Research Handbook on Self-Employment and Public Policy

Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, this Research Handbook examines the shifting global landscape of self-employment. It provides an authoritative overview of key theoretical perspectives and empirical findings in the field, and presents evidence-based policy responses to the multifaceted nature of modern self-employment.

Contributing authors explore evolving trends, their impacts, and potential policy actions regarding self-employment across diverse welfare state regimes in advanced economies, while also highlighting the parallels and differences with developing and emerging economies. Combining diverse research methods, they bring together insights from fields including sociology, economics, law, political science and management. They analyse the shifting perception of the self-employed, from willing and independent entrepreneurs towards dependent, vulnerable and precarious workers, and the subsequent tensions this creates for policy-makers. Ultimately, this Handbook advances both academic and societal debates on self-employment, highlighting pressing issues that will shape the future of the discipline.



The Research Handbook on Self-Employment and Public Policy is an essential resource for students and scholars of labour policy, industrial relations and public administration. It is also a valuable tool for policy officials seeking to effectively represent the self-employed.