Linda Hantrais Loughborough University, UK

Linda Hantrais is Emeritus Professor of European Social Policy in the Department of Politics, History and International Relations, Loughborough University, UK; Visiting Fellow at the Centre for International Studies, London School of Economics, UK; and an academician of the Academy of Social Sciences, UK. Her research interests span international comparative research theory, methodology, management and practice, with particular reference to public policy and institutional structures in the European Union, and the relationship between socio-demographic trends and social policy. She has coordinated several European research projects and has acted as consultant for an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)-funded Researcher Development Initiative for a training programme in International Social Research Methods. Her more recent publications on these topics include: Family policy matters: Responding to family change in Europe (Policy Press, 2004); Social policy in the European Union (Palgrave Macmillan, 2007, 3rd edition); Cross-National research methodology and practice (ed. with S. Mangen, Routledge, 2007); International comparative research: Theory, methods and practice (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, web companion: ).