Drawing on findings from a large EU-funded research project that took place over three years, this book analyses educational trajectories of young people in eight European countries: Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.

Contributors explore interactions between structural and institutional contexts of educational trajectories, the individual meaning attached to education and the strategies adopted by young people to cope with its demands. The book also analyses the decision-making processes of individual students, placing them firmly within the social contexts of their families, local schools, national education systems and welfare states, as well as transnational policy contexts.

In considering educational disadvantage, the book is based on primary, cross-national research with systematic analysis of the different themes addressed. As every chaptersis co-authored by two or three researchers, each based in a different country, the book goes beyond the usual country-based chapter design to provide an enriched insight into both comparative theory and research methods.

Andreas Walther is Professor of Social Pedagogy and Youth Welfare and Director of Education and Coping in the Life Course Research Centre at the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Marcelo Parreira do Amaral is Professor of International and Comparative Education at the University of Munster, Germany.
Morena Cuconato is Associate Professor for Social Pedagogy at the Department of Educational Studies at the University of Bologna, Italy.
Roger Dale is Professor of Education at the University of Bristol, UK, and at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Introduction: The Reshaping of Educational Trajectories in European Knowledge Societies, Morena Cuconato (University of Bologna, Italy), Roger Dale (University of Bristol, UK), Marcelo do Parreira do Amaral (University of Münster, Germany) and Andreas Walther (University of Frankfurt, Germany)
1. Comparative Perspective on the Governance of Education in the Life Course, Andreas Walther (University of Frankfurt, Germany), Marcelo Parreira do Amaral (University of Münster, Germany), Morena Cuconato (University of Bologna, Italy) and Roger Dale (University of Bristol, UK)
2. The Diversity of Education and Welfare Systems in Europe, Jenni Tikkanen (University of Turku, Finland), Andy Biggart (Queens University Belfast, UK) and Alex Pohl (IRIS e.V., Germany)
Part I: Governance of Education
3. Scales, Discourses and Institutions in the Governance of Educational Trajectories in Europe, Roger Dale (University of Bristol, UK), Yuri Kazepov (University of Urbino, Italy), Risto Rinne (University of Turku, Finland) and Susan Robertson (University of Bristol, England)
4. Translation of Policy Instruments and Negotiation of Subject-Positions in Local School Spaces, Patricia Loncle (High school of public health, Rennes, France), Alessandro Martelli (University of Bologna, Italy), Karin Amos (University of Tübingen, Germany), Eduardo Barberis (University of Urbino, Italy), Valérie Becquet (University of Cergy-Pontoise, France), Ulrich Theobald (University of Tübingen, Germany)
Part II: Access to Education
5. Understanding the Interactive Emergence of Educational Inequalities through Access and Accessibility of Education, Barbara Stauber (University of Tübingen, Germany), Marcelo Parreira do Amaral (University of Münster, Germany) and Isabelle Danic (University of Rennes, France)
6. Producing Accessibility through Discretionary Practices of Educational Professionals, Eduardo Barberis (University of Urbino, Italy), Izabela Buchowicz (Warsaw School of Economics, Poland) and Nicola De Luigi (University of Bologna, Italy)
Part III: Coping with Educational Demands
7. Educational and Vocational Guidance as Support Mechanisms in Schools, Ilse Julkunnen (University of Helsinki, Finland) and Joanna Felczak (Warsaw School of Economics, Poland) and Susan Robertson (University of Bristol, UK)
8. Co-operation and Problems of Recognition between Schools and Parents in Supporting Young Peoples' Educational Trajectories, Hulya Kosar Altinyelken (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Silvia Demozzi (University of Bologna, Italy), Felicitas Boron (University of Tübingen, Germany) and Federica Taddia (University of Bologna, Italy)
Part IV: Relevance of Education
9. Comparing the Views of Students, Parents, and Teachers on the Emerging Notions of Relevance of Education, Hulya Kosar Altinyelken (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Silvia Demozzi (University of Bologna, Italy), Felicitas Boron (University of Tübingen, Germany) and Federica Taddia (University of Bologna, Italy)
10. The Relevance of Informal Learning and Out-of-school Contexts for Formal Educational Transitions and Students' Life Courses, Veronica Salovaara (University of Helsinki, Finland) and John Litau (University of Frankfurt, Germany)
Part V: Educational Transitions in the Life Course
11. Students Decision Making Strategies During Transitions, Morena Cuconato (University of Bologna, Italy), Karolina Majdzinska (Warsaw School of Economics, Poland), Andreas Walther (University of Frankfurt, Germany) and Annegret Warth (University of Frankfurt, Germany)
12. Teachers and Parents as Actors in the Students' Educational Transitions, Mirjana Ule (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia), Andreja Zivoder (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia), Harry Lunabba (University of Helsinki, Finland) and Manuela du Bois-Reymond (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Conclusion: Comparative Multilevel Analysis of Educational Trajectories, Andreas Walther (University of Frankfurt, Germany) and Marcelo Parreira do Amaral (University of Münster, Germany)
Bibliography
Index