Beyond the ‘train-first’/‘work-first’ dichotomy: How welfare states help or hinder maternal employment

Kowalewska, Helen (2017) Beyond the ‘train-first’/‘work-first’ dichotomy: How welfare states help or hinder maternal employment. Journal of European Social Policy, 27 (1), 3-24. (doi:10.1177/0958928716673316).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Since the mid-1990s, welfare states have introduced various ‘activation’ policies designed to promote employment. Most typologies distinguish between a Nordic-style ‘train-first’ approach focused on developing jobseekers’ employability, and an Anglo-Saxon ‘work-first’ approach that emphasises quick job (re-)entry. These typologies tell us what activation means for the unemployed (male) worker. But by ignoring the family, they overlook what activation means for the (female) parent-worker with childcare responsibilities. To contribute to filling this gap, this article uses fuzzy-set ideal type analysis to compare twenty-two countries representing five ‘worlds’ of welfare by how (de-)activating their labour market policies, parental leave provisions, childcare services and the scheduling of primary education are for lone mothers. It reveals that cross-national variations in support for maternal activation are not well captured by the Nordic-style ‘train-first’/Anglo-Saxon ‘work-first’ dichotomy. Hence, despite the greater attention to gender and ‘new social risks’ within comparative social policy scholarship, the activation literature remains gender-blind.

Text

Peer-reviewed author manuscript.pdf - Accepted Manuscript

Available under License University of Southampton Accepted Manuscript Licence.

Download (1MB)

Text

Kowalewska 2017 - Accepted Manuscript

Restricted to Repository staff only

Request a copy