Cities of Unemployment

Chapter 3 presents the mapping of seven cities of unemployment that political actors in the four reform processes in France and Denmark have mobilised. These are the city of Demand, Redistribution, Insurance, Incentives, Investment, Activity, and the Paternal city. The cities provide the typology that is used in part II to analyse the disputes and compromises in the reform processes. The presentation of each city is structured around four key dimensions. Firstly, the overall principle and normative foundations of a city. Secondly, how the city qualifies the reality of unemployment and how policies are ‘put to the test’. Thirdly, the role of governing in the city is presented, i.e. what does it take to govern best and what kind of governing should be avoided, and when is it necessary (and legitimate) to use means of coercion? Lastly, the implications of being unemployed in each city. In other words, what characterises the unemployed moral subject and what makes the unemployed more or less worthy?