دانلود کتاب به سوی شمول اقتصادی در بالکان غربی

This book is a product of the activity of the LSEE Research Network on Social Cohesion set up in 2011 with the aim to promote independent research into issues of socio-economic development in the SEE region. A large focus of the work of the research network has been on the economic and social problems of the “Western Balkans”, a group of European coun­tries that have been seeking to join the EU over several decades with as yet little success except Croatia which became an EU member state in 2013. The Western Balkans countries—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia—are in various stages of EU integration. All experience economic and social problems ranging from high level of unemployment, much informal economic activity, weak social protection systems and high levels of poverty and inequality, to a far greater extent than most other parts of Europe. The region has also been hit by the heavy impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with ‘excess deaths’ from the pandemic amongst the highest in the world.1 Five of these coun­tries were component parts of the former Yugoslavia and as such have much in common. A major thrust of economic policy in recent years has been to promote regional cooperation and several international initiatives have been devoted to this purpose including the work of the Regional Cooperation Council, based in Sarajevo, and the CEFTA regional trade agreement which also includes Moldova. The promotion of regional cooperation in research activity and the investigation of the benefits of regional cooperation in policy proposals is a key motivation of the LSEE Research Network.

The Research Network covers policy themes such as employment and job creation, skill mismatches, education and vocational training, health reforms, pension reforms, poverty and social protection, social entrepre­neurship, ethnic minorities and Roma inclusion, decentralisation and regional development, all with a focus on providing original and relevant research evidence to support effective policy responses to the difficult social situation in the region. The network has held four conferences between 2011 and 2017 and several focused workshops, leading to the production of a number of books, papers and reports.2 This book results from a selection of papers presented at the 5th Conference of the LSEE Research Network on Social Cohesion in South East Europe, held at the University of Belgrade in November 2019 with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The con­ference covered the theme of economic inclusion, addressing the ways in which economic development can be designed to contribute to the cre­ation of quality jobs, improved vocational training, support for female entrepreneurship and the integration of migrants.