Thematic Review: Welfare regime debate: past, present, futures?

• Published in: Policy and politics Vol. 39; no. 4; pp. 583 - 611
• Main Authors: Ferragina, Emanuele, Seeleib-Kaiser, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Policy Press 01.10.2011; The Policy Press
• Subjects: Averages; Capitalism; Comparative Social Policy; Concepts; Conceptualization; Ideal Types; Literature; Measurement; Policy analysis; Production; Public welfare; Reliability; Social Policy; Three Worlds Of Welfare Capitalism; Typology; Welfare; Welfare Regime; Welfare Services; Workers; ideal types; comparative social policy; welfare regimes; three worlds of welfare capitalism
• ISSN: 0305-5736; 1470-8442
• DOI: 10.1332/030557311X603592

The seminal work by Esping-Andersen (1990) has transformed and inspired social policy research over the past two decades. Various contributions have confirmed his typology, while others have challenged, and expanded, it from substantive and methodological perspectives. This article contributes to this debate in two ways. First, it provides a comprehensive analysis of the different typologies proposed in the literature, employing the concept of 'ideal types'. Second, it elaborates new directions for research along three dimensions: (1) improving measurement validity by linking macro and micro data to overcome assumptions, largely based on the average (production) worker; (2) assessing the reliability of typologies over time; (3) systematically integrating both the work-welfare as well as the care-welfare dimensions.