Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The state of European Union social policy.
AU - Geyer, Robert
PY - 2000/9
Y1 - 2000/9
N2 - Often overlooked in general policy journals, European Union (EU) social policy has gone through a remarkable expansion in the 1980s and 1990s. Some even argued that it was laying the foundation for a European welfare state. Through a brief review of its development and role in European integration theory, this article will argue that, despite its expansion, EU social policy lacks vital financial and political muscle to significantly affect national welfare regimes and create a European welfare state. Moreover, its broad guidelines and flexible implementation may even encourage national social policy diversification rather than harmonization. Following this conclusion, the article will briefly speculate on the future of EU social policy and social policy research.
AB - Often overlooked in general policy journals, European Union (EU) social policy has gone through a remarkable expansion in the 1980s and 1990s. Some even argued that it was laying the foundation for a European welfare state. Through a brief review of its development and role in European integration theory, this article will argue that, despite its expansion, EU social policy lacks vital financial and political muscle to significantly affect national welfare regimes and create a European welfare state. Moreover, its broad guidelines and flexible implementation may even encourage national social policy diversification rather than harmonization. Following this conclusion, the article will briefly speculate on the future of EU social policy and social policy research.
U2 - 10.1080/01442870020019525
DO - 10.1080/01442870020019525
M3 - Journal article
VL - 21
SP - 245
EP - 261
JO - Policy Studies
JF - Policy Studies
SN - 0144-2872
IS - 3
ER -