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In a context of de-standardized transitions to work, young people are required to take more individual decisions, a process in which their subjectivities become increasingly important for social integration.While it can be assumed that this is a general trend, this article seeks to analyse the impact of different 'transition regimes' upon young people's biographical experiences. Based on three comparative studies related to young people's transitions to work, firstly, different 'transition regimes' are outlined, and secondly, the extent to which regime characteristics are reflected in young people's accounts of their experiences is analysed; simultaneously, the underlying question of the extent to which young people perceive the possibilities of making subjectively meaningful choices is addressed, along with how this decision-making process is facilitated by flexibility and secured against the risk of failure and exclusion.

This article aims at contributing to a systematisation of comparative social work research with regard to reflection on its purpose, object, and methodology. On one hand, models and approaches from comparative welfare and education are presented and applied to comparative social work research. On the other hand, a theoretical and methodological framework model is suggested which develops comparative social work research from a life course perspective which allows to contextualise social work practice in terms of the functions and meanings it takes in different societies. This model of life course regimes is based on a series of comparative studies on young people's transitions to adulthood and the public policy and practice addressing them. Findings: The model of life course regimes provides a framework of contextual knowledge which enables interpretation by relating comparative findings with regard to social work to the respective societal contexts. It represents a framework for clustering different constellations of social integration and normality providing social work with specific functions and meanings.Application: The model of life course regimes may inform the sampling of comparative studies as well as guiding the process of interpretation and analysis. Apart from this it represents a source of critical reflexivity both for theory and practice.

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