Struggling for a Social Europe : Neoliberal Globalization and the Birth of a European Social Movement

Protests at summit meetings have inspired intense debate over the nature and significance of the 'anti-globalisation' or 'anti-capitalist movement'. The European dimension of this movement is largely unknown and in this book the author addresses this deficit by focusing on events that have marked the birth of a European social movement. The book relates the development of the movement to key matters as economic, employment and welfare state restructuring along neoliberal lines. The author challenges ideas about the nature of contemporary collective action and the character of present day social movements. He discusses the significance of the movement and its future development through a critical engagement with the work of key writers in European sociology and of academics influential in the wider global movement such as Pierre Bourdieu. A postscript is provided to bring readers up-to-date with developments in the type of 'social Europe' propagated by the institutions of the EU as well as in the maturation of a social movement to oppose it. Protests at summit meetings have inspired intense debate over the nature and significance of the'anti-globalization'or'anti-capitalist'movement. However, the European dimension of this movement is still largely unknown. In this insightful book Andy Mathers addresses this deficit by focusing on events that have marked the birth of a European social movement. He relates the development of the movement to key matters such as economic, employment and welfare state restructuring along neoliberal lines. He also challenges ideas about the nature of contemporary collective action and the character of present day social movements. Mathers discusses the significance of the movement and its future development through a critical engagement with the work of major writers in European sociology and of academics influential in the wider global movement such as Pierre Bourdieu. A postscript brings readers fully up-to-date with developments in the type of'social Europe'propagated by the institutions of the EU as well as in the maturation of a social movement to oppose it. Protests At Summit Meetings Have Inspired Intense Debate Over The Nature And Significance Of The 'anti-globalization' Movement. However, The European Dimension Of This Movement Is Still Largely Unknown. In This Book Andy Mathers Addresses This Deficit Through A Discussion Of Events That Have Marked The Birth Of A European Social Movement.--jacket. 1. Introduction : Struggling For A Social Europe -- 2. The Decline Of Labour And The Rise Of The New Social Movements In The Work Of The New Social Democratic Left -- 3. Investigating The Struggle For A Social Europe -- 4. Protesting Europe : The European Marches To Amsterdam, Cologne And Nice -- 5. A Europe Of Citizens -- 6. A Different Europe -- 7. The European Marches, Social Europe, And The Limits Of The New Reformism. Andy Mathers. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [201]-207) And Index. Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 8 1 Introduction: Struggling for a Social Europe......Page 10 2 The Decline of Labour and the Rise of the New Social Movements in the Work of the New Social Democratic Left......Page 18 3 Investigating the Struggle for a Social Europe......Page 42 4 Protesting Europe: the European Marches to Amsterdam, Cologne and Nice......Page 58 5 A Europe of Citizens......Page 94 6 A Different Europe......Page 114 7 The European Marches, Social Europe, and the Limits of the New Reformism......Page 150 Postscript......Page 190 Appendix......Page 202 Selected Bibliography......Page 210 C......Page 218 E......Page 219 I......Page 220 N......Page 221 R......Page 222 T......Page 223 Z......Page 224 Protests at summit meetings have inspired intense debate over the nature and significance of the 'anti-globalization' movement. However, the European dimension of this movement is still largely unknown. In this insightful book Andy Mathers addresses this deficit through a discussion of events that have marked the birth of a new European social movement. Offering a critical engagement with key thinkers such as Pierre Bourdieu, Mathers relates the development of the movement to economic, employment and welfare state restructuring along neoliberal lines. In doing so he challenges received ideas a