- Charts the development of the sociology of work in 11 European countries- Brings to the fore the drivers and reasons for the development of the study of the sociology of work that can be neglected in more descriptive analyses-Examines the practice of sociology and the theory both longitudinally and comparatively using the study of individual countries as a framework
This book explores the key conceptual features of the development of the Sociology of Work (SoW) in Europe since 1945, using eleven country case studies.
An original contribution to our understanding of the trajectory of the SoW, the chapters map the current state of the theoretical background of the sub-discipline's development to broader socio-political and economic changes, traced across a heterogeneous set of national contexts.
Different definitions of the SoW in each country often reflect variations in the focus of analysis, and these chapters link the subject definition and focus to other social science disciplines, the state, as well as social class interests and ideologies.
The book contends that the ways in which the sub-discipline makes sense of changes in work is itself a response to the type of society in which the sub-discipline is practiced, whether in the post-war social democratic West, the Soviet East, or today's societies, dominated by variant forms of neo-liberalism. It will be of use to scholars and students interested in the transnational history of the discipline of sociology, with a specific focus on the nexus between the sociology of labour, ideology, economics and politics.
"This book is especially useful for scholars and students interested in the field of subaltern sociological studies, mainly in the labour process and its development, as it establishes a broader linkage between labour and society and provides possible future scenarios research. Anyone interested in obtaining an in-depth knowledge of theoretical and empirical developments in sociological work processes, especially in Europe, will find fruitful reading in this handbook, while those associated with policymaking will get a broad overview of the topic." (Shikha Gautam, European Journal of Social Security, Vol. 22 (1), 2020)
"This Handbook, with its useful summaries and analyses of SoW in these European countries, is a welcome contribution to the on-going efforts to promote cross-national dialogue about the nature and consequences of work in contemporary societies." (Arne L. Kalleberg, La Nouvelle Revue du Travail, Issue 15, 2019)
