‘The welfare state’ in all its many forms has had a profound role in many countries around the world since at least the Second World War. The Routledge Handbook of the Welfare State explores the classical issues around the welfare state, but also investigates its key concepts, along with how these can be used and analysed.

Over forty contributions from renowned international specialists in the field provide readers with expert analysis of the core issues related to the welfare state, including regional depictions of welfare states around the globe. The book combines essays on methodologies, core concepts and central policy areas to produce a comprehensive picture of what ‘the welfare state’ means around the world. In the midst of the credit crunch, the Handbook addresses some of the many questions about the welfare state.

It will be an invaluable reference book for students and scholars throughout the social sciences, particularly in sociology, social policy, public policy, international relations, politics, and gender studies.

Introduction.  Part 1: Key Concepts  1. What Is Welfare and Public Welfare by Bent Greve  2. What Is a Welfare State? by Michael Hill  3. Fiscal Welfare by Adrian Sinfield  4. Occupational Welfare by Kevin Farnsworth  5. Citizenship by Janet Newman  6. Prevention: The Cases of Social Security and Health Care by Jos Berghman, Annelies Debels and Ine Van Hoyweghen  7. Poverty by Peter Saunders  8. Social Exclusion by John Pierson  9. Benefits In Kind and In Cash by Manos Matsaganis  10. Gender Issues in Welfare States by Sheila Shaver  11. Welfare States and the Life Course by Mara A. Yerkes, Bram Peper and Janeen Baxter  12. Active Labour Market Policies by Madelene Nordlund  13. Flexicurity: Concepts, Practices and Outcomes by Frank Tros and Ton Wilthagen  Part 2: Typologies and Methods  14. What Are Welfare Typologies and How Are They Useful, If At All? by Kees Van Kersbergen  15. Nordic Welfare States by Olli Kangas and Jon Kvist  16. Central European Welfare States by Daniel Clegg  17. Eastern Europe by Steven Saxonberg  18. Southern Europe by Maria Petmesidou  19. Liberal Welfare States by Paul Spicker  20. Third Way by Martin Powell  21. Welfare States in North America: Social Citizenship in the United States, Canada and Mexico by Robert Henry Cox  22. Welfare State Changes in China Since 1949 by Bingqin Li  23. Inequality and Social Policy in Latin America: A New Analytical Framework by Peter-Lloyd Sherlock  24. The Middle East by John Gal and Rana Jawad  25. Africa by Alfio Cerami and Aichetou Wague  26. States of Health: Welfare Regimes, Health and Health Care by Clare Bambra  27. How to Analyze Welfare States and Their Development? by Barbara Vis  28. Drivers for Change by Claude Martin and Virginie Guiraudon  29. Real-Typical and Ideal-Typical Methods in Comparative Social Policy by Christian Aspalter  30. Fiscal crisis, Financial crisis and the Great Recession by Kevin Farnsworth and Zoe Irving  Part 3: Central Policy Areas  31. Social Security by Frans Pennings  32. Housing, Housing Policy and Inequality by Gregg Olsen  33. Healthcare by Claus Wendt  34. Old Age ? Including Pensions by Karl Hinrichs  35. Disability by Bjørn Hvinden  36. Family Policies by Chiara Saraceno  37. Risk and the Management of Crime by David Denney  38. Financing the Welfare State and the Politics of Taxation by Nathalie Morel and Joakim Palme  39. Social OMCs: Ideas, Policies and Effects by Caroline De La Porte  40. Evaluation, Evidence and Review by Ian Greener  Part 4: Future  41. Future of the Welfare State? by Bent Greve