The social sciences section in the Annals contains two interesting articles on topics which are timely in all European countries. In her article on nest leaving, Mariana Irazoqui Solda investigates changes in the nest leaving patterns in the Netherlands and Spain. Since these two countries are culturally relatively distant from each other, they provide a fruitful starting point for modelling different strategies in nest leaving. Southern European countries present the highest proportions of people still living with their parents in their late twenties, whereas in Western and Northern European countries more than 85% of young people are independent before their thirties. In her article, Mariana Irazoqui Solda presents first a review of the historical context of nest leaving. In this illuminating review, the roles of both socio-cultural and economic factors in nest leaving are discussed. Interestingly, differences in nest leaving patterns between Western/Northern and Southern Europe seem to reflect differences in economic opportunities. After reviewing the historical context of nest leaving, Mariana Irazoqui Solda presents results on more recent developments in nest leaving in the Netherlands and Spain.
The second article, written by Alberto Migliore, explores the current practices in assisting people with learning difficulties to gain competitive employment. This largely unexamined but topical issue is investigated by using data from employment provider agencies in four European countries (Germany, Italy, Spain and UK). According to the author, three different strategic training models emerge from the data. These models can be named as a "teaching a job" model, an "intermediate" model and a "teaching for work" model. In addition to analysis of the empirical data, Alberto Migliore reviews the philosophical aspects of the models. According to the author, models reflect two different philosophical approaches: "care/welfare" and "human rights oriented" approaches. In the former approach, a person with learning difficulty is seen as a "patient" who needs treatment whereas the latter approach focuses on a person's abilities and adopts terms such as "client" or "customer".
In addition to theoretical interests, these articles deal with very topical issues and provide applicable information for policy makers.