ABSTRACT
The subject matter of this chapter is the unemployment patterns in Canada, the United States, Denmark and Sweden since the early 1980s. A crucial question is whether these patterns can be accounted for in terms of economic cycles, institutional arrangements, or other factors. Given the overall theme of this book, differences in national institutions — such as labour legislation, unemployment insurance systems and active labour market policies — deserve particular attention. It will also be asked to what extent existing theoretical perspectives can help us explain levels and distributions of unemployment.
