From being an unemployment success story, Sweden was during the 1990s thrown into a European normality, with apparent high and persistent unemployment. This has made unemployment a central issue in the Swedish public debate as a social problem directly affecting hundreds of thousands of individuals. In the public debate there is however no consensus on what characterises the experience of unemployment. One perspective emphasises the role of employment for self-realisation. Unemployment here becomes a very destructive experience, due to the psychosocial value attached to employment. An alternative perspective instead views employment as a necessary evil that brings little satisfaction to those who participate in it. From this perspective unemployment mean very little to those struck by it outside the possible negative effects on income (which are minimised by the welfare state). The objective of this thesis has been to move beyond the postulated truths of what the experience of unemployment means. It uses an empirical approach in order to investigate the consequences of unemployment for mental well-being, and to develop an understanding of the reasons for this relationship. The following conclusions can be drawn from the five articles that make up the thesis. In line with previous international and Swedish research, the thesis shows that unemployment as compared to employment is in general a distressing experience. This does however not mean that we can draw the simple conclusion that unemployment represents misery and employment represents the absence of misery. The thesis finds the relationship to be more complex than so. There is a need to take into account more of the possible variations in status available both on and outside the labour market. Different exit routes from unemployment were found to have different consequences for the mental well-being of the unemployed individual. Further, the evidence in the thesis shows that there is variation in the impact of unemployment on mental well-being within the unemployment group. We should, thus, not talk about the experience of unemployment, but rather about varying unemployment experiences. The general effect of unemployment on mental well-being, and the variation in the unemployment experience, was in turn shown to be mainly dependent on two factors. Firstly on the psychosocial need for employment in a society where employment is the norm. Secondly, on the economic need for employment in a society where employment, as the thesis also shows, for many still is necessary for adequate economic resources. / <p>Härtill 5 uppsatser.</p> / digitalisering@umu

Promulguée en 2001, la LOLF assigne aux CROUS l'objectif d'améliorer les conditions de vie et de travail des étudiants sous la contrainte d'une optimisation des coûts. En s'intéressant à l'évolution du parc CROUS et à sa gestion, la première partie de la thèse essaie de concilier la question du bâti (rénovation, réhabilitation, reconstruction des cités universitaires/normes des nouvelles constructions) et celle du financement (partage aide à la pierre/allocation logement, durée de prêt, taux d'intérêt, ….).La seconde partie met en parallèle le logement et d'autres aspects de la politique publique en faveur des étudiants. L'incidence du logement sur l'égalité des opportunités scolaires et la difficulté de trouver un logement locatif nous interpellent sur l'étendue des solutions alternatives. L'étude de leurs freins nous conduit à une péréquation de l'offre CROUS. A côté de la difficulté à trouver un logement et des attentes étudiantes, le gain de pouvoir d’achat des résidents du CROUS est à rapprocher des aides sociales aux étudiants. Une comparaison entre une allocation universelle d'études et un ajustement à la marge du système des bourses conclut la thèse. / Since 2001, LOLF reinforced New Public Management in French public sector. Now, social housing for students (CROUS) must combine social goals with a cost-effective approach.First of all, we study building and try to explain the upkeep’s cost heterogeneity. We deduce strategies about restoration and constructing. Then, an optimal structure of finance between housing vouchers and housing public funds is defined.In the second part, this thesis deals with housing policies and students living. Firstly, we introduce two topics:-How housing can affect college choice?-Are co-rent, subsidies to promote lower rents or boarding school good alternatives? Why?Secondly, econometric tests examine search difficulties on housing market. We induce public investment and territorial equalization of CROUS housing. A comparison between progressive grants for students and universal basic income closes the work.