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Social Policy
Theories, Concepts and Issues

Third Edition
Edited by:

Other Titles in:
Social Policy (General)

November 2005 | 336 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
The Third Edition of this widely adopted textbook has been thoroughly revised and offers an authoritative and up-to-date coverage of the key theories, concepts and issues in social policy. The lively and readable text has been designed to provide students with the essential tools to gain a clear understanding of the theoretical debates surrounding the discipline.

The book is organized into three parts:

• Part One offers a detailed but accessible critique of major theoretical approaches such as neo-liberalism, Marxism, feminism and racism;

• Part Two explores conceptual debates such as distributive justice and postmodernism;

• PArt Three engages with contemporary social policy issues such as children, pensions and the role of New Labour.

It also features newly commissioned chapters to reflect recent developments and current debates within social policy. New areas of consideration include:

• Citizenship

• Post-structuralism

• The politics of food

• Globalization

Student exercises and reading lists feature throughout the text and practical examples are skilfully used to illustrate conceptual and theoretical material, making it the ideal core textbook for undergraduate social policy students, as well as those studying related welfare modules across the social sciences.

 
THEORETICAL APPROACHES
 
Neo-Liberalism and Social Policy
 
Towards a `New' Social Democracy
 
Marxism and Welfarism
 
Feminist Critiques of Social Policy
 
Racism and Social Policy
 
CONCEPTUAL DEBATES IN SOCIAL POLICY
 
Distributive Justice and Social Policy
 
Citizenship, Social Solidarity and Social Policy
 
Cultural Turns, Post-Structuralism and Social Policy
 
Living in a Material World
Postmodernism and Social Policy

 
 
SOME CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL POLICY ISSUES
 
Children, Social Policy and the State
The Dichotomy of Care and Control

 
 
`Demographic Time Bomb', or `Apocalyptic Demography'
The Great Pensions Debate

 
 
Social Policy and the Politics of Food
 
Wage Supplementation, Social Policy and the State
From then Old Poor Law to New Labour

 
 
New Labour and the Management of Welfare
 
Globalization and Social Policy

This book has assisted students in their first year to understand the key concepts of Social Policy and how this is translated into societal action (or inaction!).

Mr Ashley Tiffen
Institute of Policing and Criminal Justice Studies, University of Cumbria
March 7, 2013

excellent clear and well developed work which allows the reader a solid overview of the issues.

Mr Brian Boag
Nurisng and Midwifery, University of the West of Scotland
February 18, 2013

This was a very intersting book. The majority of the sections within the book are pertinent to my learners syllabus. The level of the book is also just right as the content will be slightly stretching for them. The topics discussed in the book are relevant, contemporary and interesting. The political aspects of it are very good and identify some key areas relevant to current social policy. I will advise my learners who are going onto study Social work/social science to read this book and use for references and as a basis for improving their understanding of a range of areas. It will also form the basis for new, contemporary material I will teach in 2012/13. Overall, excellent read which is enjoyable and well presented.

Mr Daniel Fenwick
Department of Health, Beauty & Care, North Lindsey College
March 13, 2012

A really good collection of contributions, that offer an additional perspective and particular-focus for students. It especially has some interesting exploration of specific contemporary discourses.

Mr Wulf Livingston
Health and Social Care, Glyndwr University
October 4, 2011

An excellent and comprehensive coverage of the theoretical foundations for social policy analysis. Looking forward to a new chapter covering the coalition

Mr David Chaisty
Social Work , Cornwall College
August 18, 2011

A good broad range of topics which are gathered into well chosen chapters. In particular chapters 11 to 16 are useful as provocations to wider than usual thought. This book is extremely valuable in encouraging students to consider education within the broader context of it being just one of many functions of public sector spending (or spending cuts as the case may be).

Mr Patrick Meehan
Education , Canterbury Christ Church University
July 8, 2011

This book is ideal. I teach 1st year students who will use this book a lot I feel. This will appear on the reading list from Sept 2010.

Mrs Alicia James
Community Studies, Truro College
May 5, 2010

This book offers the student a sound introduction to the debate on theories, concepts and Issues within the realms of social policy. This is particularly pertinent in the current political arena where society is questionably in turmoil and crisis and the need for social policy to respond to the issues and inequalities in people's lives are at the forefront of governments thinking.

Mrs Kate Thackeray
Social Science , Worcester University
February 15, 2010

This is a useful book, as it addresses central issues associated with social policy. The students have given positive feedback about it, probably because the level is appropriate for level 6 .

Dr Teresa Harms
Education , Newman College
November 13, 2009

I shall be recommending this book to students as a good basic text for understanding key aspects of social policy.

The book is clearly structured and fairly easy to read. The activities are useful and provide a useful starting point for linking the material to assessment.

Mr Paul Bunyan
Faculty of Education, University of Cumbria
October 19, 2009
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