Changing European Welfare States and the Evolution of Migrant Incorporation Regimes

The central focus of this paper is to outline the cross-national differences in (changing) welfare architectures of four EU member countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK) in general, and their dynamics of social policy change in particular. Specifically, we will examine the effect that these changes have had for migrants in general and for labour migrants, their families, and their descendants. In conclusion, we attempt to assess whether welfare reform dynamics have changed the material life chances of labour migrants and foreign-born citizens entering to form new, or reunite with, their families. The general guiding question underlying the paper is: To what extent have welfare reforms across the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain contributed to or hampered the inclusion of target groups, especially labour migrants, their families and descendants in subsequent generations? Read more...