The politics of the new social policies: providing coverage against new social risks in mature welfare states

Abstract

English: Current socioeconomic transformations that have brought into existence postindustrial labour market and family structures are generating new social needs and demands, labelled new social risks (NSRs). These include reconciling work and family life, lone parenthood, long-term unemployment, being among the working poor, or having insufficient social security coverage. These new risks tend to be concentrated among women, the young and the low skilled. This article shows that these groups have little mobilising capacity and that if policies covering their needs are to be adopted, this is likely to happen as a result of alliances and political exchange with other political actors pursuing different policy objectives.