Exclusion, unemployment and non-employment

This paper provides an overview of selected issues pertinent to an examination of comparative experiences of exclusion, with foremost emphasis on the labour market dimension of exclusion - notably unemployment and non-employment. The way in which 'losers' and 'winners' emerge as a result of changes in the socio-economic environment is outlined, with particular attention paid to identification of who the losers are, and where they are located. Specific remarks and empirical details of the UK experience are used for illustrative purposes, but much of the discussion relates to the situation in European Union countries more generally. Drawing on this review, some of the issues surrounding the identification and measurement of the unemployed and non-employed are explored, and the need for a range of alternative indicators and methodological perspectives on labour market exclusion is discussed. Finally, some of the issues relevant to the formulation of successful policies to combat unemployment and non-employment are outlined.