ABSTRACT
Describing and critically analysing the characteristics of the Spanish welfare state since the transition to contemporary democracy has been the core aim of this book. As explained in the Introduction, although this project was not designed to use a comparative methodology, it includes a comparative dimension, in two main respects. First, we have systematically taken into account the impact of Europeanization on the construction and development of the Spanish welfare state. Second, we have comprehensively questioned and discussed patterns of convergence with, and divergence from, more mature European welfare states as well as those of other southern European countries. Again, although the project was not intended to systematically include Spain within the analytical framework of the regime-type literature, many contributors have chosen to highlight similarities with, and differences from, the broad welfare-regime typologies as a way of better understanding the evolution of the national Spanish case.
