Engaging systematically with severe forms of poverty in Europe, this important book stimulates academic, public and policy debate by shedding light on aspects of deprivation and exclusion of people in absolute poverty in affluent societies. It examines issues such as access to health care, housing and nutrition, poverty related shame, and violence. The book investigates different policy and civic responses to extreme poverty, ranging from food donations to penalisation and “social cleansing” of highly visible poor and how it is related to concerns of ethics, justice and human dignity.

This anthology constitutes an important contribution to the interdisciplinary debate on poverty measurement and alleviation. Absolute and relative poverty—both within and across state boundaries—are standardly measured and evaluated in monetary terms. However, poverty researchers have highlighted the shortfalls of one-dimensional monetary metrics. A new consensus is emerging that effectively addressing poverty requires a nuanced understanding of poverty as a relational phenomenon involving deprivations in multiple dimensions, including health, standard of living, education and political participation. This volume advances the debate on poverty by providing a forum for philosophers and empirical researchers. It combines philosophically sound analysis and genuinely global research on poverty's social embeddedness. Next to an introduction to this interdisciplinary field—which links Practical Philosophy, Development Economics, Political Science, and Sociology—it contains articles by leading international experts and early career scholars. The contributors analyse the concept of poverty, detail its multiple dimensions, reveal epistemic injustices in poverty research, and reflect on the challenges of poverty-related social activism. The unifying theme connecting this volume's contributions is that poverty must be understood as a multidimensional and socially relational phenomenon, and that this insight can enhance our efforts to measure and alleviate poverty.

Topics include the making of modern European society, equality and inequality, social institutions including the family, religion and education, the individual and the state, and the future for Europe.

Human rights cannot be defended by legal measures alone. They need to be protected and safeguarded by everyone, including young people. Human rights are best respected and appreciated when we know them, stand up for them and apply them in our lives.COMPASS provides youth leaders, teachers and facilitators of human rights education activities, whether professionals or volunteers, with concrete ideas and practical activities to engage, involve and motivate young people in living, learning and acting for human rights. It promotes a comprehensive perspective on human rights education and sees young people as actors for a culture of universal human rights.COMPASS was originally published in 2002 and is now available in more than 30 languages. A version specifically designed for human rights education with children - COMPASITO - enjoys a similar success. This fully revised and updated edition includes new activities and information about human rights issues such as disability and disablism, migration, religion, remembrance, war and terrorism.COMPASS is a practical tool and resource for citizenship and human rights education. It is an essential companion for all those who are curious and interested in making the right to human rights education a reality for everyone.

While there is a never-ending debate on Islamism, Islamist terrorism and the identity of Europe vis-á-vis growing Muslim communities in Europe, there are hardly any solid cross-national data being presented on the real extent of the Islamist threat facing Europe, and on the social conditions that lead to Islamist radicalism. By and large, our rigorous quantitative results, based on the first systematic use of the Muslim community data contained in the 'European Social Survey' (ESS) all support a socio-liberal view of "migration" and "integration", compatible with much of the rest of current European political economic thinking regarding the future alternatives for the European Union, and contradict the very extended current alarmist political discourse in Western Europe.

This book explores urban dynamics in Europe fifteen years after the fall of communism. The ‘urban mosaic’ of the title expresses the complexity and diversity of the processes and spatial outcomes in post-socialist cities. Emerging urban phenomena are illustrated with case studies, focusing on historical themes, cultural issues and the socialist legacy. Among the cities analyzed are Kazan, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Warsaw, Prague, Komarno, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, Sofia and Tirana.

The Return to Europe examines the ability of the Central and South-east European economies to withstand competitive pressures on entry to the EU. These economies are still experiencing major structural problems inherited from communism. A major gap still exists between the income levels and economic structures of the accession states and the existing members of the EU. Trade relations largely involve the exchange of labour-intensive goods produced in Eastern Europe for technology-intensive goods produced in the EU. The export structures of some Central European economies which have attracted foreign direct investment is improving. Romania and Bulgaria have become increasingly dependent on export of labour-intensive goods since the collapse of communism. Will this create a permanent division of labour in an enlarged EU in which some regions of Europe fail to attract investment and become dependent on the export of low-wage goods, with implications for European security?

Challenges for Europe in the World, 2030 embodies critical thinking about the long-term implications for Europe of the clear shift of power from the West to the East and the South. Designed as a multi-faceted project, this book presents an integrated assessment covering a wide range of policy areas and alternative assumptions about trends in global and European governance. In order to reach this ambitious objective in a comprehensive and consistent way, several types of quantitative and qualitative approaches have been combined: a model of macro regions of the world economy, an institutional perspective, and lessons from foresight studies. With a strong focus on policy implications, the book is introduced by an executive summary which outlines the project assumptions, especially on the future of Europe in the context of the current economic crisis and of the emergence of a new balance of powers in the global economy. Subsequent chapters cover the regulation of finance, trade and technology developments, environmental sustainability, employment conditions and population wellbeing. The book concludes with an assessment of the extent to which these developments are likely to lead to significant political changes in Europe. In sum this book challenges public policy makers to re-assess their thinking in shaping Europe’s future.

This book offers a detailed analysis of the efforts made to reduce poverty and social exclusion in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece.

Globalisation, regionalisation, new technology, demography, voters’ expectations and re-structuring of societies are expected to influence welfare state development for years to come. This handbook analyses how different welfare state models and regimes will be able to cope with contemporary and future challenges, providing a variety of evidence based tools that make it essential reading for students, researchers and policy makers alike.