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This book is a study of the increasing territorial variations in the development of sub-national welfare systems that have occurred as an effect of the decentralization of health care and social assistance policies in Italy, Spain and Great Britain. The author examines the political factors that underlie these variations by combining cross-regional and cross-country comparisons using mixed methods. Vampa’s main finding is that regionalist parties have played a key role in sub-national welfare building and have used social policy to strengthen their legitimacy in the political struggle against central authorities. In this context, functional political competition between Left and Right has been partly replaced by territorial competition between Centre and Periphery as the main determinant of social policy making. Additionally, mainstream left-wing parties have been torn between maintaining territorial uniformity in social protection and responding to demands for more extensive social services tailored to the needs and preferences of specific regional communities. This book will be of use to academics and policy makers interested in political economy, devolution/decentralisation, welfare, and party politics.
Devolution, Regionalism and Regional Development provides an assessment of the development of devolution, regionalism and regional development in the UK from the late 1990s to the end of the Blair Governments. It provides a research-based analysis of issues central to the development of devolution and regionalism, focusing equally on politics, governance and planning. This multidisciplinary book brings together leading researchers in political science, geography, regional planning, public policy, management, public administration and sociology. This will be an important book for those researching and studying devolution, regionalism and regional development as well as those involved in their practice.
Evidence indicates that actions within four main themes (early child development fair employment and decent work social protection and the living environment) are likely to have the greatest impact on the social determinants of health and health inequities. A systematic search and analysis of recommendations and policy guidelines from intergovernmental organizations and international bodies identified practical policy options for action on social determinants within these four themes. Policy options focused on early childhood education and care; child poverty; investment strategies for an inclusive economy; active labour market programmes; working conditions; social cash transfers; affordable housing; and planning and regulatory mechanisms to improve air quality and mitigate climate change. Applying combinations of these policy options alongside effective governance for health equity should enable WHO European Region Member States to reduce health inequities and synergize efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
It has been over twenty years since the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland voted for devolution. Over that time, the devolved legislatures have established themselves and matured their approach to governance. At different times and for different reasons, each has put wellbeing at the heart of their approach – codifying their values and goals within wellbeing frameworks. This open access book explores, for the first time, why each set their goal as improving wellbeing and how they balance the core elements of societal wellbeing (economic, social and environmental outcomes). Do the frameworks represent a genuine attempt to think differently about how devolved government can plan and organise public services? And if so, what early indications are there of the impact is this having on people’s lives?
In many countries regional and local authorities are given more powers in the field of social security. Supposedly, this is a general trend taking place throughout the developed world and beyond. In this volume the processes of devolution and decentralisation in social security are researched from a comparative European perspective, taking into account the constitutional setting and the architecture of the social security systems. The book includes thirteen country studies based on a uniform format and three overarching contributions. The greater picture that emerges is that social insurance and family allowances are still very much a national competence and are predominantly functionally decentralised to a number of specialised agencies and institutions. There are only limited exceptions. A different conclusion must be drawn when we look at social assistance and social care. In many countries the role of local authorities has gradually increased over a longer period. However, in some countries this trend is reversing, and municipal powers are being limited or even taken back by central government. Devolution and Decentralisationin Social Security shows how complex, differentiated and nationally diverse the state of devolution and decentralisation in Europe actually is. This book is of particular interest to scholars in the field of social policy and social security, constitutionalists and policy makers who are interested in local administration.
What are social policies? How are social policies created and implemented? Why do certain policies exist? The fourth edition of this highly respected textbook provides a clear and engaging introduction to social policy. The book has been thoroughly updated to include: Changes in social policy introduced by the Coalition government Incorporation of an international perspective throughout, as well as anew chapter: The global social policy environment Updated pedagogy to stimulate thought and learning Comprehensive glossary Social Policy is essential reading for students beginning or building on their study of social policy or welfare. The wide-ranging coverage of topics means that the book holds broad appeal for a number of subject areas including health, social policy, criminology, education, social work and sociology. "This textbook has always been a useful teaching resource because it combines substantial and engaging analysis with 'stand alone' extracts. The new edition adds a chapter on global social policy, updates on the Coalition Government and guides to what is in the book. The added activities are well thought out and can be adapted or expanded to suit the needs of particular students." Hedley Bashforth, Teaching Fellow in Social Policy, University of Bath, UK "Social Policy: An Introduction, now in its fourth edition and eleventh year, will remain a core social policy text on reading lists across the country due to its well written and comprehensive nature. Completely revised, it has been updated and extended to reflect contemporary developments in social policy and contains updated pedagogical features, including activities for the reader, learning outcomes at the start of each chapter and detailed case studies throughout." Dr Liam Foster, University of Sheffield, UK "This book provides, as it states, an introduction to the field and does so by adopting a highly attractive pedagogic style that evidences, at every turn, a sensitivity to the approaches to learning of contemporary students. What Blakemore and Warwick-Booth have produced is a clearly laid out and well-structured analysis of impressive breadth that is a readily accessible learning instrument both for student and teacher. Importantly, it provides numerous opportunities to experiment with new ways of approaching the teaching of the subject." Steen Mangen, Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
Beyond devolution and decentralisation compares the politics, policies and polity-building dynamics of devolution in Wales and decentralisation in the French region of Brittany. Empirically, the book draws conclusions from in-depth fieldwork within two regions and reports the findings of a comparative public opinion survey. Theoretically, it contributes towards our understanding of the comparative study of regions. Perhaps most impressive is how the case studies generally are based on, but also cast light back, to the nuanced theoretical framework on regional capacity established at the outset. The book uncovers the dynamics of devolution in Wales and decentralisation in Brittany through extensive face to face interviews: over 200 interviews were carried out from 2001 to 2004, a formative stage in the development of the devolved institutions in Wales and a period of expectation in Brittany as well. The book will be of interest to the professional research community and to practitioners in Britain, France and beyond, as well as to students on comparative politics, British/Welsh politics, French politics, European studies and public policy courses.
Social Policy Review provides students, academics and all those interested in welfare issues with critical analyses of progress and change in areas of major interest during the past year. This year the Review takes the opportunity of the 60th anniversary of the key legislation founding the welfare state in the UK to provide a comprehensive overview of policy developments in the UK and internationally. The first part brings together a selection of papers which have been commissioned to examine historical and contemporary developments in policy tackling Beveridge's five evils of want, idleness, disease, squalor and ignorance, looking at how policy has changed since the aims and ideology of the inception of the post-war welfare state. The second part looks at the issue of the current challenges facing children's welfare services internationally: always a contemporary and contentious issue. The final part brings together a selection of papers looking at the effect of policy development at various governance levels on social policy. The contributions bring together an exciting mix of internationally renowned authors to provide comprehensive discussion of the some of the most challenging issues facing social policy today.
Social policy and human geography are intimately intertwined yet frequently disconnected fields. Whilst social policies are always conceived, implemented and experienced in and through geography, the role of place in social policy scholarship and practice is frequently overlooked. Bringing together experts from both fields, this collection illuminates the myriad of ways that human geography offers rich insights conceptually, empirically and methodologically into the neglected spatialities of policy scholarship, practice and experience. By building the necessary bridges towards a spatial social policy, this book enables the enhanced design, performance and understanding of social policies once properly rooted in their multiple spatialities.