This thoroughly documented book provides an overview of social policies affecting women in Germany, Italy, Denmark, Britain, Ireland, Norway, France and Sweden. The central theme is the relationship between paid and unpaid work, something very few European governments have been prepared explicitly to address as a social issue and which has yet to enter the European Commission's agenda.Contributors discuss the literature on women and welfare in their particular country concerned and outline the developments in social policies relating to women and the position of women in regard to reproductive and labour market behaviour in the post-War period. The essays analyse the assumptions behind policies affecting women's family and work lives and discuss specific legislative approaches to securing 'equality'. A concluding chapter discusses the European Community's contribution to the goal of equal opportunities for both men and women.

The main aim of the book is to provide students with a source of easily accessible information about a major issue in social policy: the relationship between women, the family and employment.