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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 offers relevant information regarding social policy with guidance regarding additional resources.

Mrs Philomena Hughes
Higher Education, Blackburn College
May 1, 2019

This is a very well laid out book full of information regarding Social Policies and makes relevant links between the theory and the concept of Social Policies. This book clearly identifies how policies shape practice and this is backed up by examples throughout, enabling students understand and debate this.

Mrs Helen Clarke
Health, Salisbury College
March 5, 2018

I love and my students love this book. It is clear, easy to follow and has a fantastic range of content.

Mr Lewis Simpson
Department of Health & Social Studies, Grimsby Institute of HE & FE
June 23, 2016

Useful text, well organised and up to date issues discussed in a UK context.

Mr Gurpinder Lalli
Education , Wolverhampton University
July 7, 2015

This is a good book that looks at social policy issues in various contexts. Due to the variety of discussions and concepts covered, it lends itself well to a variety of courses, and as such to social work.

Miss Jessica Wagner
Faculty of Health and Sciences, Staffordshire University
September 26, 2014

This book is a must read for the Social Policy and Social Administration course that I teach. It is important as it provides the link between the theories and concepts in social policy. Easy to understand.

Mr Ignatius Gutsa
Department of Sociology, Univ. of Zimbabwe
July 2, 2014

This text provides a brilliant introduction. It sets out in an accessible manner a wide range of theoretical approaches, debates and contemporary issues. This enables a clear link to be made between ideas and there impact on the practice context. In turn this helps reinforce the understanding of theoretical and policy issues by providing examples of how these issues play out in practice. The text captures the sense of debate and promotes critical thinking and awareness.

Mr Jameel Hadi
Department of Social Work, Salford University
November 25, 2013

The text provides a general introduction to social policy but also engages well in the theoretical aspects. This edition also provides a useful update to the earlier versions of the text. It to be recommended reading on the course because students in this module recap a number of key theoretical and conceptual elements of social policy and learn to reflect upon these in relation to voluntary and community sector organizations involved in the delivery of social policy.

Dr Lee Gregory
Institute of Applied Social Studies, Birmingham University
November 11, 2013

Not specific enough information for the course

Ms Pam Snowball
Social Work, University of Central Lancashire
August 13, 2013

This text is very good for students who are new to the study of social policy.

Mr Sean Creaney
Centre for Childhood Studies, Stockport College
August 2, 2013

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Paperback
ISBN: 9781412901710
£43.99

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ISBN: 9781412901703
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