Citizen Categories in the Danish Welfare State approaches the question of the political legitimacy of the welfare state from a new perspective. It argues that legitimation of the welfare state is inextricably linked to particular ideas about the nature of its citizens, encompassed in so-called ‘citizen categories’. Offering the first major study of citizen categories, their origins and alterations over time and their role in shaping welfare policies and institutions, the volume helps us bridge the gap between our understanding of the historical development of the welfare state and the present political situation.
