Erfahrungsdimensionen in der aktiven Arbeitsmarktpolitik

Leibetseder, Bettina / Kranewitter, H. (2012): Activation and the Austrian social assistance: permanent entry. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 32, 7/8: 448-460.

Social policy tries to foster (re)integration into the labour market and social inclusion via specific programmes. The purpose of this article is to expand knowledge about the common experiences of people in such schemes. A total of four group discussions were conducted in four different Austrian cities. The added collective dimension is at least as important to the understanding of the felt experience of labour activation recipients as their individualised views.

Collectively, activation is not something that is experienced as promoting lasting inclusion; rather, participants express a common line of argument towards a situation of “permanent entry”. Activation programmes allow for a certain form of support but do that in a specific and restricted way.