Overview

In the wake of the Greek and Irish crises, and at a moment when solidarity between states is hotly debated on a daily basis at EU level, it is important to understand how 'solidarity' can happen at all. This book reviews the development of political cultural processes since the nineteenth century, showing how social protection and social justice have gradually become interwoven with systems of social protection or welfare states. They are now intrinsic to political cultures, and to languages that allow for democratic politics to take place, and these links will take a long time to establish at a level superior to the classic nation-state. This book provides a cultural analysis of welfare systems in Europe and an original inquiry into the importance of languages for politics in Europe, the politics of welfare, and also for sociological research. It shows how sociological and ethnographic analysis can help in understanding the current and future challenges of European integration that rely unilaterally on functional economics.

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9780415688888

Table of Contents

Reviews

Barbier's arguments really encourage the hope that Europe will one day be the finest place for living well together . His book is a success because it sketches the framework of a tangible utopia. - by Michel Lallement, La Vie des idees, March 2013.

Author Information

Jean-Claude Barbier is Research Directory of CNRS at the CES University, Paris. His reasearch interests include European integration, EU Social Policy, and employment policies in Europe and the USA.

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