Introduction: Transformations of European Welfare States and Social Rights

In this introductory chapter, we outline the literature in which the anthology is positioned and the anthology’s contribution hereto. We account for the questions addressed in the anthology and its structure based on three sections that each analyses transformations of European welfare states and social rights from macro, meso and micro level perspectives, respectively. As described in the chapter and illustrated throughout the anthology, the three levels are interlinked: Macro level welfare state transformations influence the meso level of public encounters between welfare professionals and citizens, and on micro level, these encounters have real effect for, for example, citizens’ access to social rights. Linking the levels, the anthology contributes with analytical insights into welfare state transformations and social rights.