Comparative Configurations of Care Work across Europe ■ Dawn Lyon University of Kent ■ Miriam Glucksmann University of Essex ABSTRACT The activity of work takes place in a variety of socio-economic relations, shifting over time across the boundaries between different sectors of employment (public, pri- vate, not-for-profit or voluntary) and forms of unpaid work (domestic, community, voluntary).Taking the social care work of older people as a research probe, this arti- cle explores linkages between paid and unpaid work across key forms of provision (public sector, market, family/household and voluntary sector).We analyse the rela- tive importance of the different providers of elder care in four European countries in order to highlight the relationship and interactions between paid and unpaid modes of care work. As well as revealing contrasting national configurations, our findings show clear interconnections between work undertaken in differing socio- economic modes, such that what goes on in one sector impacts upon what goes on in another. Building on a ‘total social organization of labour’ framework, this analysis of a specific field develops further an approach that may also be deployed elsewhere. KEY WORDS care work / elder care / employment / Italy / the Netherlands / Total Social Organization of Labour / Sweden / United Kingdom / work Introduction T he activity of work takes place in a variety of socio-economic domains and relations, shifting across the boundaries between different sectors of employ- ment (public, private, not-for-profit or voluntary) and forms of unpaid work 101 Sociology Copyright © 2008 BSA Publications Ltd® Volume 42(1): 101–118 DOI: 10.1177/0038038507084827 SAGE Publications Los Angeles, London, New Delhi and Singapore by guest on November 1, 2016 soc.sagepub.com Downloaded from by guest on November 1, 2016 soc.sagepub.com Downloaded from by guest on November 1, 2016 soc.sagepub.com Downloaded from by guest on November 1, 2016 soc.sagepub.com Downloaded from by guest on November 1, 2016 soc.sagepub.com Downloaded from