Another article with data from microdata.no – shrinking precariat in Norway and Sweden

Data from microdata.no are the base for a new, peer-reviewed article on precariousness in European Societies.

In the article «Precariousness in Norway and Sweden: a comparative register-based study of longstanding precarious attachment to the labour market 1996–2015», Karl Gauffin, Kristian Heggebø and Jon Ivar Elstad study the development of a Nordic precariat.

For Norway, all data used come from microdata.no, and all results are produced with the platform’s built-in analytical tool. The Swedish results are based on traditional microdata sharing after an application process. The authors utilize, analyze and interpret the two datasets identically.

The article makes a point of the instant access to the Norwegian data without any application. Further, the results are produced through the use of microdata.no’s built-in analytical functionalities, which is not remarked by the peers.

Persons with a loose connection to the labour market are labeled the precariat. They are on time limited contracts, in engagements, and temporary positions, often interceded by periods of unemployment. A common hypothesis is that this group is increasing.

With data from microdata.no the authors show that the Norwegian precariat has been decreasing from 2000 and onwards. The same applies to Sweden. Their interpretation is that these results could indicate that key welfare state elements such as trade union strength, strong employment protection and active labour market policies have been successful in shielding workers from negative labour market developments.

European Societies is an academic journal that publishes sociological research on Europe. The journal is linked to the European Sociological Association and its aims and objectives. It performs a double-blind review of submitted articles.

Check the list of publications based on microdata.no.