The characteristics (form, duration and selectivity) of unemployment and its perception by social actors, are made up of different national configurations, due not only to historical but also to social and cultural dimensions. This paper deals with unemployment situation in two distinct social contexts, the metropolitan regions of São Paulo and Tokyo. Empirical data come from two sample surveys, conducted in both metropolis, and based upon a comparative research design.
Unemployment; Metropolis; Job search; Sao Paulo; Tokyo