The End of the Age of Dualisation? A Comparative Analysis of Fifty Years of Labour Market Protection Reforms in Spain and Italy

Manuel Alvariño (), Alessandro Liepp, Llorenç Soler-Buades and Emanuele Ferragina ()
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Manuel Alvariño: Economics Department [European University Institute] - EUI - European University Institute - Institut Universitaire Européen
Alessandro Liepp: LIEPP - Laboratoire interdisciplinaire d'évaluation des politiques publiques (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po
Llorenç Soler-Buades: UAB - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona = Autonomous University of Barcelona = Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona
Emanuele Ferragina: OSC - Observatoire sociologique du changement (Sciences Po, CNRS) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CRIS - Centre de recherche sur les inégalités sociales (Sciences Po, CNRS) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Abstract: We suggest that labour market dualisation can be part of a liberalisation process in two steps. First, we develop an eight-fold taxonomy to classify labour market protection reforms – covering employment, unemployment and collective protection – based on how they affect (de)commodification levels for insiders and outsiders. Second, through a comparative historical analysis over fifty years (1970-2020), we examine reform trajectories in Spain and Italy, two prominent examples of labour market dualism. We reveal a process of ‘liberalisation through dualisation' characterised by two phases: (1) a shift from a declining Fordist order to dualisation, which primarily weakened outsiders' protection, and (2) ‘downward convergence' of protection for insiders. Spain and Italy shared this path but differed in the timing and characteristics of the legislative process. More broadly, we offer a replicable and transparent methodology to qualitatively code policy change and its intensity.

Keywords: policy change; qualitative methodology; Southern europe; LIEPP Working Paper n° 175 Southern Europe labour market protection reforms dualisation liberalisation policy change qualitative methodology; LIEPP Working Paper n° 175 Southern Europe; labour market protection reforms; dualisation; liberalisation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-01
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:spmain:hal-04909856

DOI: 10.25647/liepp.wp.173

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