This book conveys analyses, perspectives and interpretations of the normative foundation of the unique 'Nordic welfare state model' which are relevant across the globe.

Part One: Normative Foundations: Historical Perspectives 1. Nanna Kildal and Stein Kuhnle - The Principle of Universalism: Tracing a Key Idea in the Scandinavian Welfare Model 2. Bo Stråth - The Normative Foundations of the Scandinavian Welfare States in Historical Perspective 3. Lars Bo Kaspersen - The Origin, Development, Consolidation and Transformation of the Danish Welfare State 4. Anders Nordlund - Nordic Social Politics in the Late 20th Century - an Analysis of the Political Reform Agenda Part Two: Normative Tensions 5. Birte Siim and Anette Borchorst - The Women-friendly Welfare State Revisited 6. Jan Otto Andersson and Olli Kangas - Universalism in the Age of Workfare: Attitudes to Basic Income in Sweden and Finland 7. Olavi Kaukonen and Kerstin Stenius - Comprehensiveness under Threat? From Administrative Coercion to Professional Subordination of Substance Misusers 8. Sven E. O. Hort - Three Normative Worlds in Three Welfare Projects during the 1990s - Decennium Horribilis? Part Three: Towards a Paradigm Shift? 9. Rune Ervik - Changing Normative Bases of the Nordic Welfare States? The Case of Pension Provision in Norway 10. Marcus Carson - Paradigm Shift to System Shift in the Swedish Welfare State 11. Stéfan Olafsson - Welfare Regime Shift in Iceland? 12. Jørn Loftager - Which Democracy - Whose Welfare?