An up-to-date description and analysis of the recent reforms, current structure and issues in Swedish education. All stages of the system, from pre-school through to adult education and teacher training are covered. The book seeks to place the material firmly within the context of Swedish society and politics but the problems addressed are of concern to people everywhere

The end of the Cold War and the ‘War on Terror’ has signalled a shift in the security policies of all states. It has also led to the reconsideration of the policy of neutrality, and what being neutral means in the present age. This book examines the conceptualisation of neutrality from the Peloponnesian War to today, uncovering how neutrality has been a neglected and misunderstood subject in International Relations (IR) theory and politics. By rethinking neutrality through constructivism, this book argues that neutrality is intrinsically linked to identity. Using Sweden as a case study, it links identity, sovereignty, internationalism and solidarity to the debates about Swedish neutrality today and how neutrality has been central to Swedish identity and its worldview. It also examines the challenges to Swedish neutrality and neutrality broadly, in terms of European integration, globalisation, the decline of the state and sovereignty, and new threats to security, such as international terrorism, arguing that the norms and values of neutrality can be reworked to contribute to a more cosmopolitan international order.

It is often argued that Germany and Scandinavia stand at two opposite ends of a spectrum with regard to their response to social-economic disruptions and cultural challenges. Though, in many respects, they have a shared cultural inheritance, it is nevertheless the case that they mobilize different mythologies and different modes of coping when faced with breakdown and disorder. The authors argue that it is at these "critical junctures," points of crisis and innovation in the life of communities, that the tradition and identity of national and local communities are formed, polarized, and revalued; it is here that social change takes a particular direction.

Globalization and Social Change takes a refreshing new perspective on globalization and widening social and spatial inequalities. Diane Perrons draws on ideas about the new economy, risk society, welfare regimes and political economy to explain the growing social and spatial divisions characteristic of our increasingly divided world. Combining original argument with a clear exposition of the underlying processes, Perrons illustrates her points through a series of case studies linking people in rich and poor countries. She places strong emphasis on the socio-economic aspects.

Comprehensive and current, this handbook combines a wide range of international contributors to chart the uneasy relationship between feminism, criminology and victimology. It explores both the historical and contemporary questions posed by feminist work and is essential reading for anyone interested in feminism, criminology and social change.

The ageing, financial and labour market challenges facing the old age pension systems of the member states of the European Union are well known. This book contests the view that funding is the answer. It shows how adaptable the largely pay-as-you-go old age pension systems in the EU are.

. . . a reflective and scholarly work that presents exciting and challenging views to mainstream entrepreneurship. . . The four books comprising the series would certainly be a valuable addition to any entrepreneurship library. However, each book also stands alone as an individual purchase. Lorraine Warren, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research The narrative and flow of the book is superb and very interesting to read. The book is well edited and thought provoking which makes it an interesting read. Vanessa Ratten, Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy This book the third in the Movements in Entrepreneurship series examines entrepreneurship as a societal phenomenon. It provides an in-depth study of the social aspects of entrepreneurship, illustrating how entrepreneurship affects society. The need to move beyond economy to disclose entrepreneurship in its societal forms is demonstrated, as is the relevance of our understanding of entrepreneurship as a societal phenomenon. The contributors show that entrepreneurship is a society-creating force and as such, it evokes new questions for entrepreneurship research and attempts to engage with new theoretical formulations. They begin with discussions on early Schumpeter and a rhetorical analysis of the current academic literature on social entrepreneurship. They go on to present myriad contextual examples of how entrepreneurship can shape social change, and indicate how this is initiated through various social settings, relationships and communities. Through rich empirical work this book explores the social of social entrepreneurship and in doing so shows us how entrepreneurship is at home where society is created. As such, it will prove a fascinating read for academics, researchers and students with an interest in entrepreneurship, sociology and economic sociology.

Taking a refreshing new perspective on globalization and widening social and spatial inequalities, this significant text is illustrated through a series of case studies linking people in rich and poor countries.