This book addresses the practice of social innovation, which is currently very much in the public eye. New ideas and approaches are needed to tackle the severe and wicked problems with which contemporary societies are struggling. Especially in times of economic crisis, social innovation is regarded as one of the crucial elements needed to move forward. Our knowledge of its dynamics has significantly progressed, thanks to an abundance of studies on social innovation both general and sector-specific. However, despite the valuable research conducted over the past years, the systematic analysis of social innovation is still contested and incomplete. The questions asked in the book will be the following: 1. What is the nature of social innovations? 2.What patterns can be identified in social innovations emerging at the local level? 3.How is the emergence and spread of social innovations related to urban governance? More precisely, which conditions and arrangements facilitate and hinders social innovation? We explore these questions using different types of data and methods, and studying different contexts. In particular, we focus on innovations that aim at solving problems of the young unemployed, single parents and migrants. This analysis is based on original research carried out in the period 2010-2013 in the framework of a European project with a specific empirical research strategy. Research was carried out in 20 cities in 10 different European countries.

Taco Brandsen is Professor of Comparative Public Administration at Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Secretary-General of EAPAA (European Association of Public Administration Accreditation); Coordinator of the project WILCO (2010-2013, 'Welfare Innovations at the Local Level', 7th European Framework Programme.) and a member of the LIPSE project (2013-2016, 'Learning from Innovation in Public Sector Environments', 7th European FrameworkProgramme).Sandro Cattacin studied economic history, political science and political philosophy at the University of Zurich (1982-1987). With an Italian fellowship he then participated in the PhD programme in political and social science at the European University Institute in Florence (1987-1990) where he obtained his PhD in 1992.Adalbert Evers is Professor for Comparative Health and Social Policy at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen (Germany); (Emeritus since October 2013). He holds a doctoral degree in political science from the University of Bremen and did his Habilitation at the University of Frankfurt.Annette Zimmer is Professor of Social Policy and Comparative Politics at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Münster, Germany. She holds a doctoral degree in political science from the University of Heidelberg, and a lecturer degree in political science from the University of Kassel, Germany.