Since the beginning of the economic crisis of the 1980s considerable research has been dedicated to the study of the unemployment problem. Nevertheless, the phenomenon has not become fully understood, nor are its consequences adequately prevented. In this important new volume, ** On the Mysteries of Unemployment, economists and social scientists come together to offer the reader the latest insights on unemployment and policies regarding unemployment from the perspectives of both disciplines.
On the Mysteries of Unemployment contains four main sections. Part One provides an introductory chapter and general overview. Part Two contains rich contributions that provide new insights from an economic science perspective, while Part Three offers a balanced view from social scientists. The final section is devoted to the examination of policy issues concerning unemployment.
This volume, unique in its field, will be of interest to researchers, students, politicians and policy-makers.

Inhalt
I Introduction.- Regional economic policy in a European perspective.- II Studies from the field of economics that primarily aim at making a contribution to science.- Unemployment as a mystery.- Labour market adjustment in Wales.- National differences in service employment trends, causes and consequences.- The effects of unemployment benefit levels on the duration of unemployment.- Social security and job search among the Finnish unemployed.- Are the unemployed 'outsiders' or former 'insiders'? Evidence from a depressed area.- The impact of personal and regional unemployment on individual wages in The Netherlands.- Duration of unemployment: an analysis of the Labour Force Survey.- An empirical analysis of unemployment by region: a case study Sweden.- Unemployment resistance and labour mobility in the UK: a spatial perspective.- Regional differences in the efficiency of the Dutch labour market.- III Studies from the field of social sciences that primarily aim at contributing to science.- Poverty stricken? A plea for a greater emphasis on the role of poverty in psychological research on unemployment and mental health in the social context.- Does jobless mean workless? A comparative approach to the survival strategies of unemployed people.- Causality in the relation between health and unemployment.- Unemployment and mental health in well and poorly educated School-leavers.- Unemployment and health. Results from a two-year follow-up study.- Latent functions of employment: variations according to employment status and labour market.- On the social impact of youth unemployment: political radicalization and a decline of the work ethic?.- IV Studies from both economics and social sciences that primarily focus on policies regarding the unemployment problem.- Thechoice was ours.- The functioning of labour markets in welfare state capitalism.- Long-term unemployment in Australia: problems of memory and measurement.- Forecasting regional differences in characteristics of the labour force.- Economic policy in a broader regional policy perspective.- The effectiveness of a local government labour market policy The case of Groningen.- Skill shortages and the re-training needs of the unemployed: a local labour market study.- The re-establishment of labour market equilibrium following a temporary employment scheme.- Can unemployment centres help the jobless? A case study based on the Arbeitslosenzentrum Hannover.- About the contributors.- Name index.