This book ms the first major outcome of COST Action A13, ‘Changing Labour Markets, Welfare Policies and Citizenship’. The purpose of COST Action A13 is to examine the effects of social security systems and welfare institutions on the processes of social and political marginalisation. COST is an intergovernmental organisation for coordination of scientific and technical research, aiming at coordination and formation of networks on a European level between nationally-funded research projects. Some 80 experts, appointed by 17 countries, participate in the COST A13 network which will remain in force for five years (spring 1998-2003). For further information about the COST Action A13, see

We are grateful to the Department of Economics, Politics and Public Administration, Åalborg University, Denmark, for its generous support to the publication of this volume.

Jørgen Goul Andersen and Per H. Jensen

Åalborg, November 2001