Score contribution per author:
α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count
Since 1980, the unemployment rate in Europe has consistently exceeded that in the United States. A large body of economic literature has attempted to explain the causes of this phenomenon. The aim of this paper is to provide an introductory overview of the subject, including a review of existing explanations, the establishment of a set of stylised facts and the introduction of a selection of recent contributions to the ongoing debate.