Research question/goal:

Labour market flexibilisation during the last decade has been discussed as a crucial measure to enhance economic growth and combating high unemployment within continental European countries.
In this project we investigate the consequences of labour market flexibilisation for individuals and societies as a whole, enlarging the narrow economic perspective towards social and societal aspects.

1. What consequences go along with deregulating employment relationships
• for work careers and individual life courses, for entrapment in economic precariousness, poverty and for other social risks?
• for the society at large in terms of rising social inequality and the erosion of social cohesion?
2. Furthermore we investigate the relationship between employment regulation and social politics. Is the formula 'politics against the market' still valid to understand the post-fordist economy/society interplay or might not instead appropriate social policies help the market to be also more efficient?

The project studies these issues by comparative analyses of European countries that differ in labour market flexibility and relevant welfare state institutions.