Author Description

This volume describes and analyzes the organization of social security claimants and their position in the field of force of the national welfare state. The research covers six European countries representing a diversity of welfare state the UK, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway. The strengths and weaknesses of these organizations are analyzed from a variety of theoretical perspectives such as the opportunity structures of welfare states and national political relations, the fragmentation of social movement along ideological and categorical lines, and the problems of organizing social groups.