Elke Heins | School of Social and Political Science

Dr Elke Heins

Senior Lecturer in Social Policy

elke.heins@ed.ac.uk

+44 (0)131 650 4049

2.06

Chrystal Macmillan Building

15a George Square

Edinburgh

EH8 9LD

Research interests

British politics research European Union Studies Governance of welfare states Health & Well-being Science, knowledge and policy Welfare, policy and Covid-19 Work & Economy

Comparative social policy, Labour Market Policy, fuzzy set/QCA, welfare reform, trade unions, Health policy, Politics of health, European social policy, well-being

PhD students (current)

Hannah Glover, 'Where to next? Post-school transitions and career decision-making among young people in Scotland' (ESRC/Skills Development Scotland co-funded).

Sarah Winter, 'Informing Scotland’s CIAG services for all life stages', (ESRC/Skills Development Scotland co-funded).

Charlotte Zealley, 'Employability engagement and support provision and the labour market transitions of young people' (ESRC funded).

Previous PhD students

Cristina Asenjo, 'Empowerment and Wellbeing: A Comparative Study of Asset and Rights Based Approaches to Local Development in the UK' (ESRC funded).

Fabio Battaglia, 'To GDP or not to GDP? Identifying the barriers to uptake and application of measures of progress and well-being in Scotland and Italy'. Winner of the "Italy Made Me 2023" award.

Nikos Kanellopoulos, ‘The Discursive Construction of Higher Education Reform During the Crisis (2011-2015): The Case of Greece’ (funded by the Onassis Foundation).

Blanca Kao, 'How, and to what extent, are health implications taken into account in the decision-making processes within the Scottish local government? A Multiple-Case Study of Scottish Local Authorities'.

Alexander Mesarovich, 'It's not what you know...: Europeanization and informal networks in former Yugoslavia'. Winner of the SPS Outstanding Thesis Award (2021/22) and the UK-wide Doctoral Research Awards (2022): http://drawards.org.uk/dra2022.

Topics interested in supervising

I would welcome inquiries about supervision of research on a wide range of topics in social policy, particularly from a comparative and European perspective, including unemployment, skills and labour market policy, health policy, welfare and wellbeing, the politics of welfare reform, the impact of the EU and international organisations on social policy, the involvement of trade unions, third sector or commercial sector organisations in welfare policy delivery.

If you are interested in being supervised by Elke Heins, please see the links below (open in new windows) for more information:

Background

My principal research interests are comparative and European social policy, in particular labour market, skills and unemployment policy as well as the politics of welfare and wellbeing in the UK, including at devolved level.

I am a graduate of the University of Mannheim and have a PhD in Political and Social Science from the European University Institute in Florence.

Teaching

Semester 1

European Social Policy - PG (course convener)

Understanding sustainable welfare and eco-social policy (co-course convenor), alternating years

Semester 2

Eco-social policy and sustainable welfare - PG (co-course convenor), alternating years

Politics of the Welfare State - UG (course convener)

Online teaching

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Social Wellbeing, delivered via FutureLearn.

first course run: 26 September - 16 October 2016. Please visit FutureLearn for further course runs.

Knowledge exchange

ESRC Policy Fellow, Welsh Government, SHELL (Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning) (February 2022-July 2023)

Parliamentary Fellow, Beltane Public Engagement Network (January-June 2016)

Good Lives And Decent Societies (GLADS) (PI): Scottish Universities Insight Institute funded series of knowledge exchange events designed to inform the work of policy makers and third sector practitioners regarding indicators for the measurement of well-being (together with Jan Eichhorn, John Frank and Neil Thin at the University of Edinburgh and a range of external partners). Details can be found here.

Other professional activities

Co-editor of the Journal of Social Policy, Cambridge University Press.

Academic Co-convenor of the FUTURES Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence.

Europa Institute Steering Group member.

Editorial board member of the Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy and the Australian Journal of Social Issues.

Chair of editorial advisory board Understanding Welfare series, Policy Press.

Works within

Social Policy

Tuesdays 13:00-14:00 (semester only). Please email for an appointment outside this time.

Publication	Research Explorer link
Skafida V, Heins E. Trust in COVID-19 information sources and vaccination status: Exploring social inequalities and differences within the four United Kingdom nations using a representative survey. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy. 2024 Jul;29(3):153-162. Epub 2024 Feb 5. doi: 10.1177/13558196241227749	View
Im ZJ, de la Porte C, Heins E, Prontera A, Szelewa D. A green but also just transition? Variations in social and industrial policy responses to industrial decarbonisation in EU member states. Global Social Policy. 2024 Apr 27;1-22. Epub 2024 Apr 27. doi: 10.1177/14680181241246763	View
Cigna L, Fischer T, Hasanagic Abuannab E, Heins E, Rathgeb P. International organisations in the eco-social transformation: Strategies, policies and programmes. In Domorenok E, Graziano P, Zimmermann K, editors, The Eco-Social Polity?: Theoretical, Conceptual and Empirical Issues. Bristol: Policy Press. 2024. p. 361-379	View
Heins E. Labour market policies as a social determinant of wellbeing. In Clegg D, Durazzi N, editors, Handbook of Labour Market Policy in Advanced Democracies. Edward Elgar Publishing. 2023. p. 508-522 doi: 10.4337/9781800880887.00047	View
Cigna L, Fischer T, Hasanagic Abuannab E, Heins E, Rathgeb P. Varieties of just transition? Eco-social policy approaches at the international level. Social Policy and Society. 2023 Oct 13. Epub 2023 Oct 13. doi: 10.1017/S1474746423000192	View
Im ZJ, de la Porte C, Heins E, Prontera A, Szelewa D. Towards a Real Green Transition? Triple Constraints Holding Back EU Member States' "Greening" Industrial Strategies. In Börner S, Seeleib-Kaiser M, editors, European Social Policy and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges to National Welfare and EU Policy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2023. p. 215-245 Epub 2023 Aug 9. doi: 10.1093/oso/9780197676189.003.0009	View
Clegg D, Durazzi N, Heins E, Robertson E. Policy, power and pandemic: Varieties of job and income protection responses to Covid-19 in Western Europe. Journal of European Public Policy. 2023 Aug 3. Epub 2023 Aug 3. doi: 10.1080/13501763.2023.2242907	View
de Vito L, Wynne-Jones S, Heins E, Verfuerth C. Policy fellowship schemes as a vehicle for co-production – insights from Welsh Government Fellowships. 2023 Jul 19. ( CSaP Working Paper Series).	View
de Vito L, Wynne-Jones S, Heins E, Verfuerth C. Policy fellowship schemes as a vehicle for co-production – insights from Welsh Government Fellowships Cambridge: Centre for Science and Policy, University of Cambridge. 2023.	View
Heins E, Dukelow F. Liberal welfare states. In Greve B, editor, De Gruyter Handbook of Contemporary Welfare States. Berlin: De Gruyter. 2022. p. 85-100. (De Gruyter Contemporary Social Sciences Handbooks). Epub 2022 Aug 22. doi: 10.1515/9783110721768-006	View
Eichhorn J, Heins E, Wiggan J. The Journal of Social Policy turns 50 - Time for reflections and looking to the future. Journal of Social Policy. 2022 Jul;51(3):469. Epub 2022 Jun 6. doi: 10.1017/S0047279422000459	View
Clegg D, Heins E, Rathgeb P. Unemployment benefit governance, trade unions and outsider protection in conservative welfare states. Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research. 2022 May;28(2):195-210. Epub 2022 May 13. doi: 10.1177/10242589221094240	View
de la Porte C, Heins E. Introduction: EU constraints and opportunities in the COVID-19 pandemic - the politics of NGEU. Comparative European Politics. 2022 Apr;20(2):135-143. Epub 2022 Mar 7. doi: 10.1057/s41295-022-00276-7	View
Armingeon K, de la Porte C, Heins E, Sacchi S. Voices from the past: Economic and political vulnerabilities in the making of Next Generation EU. Comparative European Politics. 2022 Apr;20(2):144-165. Epub 2022 Mar 7. doi: 10.1057/s41295-022-00277-6	View
Clegg D, Bennett H, Eichhorn J, Heins E. Leaving the ‘old broken model’ behind? Progressive Review. 2022 Jan 30;28(3):259-269. Epub 2021 Dec 6. doi: 10.1111/newe.12268	View
Eichhorn J, Heins E, Wiggan J. Editorial board update. Journal of Social Policy. 2022 Jan;51(1):1. Epub 2022 Jan 14. doi: 10.1017/S0047279421000945	View
Damro C, (ed.), Heins E, (ed.), Scott D, (ed.). European Futures: Challenges and Crossroads for the European Union of 2050. 1 ed. Routledge, 2021. 260 p. (Routledge Advances in European Politics). doi: 10.4324/9781003009733	View
Damro C, Heins E, Scott D. Introduction: European futures, past and present. In Damro C, Heins E, Scott D, editors, European Futures: Challenges and Crossroads for the European Union of 2050. 1 ed. Routledge. 2021. p. 1-17. (Routledge Advances in European Politics). doi: 10.4324/9781003009733-1	View
Heins E, Damro C. Conclusion: The future of European integration to 2050 across scenarios and policy areas. In Damro C, Heins E, Scott D, editors, European Futures: Challenges and Crossroads for the European Union of 2050. 1 ed. Routledge. 2021. p. 218-228. (Routledge Advances in European Politics). doi: 10.4324/9781003009733-17	View
Heins E, Chung H. Time for a new Beveridge Report? 2021.	View
Heins E, Pautz H. Social wellbeing in Scotland - the 'career network' of a policy concept. International Journal of Wellbeing. 2021 Jan 31;11(1):89-105. doi: 10.5502/ijw.v11i1.1235	View
Anderson KM, Heins E. After the European elections and the first wave of Covid-19: Prospects for EU social policymaking. In Vanhercke B, Spasova S, Fronteddu B, editors, Social policy in the European Union: State of Play 2020. Brussels: European Trade Union Institute. 2021. p. 13-32	View
Heins E. Social Policy and Young People. In Rees J, Pomati M, Heins E, editors, Social Policy Review 32: Analysis and Debate in Social Policy, 2020 . Vol. 32. Bristol: Policy Press. 2020. (Social Policy Review).	View
Rees J, (ed.), Pomati M, (ed.), Heins E, (ed.). Social Policy Review 32: Analysis and Debate in Social Policy, 2020 . Bristol: Policy Press, 2020. 272 p. (Social Policy Review).	View
Heins E, (ed.), Rees J, (ed.), Needham C, (ed.). Social Policy Review 31: Analysis and Debate in Social Policy, 2019. Bristol: Policy Press, 2019. 292 p. (Social Policy Review).	View
Heins E. A decade of social policy since the crisis – looking back and forward. In Heins E, Rees J, Needham C, editors, Social Policy Review 31: Analysis and Debate in Social Policy, 2019. Bristol: Policy Press. 2019. p. 1-5. (Social Policy Review).	View
Needham C, (ed.), Heins E, (ed.), Rees J, (ed.). Social policy review 30: Analysis and debate in social policy, 2018. Policy Press, 2018. 280 p.	View
Heins E, Bennett H. Retrenchment, conditionality and flexibility: UK labour market policies in the era of austerity. In Theodoropoulou S, editor, Labour Market Policies in the Era of Pervasive Austerity: A European Perspective. Bristol: Policy Press. 2018. p. 225-251	View
Heins E. Part Two: Contributions from the Social Policy Association Conference 2017. In Needham C, Heins E, Rees J, editors, Social Policy Review 30: Analysis and Debate in Social Policy, 2018. Policy Press. 2018. p. 87-90	View
Dukelow F, Heins E. The Anglo-Saxon welfare states: Still Europe’s outlier – or trendsetter? In Kennett P, Lendvai-Bainton N, editors, Handbook of European Social Policy. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. 2017. p. 230-247 doi: 10.4337/9781783476466	View
Dukelow F, Heins E. The Anglo-Saxon welfare states: Still Europe's outlier-or trendsetter? In Kennett P, Lendvai-Bainton N, editors, Handbook of European Social Policy. Edward Elgar Publishing. 2017. p. 230-247 doi: 10.4337/9781783476466.00023	View
Heins E. 'Benefit tourism'? EU migrant citizens and the British welfare state. Social Policy Review. 2017 Jun 28;29:177-180.	View
Hudson J, (ed.), Needham C, (ed.), Heins E, (ed.). Social Policy Review 29: Analysis and Debate in Social Policy, 2017. Bristol: Policy Press, 2017. 280 p. (Social Policy Review).	View
Heins E, de la Porte C. The Aftermath of the Eurozone Crisis: Towards Fiscal Federalism? In Dinan D, Nugent N, Paterson WE, editors, The European Union in Crisis. London: Palgrave Macmillan. 2017. p. 149-166. (The European Union Series).	View
Heins E, Thin N, Eichhorn J. Social Wellbeing - Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) FutureLearn. 2016.	View
Heins E, (ed.), de la Porte C, (ed.). The Sovereign Debt Crisis, the EU and Welfare State Reform. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016. (Work and Welfare in Europe). doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-58179-2	View
de la Porte C, Heins E. Introduction. In Heins E, de la Porte C, editors, The Sovereign Debt Crisis, the EU and Welfare State Reform. London: Palgrave Macmillan. 2016. 1. (Work and Welfare in Europe). doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-58179-2	View
Heins E, de la Porte C. A new era of European Integration? Governance of labour market and social policy since the sovereign debt crisis. In Heins E, de la Porte C, editors, The Sovereign Debt Crisis, the EU and Welfare State Reform. Palgrave Macmillan. 2016. p. 15-41. 2. (Work and Welfare in Europe). doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-58179-2	View
Heins E, de la Porte C. Depleted European social models following the crisis: Towards a brighter future? In Heins E, de la Porte C, editors, The Sovereign Debt Crisis, the EU and Welfare State Reform. London: Palgrave Macmillan. 2016. 9. (Work and Welfare in Europe). doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-58179-2	View
Heins E, Salamone A. Analysis: Future of Integration FutureLearn. 2016.	View
Heins E. Egidijus Barcevičius, Timo Weishaupt and Jonathan Zeitlin (eds.) (2014), Assessing the Open Method of Coordination: Institutional Design and National Influence of EU Social Policy Coordination. Journal of Social Policy. 2016 Apr;45(2):384-385. doi: 10.1017/ S0047279415000835	View
Heins E, Pautz H. Post-Crisis Policymaking in Europe: The Politics of Expertise Edinburgh: European Futures. 2016.	View
Heins E, Pautz H. Government and 'independent expertise' : think tanks represent a blind spot for critical analysis London: British Politics and Policy; London School of Economics. 2016.	View
Heins E, Bennett H. ‘Best of both worlds’? A comparison of third sector providers in health care and welfare-to-work markets in Britain. Social Policy and Administration. 2016 Jan;50(1):39-58. Epub 2015 Mar 5. doi: 10.1111/spol.12126	View
Heins E, de la Porte C. Social Europe since the Crisis Edinburgh: European Futures. 2015.	View
Heins E, Deeming C. Welfare and well-being - inextricably linked. In Brunton A, Foster L, Haux T, Deeming C, editors, In Defence of Welfare 2. Bristol: Policy Press. 2015. p. 13-15	View
de la Porte C, Heins E. A new era of European Integration? Governance of labour market and social policy since the sovereign debt crisis. Comparative European Politics. 2015 Jan 1;13(1):8-28. Epub 2014 Sept 29. doi: 10.1057/cep.2014.39	View
Heins E, de la Porte C. Introduction: The sovereign debt crisis, the EU and welfare state reform. Comparative European Politics. 2015 Jan;13:1-7.	View
de la Porte C, Heins E. Game change in EU and social policy: Towards more European integration. In João Rodrigues M, Xiarchogiannopoulou E, editors, The Eurozone Crisis and the Transformation of EU Governance: Internal and External Implications. 1st ed. Farnham: Routledge. 2014. p. 157-170. (Globalisation, Europe, Multilateralism). doi: 10.4324/9781315558462-14	View
Heins E. Doctors in the driving seat? Reforms in NHS primary care and commissioning. In Ramia G, Farnsworth K, Irving Z, editors, Social Policy Review 25: Analysis and Debate in Social Policy, 2013. Vol. 25. Bristol: Policy Press. 2013. (Social Policy Review).	View
Heins E, Parry R. The Role of Wage Bargaining Partners in Public Sector Reform: The Case of Primary Care Contracts. European Journal of Industrial Relations. 2011 Dec 1;17(4):381-396. doi: 10.1177/0959680111420722	View
Heins E, Price D, Pollock AM, Miller E, Mohan J, Shaoul J. A Review of the Evidence of Third Sector Performance and its Relevance for a Universal Comprehensive Health System. Social Policy and Society. 2010 Oct;9(4):515-526. doi: 10.1017/S1474746410000230	View
Heins E. Politiques sociales et d’évolution des pouvoirs: l'exemple écossais. Informations Sociales. 2010;3:38-45. 159.	View
Heins E, Pollock AM, Price D. The Commercialisation of GP Services: A Survey of APMS Contracts and New GP Ownership. British Journal of General Practice. 2009 Oct;59(567):e339-e343. doi: 10.3399/bjgp09X472638	View
Viebrock E. Review Article: Social Policy in Scotland Since Devolution. Social Policy and Society. 2009 Jul 1;8(03):419-430. doi: 10.1017/S1474746409004953	View
Viebrock E, Clasen J. Flexicurity and Welfare Reform: A Review. Socio-Economic Review. 2009 Apr;7(2):305-331. doi: 10.1093/ser/mwp001	View
Pollock A, Viebrock E, Price D. Response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill: Centre for International Public Health Policy, University of Edinburgh. 2009.	View
Viebrock E, Clasen J. Flexicurity – a state-of-the-art review: Working Papers on the Reconciliation of Work and Welfare in Europe . Edinburgh: RECWOWE Publication, Dissemination and Dialogue Centre. 2009.	View
Pollock A, Viebrock E, Price D. Response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on changes to eligibility criteria for providers of primary medical services: Centre for International Public Health Policy, University of Edinburgh. 2008.	View
Clasen J, Viebrock E. Voluntary Unemployment Insurance and Trade Union Membership: Investigating the Connections in Denmark and Sweden. Journal of Social Policy. 2008 Jul;37(3):433-451. doi: 10.1017/S0047279408001980	View
Clasen J, Viebrock E. “Voluntary Unemployment Insurance and Trade Union Membership. Investigating the connections in Denmark and Sweden”. In Krishna S, editor, Flexicurity. Concepts and Global Perspectives. Icfai University Press. 2008	View
Pollock A, Price D, Viebrock E, Miller E, Watt G. The market in primary care. British Medical Journal (BMJ). 2007 Sept 8;335(7618):475-477.	View
Heins E. Welfare reform and labour market dynamics: a preliminary review of the literature. RECWOWE Publication, Dissemination and Dialogue Centre, 2007. 19 p.	View
Clasen J, Viebrock E. “Das Genter System der Arbeitslosenversicherung – immer noch gewerkschaftliches Rekrutierungsinstrument oder sozialpolitisches Auslaufmodell? Dänemark und Schweden im Vergleich“. Zeitschrift für Sozialreform. 2006;52(3):351-371.	View
Viebrock E. Launch of the Scottish Social Policy Network. Policy World - Newsletter of the Social Policy Association. 2004.	View
Kümmerling A, Viebrock E. Die Situation von Studentinnen und Akademikerinnen in Mannheim - eine Bestandsaufnahme (1907-1998). In FDUM, editor, 10 Jahre Senatskommission zur Förderung der gleichberechtigten Entfaltung von Frauen in Studium, Forschung und Lehre an der Universität Mannheim. Mannheim: Universität Mannheim. 1999. p. 22-28	View

Elke Heins's Research Explorer profile

Dr Elke Heins

Job Title

Room number

Building (Address)

Street (Address)

City (Address)

Country (Address)

Post code (Address)

Research interests

Research interests

PhD students (current)

Topics interested in supervising

Background

Teaching

Semester 1

Semester 2

Online teaching

Knowledge exchange

Other professional activities

Works within

Staff Hours and Guidance

Publications by user content