ramos, M. Sánchez-Domínguez, M.J. Sarmento, C. Satta, T. Seabra, A.G. Stamou, M.T. Tagliaventi, C. Tomás, G. de Pina Trevisan

As the European Union continues to struggle to establish a common agenda on tackling social problems, this compelling book presents a set of comparative sociological studies in southern European countries from leading scholars working in the region.While political and sociological discussion is frequently focused on northern EU member states, this book widens the debate by looking at a series of specific social problems of southern Europe. Contributors examine pressing social issues, such as social unrest, Islamophobia, childhood and educational needs, deindustrialization, unemployment and environmental degradation, addressing not only the implications of these issues but also their societal perception and their impact on national and regional identities. Chapters highlight shared trends and critical regional disparities that may improve our understanding of social problems in Mediterranean welfare states.Featuring key research from leading academics in the field, this book is crucial reading for scholars of sociology and social policy working in the field of social problems, particularly those focused on southern Europe. It will also be beneficial to policymakers working in the region who are in need of fresh empirical insights into the social fabric of southern European societies.Contributors include: T. Álvarez Lorente, H. Baldán, A. Barros Cardoso, F. Barros Rodríguez, J.F. Bejarano Bella, I. Benali Tahiri, S. Bertolini, F.J. Cantón Correa, P. Cardon, F.F. Castaño, E. Domínguez, R. Duque-Calvache, F. Entrena-Duran, M. do Nascimento Esteves Mateus, R. Fajardo Fernández, C. Fuentes-Lara, N. Fuster, P. Galindo Calvo, J.M. García Moreno, A. Gentile, S.M.A. Gozzo, J. Iglesias de Ussel, E. Igorra Canillas, B. Jiménez Roger, J. López Doblas, L.F. López García, B. Mahmud, R. Manzanera Ruiz, C. Marciano, A. Martínez López, R. Martínez Martín, I. Palomares-Linares, L. Pellizzoni, T.T. Rodríguez Molina, F. Sadio Ramos, M. Sánchez Martínez, M.J. Santiago Segura, R.M. Soriano Miras, J.L. Sousa Soares de Oliveira Braga, J. Susino, J.M. Torrado, A. Torres Rodríguez, A. Trinidad Requena, J.M. Valdera-Gil

Positioning industrial relations in a discussion that is sensitive to broader political, historical, and ideological tensions, this insightful book offers reflections on the politics of de-regulation that have developed in southern European work and employment relations over the past 20 years.Interwoven with case studies from Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, the book reviews critical debates and issues related to de-regulation in employment relations and neoliberalism in southern Europe. Taking stock of major changes and crises affecting these national contexts over time, from austerity politics to the COVID-19 pandemic, chapters investigate how new voices, actors, and social movements are beginning to emerge and engage with the politics of work. The book ultimately posits that debates on production and work need to pay closer attention to changes in patterns of consumption and the changing nature of worker voice, and highlights how these changes are being used to undermine collective and social rights.Surveying political shifts in collective worker voice and representation over time, the book will benefit students and scholars of industrial relations, labour studies, the sociology of work, and employment politics. Its evaluation of the impact of de-regulation strategies imposed across southern Europe will prove invaluable to practitioners and policymakers involved in public employment and industrial relations.

With contributions from leading scholars in Southern Europe, this compelling book demonstrates the plurality of migratory circumstances and analyses the significance of the Mediterranean migration model.Highlighting the challenges of studying the variability and heterogeneity of migratory patterns in the Mediterranean, this insightful book provides a comprehensive examination of the spatial-temporal scales and sedimentation of different migratory configurations. Chapters explore the continuities between colonial past, postcolonialism and migration; the integration and exploitation in the labour market; and the impact of political discourses on migrants and non-migrants.Contributors analyse the links between race and gender relations, colonialism, and migration policies across countries including Greece, Italy, Lebanon, the Maghreb region, and Spain.Proposing that the ‘principle of coexistence’ can be an interpretive tool for studying migration in the Mediterranean, this book will be essential for students and researchers in comparative social policy, cultural sociology, development studies, history and migration studies. It will also be beneficial for policymakers and practitioners in national and international political bodies and agencies.