ABSTRACT
This chapter explores a variety of aspects related to being employed or unemployed, ranging from issues revolving around gaining an income, having social contacts, and feeling included, to the impact and consequences for implementation of social policy with the increasingly strong demand for the unemployed to become active. It discusses cross-border mobility of labour and its possible impact on production structures, including global development and the impact on societal development. The chapter presents different kinds of labour market regimes including the interpretation of “work-first” and “workfare” approaches. Employment rates are in general higher for men than for women; however, seen a movement towards greater equality in terms of labour market participation. A core issue has been whether the rhetoric of active labour market policy has the same meaning and implications in all cases and all countries. Active Labour Market Policy can further focus on sticks and/or carrots.
