Trousson, Raymond / Vercruysse, Jeroom (dir.), Dictionnaire general de Voltaire. (Champion classiques, references et dictionnaires 18) 1272 p. 2020:10 (Champion, FR) <670-9>
ISBN 978-2-38096-016-7 paper ¥7,064.- (税込) EUR 38.00

Durazzi, Niccolo, Human Capital for the Knowledge Economy: Upskill Journeys in Advanced Capitalist Democracies. 192 pp. 2026:2 (Oxford U. Pr., UK) <755-234>
ISBN 978-0-19-896133-8 hard ¥25,779.- (税込) GB￡ 84.00 *

Human Capital for the Knowledge Economy offers a compelling investigation into how advanced capitalist democracies have reshaped higher education to meet the demands of their national knowledge economies. As non-routine cognitive tasks become increasingly crucial in labour markets transformed by technological change, countries have expanded higher education since the mid-1990s. Yet, as this book reveals, national approaches to creating high-level skills diverge sharply, shaped by deep institutional and political differences. This study sets out to explain those differences. At its core is a novel analytical framework that links two key dimensions: the sectoral specialisation of national economies-whether oriented toward advanced manufacturing or high-end services-and the institutional design of higher education systems, including modes of financing and patterns of differentiation. From this, the book identifies four ideal-typical state-led strategies-allocation, modification, facilitation, and information-to explain how different countries align higher education with labour market demands. Drawing on cross-national quantitative data and detailed case studies of Germany, South Korea, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, Human Capital for the Knowledge Economy explores how policy choices and institutional legacies shape countries' distinct 'upskill journeys'. The book also speaks to urgent contemporary policy debates. As governments confront the twin pressures of sustaining economic competitiveness and achieving broader societal goals-such as those entailed by the green transition-higher education becomes both more central and more politically contested.

Jun, Li, China's Urban Labor Market: Evolution and Stratification. (China Perspectives) 254 pp. 2025:11 (Routledge, UK) <755-247>
ISBN 978-1-041-15293-4 hard ¥47,569.- (税込) GB￡ 155.00 *

This book explores the evolving dynamics of China's urban labor market and social hierarchies over four decades of economic reform, offering a systematic analysis of structural shifts and their societal impacts.It begins with an overview of the key drivers that are reshaping Chinese society. This is followed by three thematic sections. Part One examines the decline of traditional systems, such as Hukou (household registration) and Danwei (work unit), revealing their diminishing role in labor market differentiation. Part Two analyzes emerging divisions and labor market segmentation via comparative and longitudinal evidence. Part Three focuses on employment disparities among college graduates and their implications for social mobility. Combining authoritative survey data from leading Chinese institutions with rigorous quantitative methods, this study bridges historical context and contemporary trends to unravel the complexities of urban stratification.This book is essential for scholars of sociology, labor economics, and Chinese studies. It also serves as a resource for policymakers, librarians, and general readers interested in China's socioeconomic transformation.