Nordic reforms to improve the labour market participation of vulnerable youth: An effective new approach? Rune Halvorsen and Bjørn Hvinden Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway Abstract This article asks how the legitimacy (recognition or misrecognition) of “ethnicity” and “disability” influences public policies to promote the inclusion of young adults in the Nordic labour markets. The article assesses the case for seeing misrecognition and lack of accommodation as significant factors behind troubled transitions from school to work, and the case for regarding social regulation (or self-regulation) as important ways of preventing, counteracting and correcting exclusionary factors in the transition from school to work among the two groups. The article argues that increased atten- tion at the implementation stage of the policy process is neces- sary to be able to assess whether seemingly novel or innovative regulatory policies and measures actually enhance equal opportunities. Keywords youth, disabled youth, migrant worker, employ- ability, labour force participation, Norway, Scandinavian countries Introduction This article assesses the case for seeing misrecognition and lack of accommodation as significant factors behind troubled transitions from school to work, and the case Addresses for correspondence: Rune Halvorsen, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sci- ences, NOVA Norwegian Social Research, P.O. Box 3223 Elisenberg, NO-0208 Oslo, Norway; Email: rune.halvorsen@nova.hioa.no. Bjorn Hvinden, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sci- ences, NOVA Norwegian Social Research, P.O. Box 3223 Elisenberg, NO-0208 Oslo, Norway; Email: bjorn.hvinden@nova.hioa.no. bs_bs_banner 29 International Social Security Review, Vol. 67, 2/2014 © 2014 International Social Security Association