Reforming the Bismarckian Welfare Systems

"The issue is hugely important, and anyone interested in it would be well-advised to read this very valuable book." (Transfer, March 2009)

"Clearly this is an excellent and extensive book.... It brings together a number of well-known experts for the different policy fields which makes it the first to investigate the Bismarckian world of welfare in such great detail and with such interesting conclusions about its capacity for change." (Social Policy, January 2008)

Bruno Palier is CNRS Researcher at Sciences Po. Trained in social science, he has a PHD in Political science, and is a former student of Ecole Normale Superieure. He is studying welfare reforms in Europe, and is currently conducting a comparative project on the politics of welfare reforms in Continental Europe. He was Visiting Scholar at Northwestern University (Spring quarter 2007), at Center for European Studies from Harvard University in 2001 and Jean Monnet Fellow in the European University Institute in Florence in 1998-1999. He is currently the scientific coordinator of an European Network of excellence RECWOWE (Reconciling Work and Welfare).

Claude Martin is CNRS senior research fellow at the University of Rennes 1 (Centre de recherches sur l’action politique en Europe) and director of the LAPSS at the National school of public health. Trained in sociology (PhD), he teaches at the Institute of political science in Rennes and at Sorbonne University. He was a member of the European Observatory on Social situation, demography and the Family of the European Commission (1998-2005). His research interests concerns social care and social policies in Europe. He is co-editing with Jane Jenson the international journal: Lien social et politiques and is a member of the board of Social Policy and Administration.