This paper assesses the extent to which the behaviour of an individual is the result of the constraints that he or she faces, or the result of his or her preferences. It concentrates on participation or non-participation in employment. Following a discussion of potential methodological...

Government support of private (occupational and personal) pensions through the system of tax reliefs is large: between one quarter and one third of that of direct support of state pensions through public expenditure. However, it is regressive, lacks transparency and is difficult to control. This...

Why is social exclusion a problem? What about iquest;voluntaryiquest; social exclusion iquest; when an individual chooses to exclude him or herself from the wider society? Brain Barry has addressed these questions in a recent CASE book, arguing that social exclusion, voluntary or involuntary,...

The aim of this paper is to compare academic interpretations of the term social exclusion with the understanding of people with direct experience of the phenomenon. A pre-selected group of residents of deprived neighbourhoods were asked about various aspects of the concept and their responses...