This reissue, first published in 1969, is a study of contemporary social policy in developing countries, which places the emphasis upon the human needs and requirements for social change which confront any people and any government, wherever their political and international affiliations lie, whatever their economic and social convictions may be.
ÔThis volume makes a valuable contribution to the dynamic and expanding field of scholarship on social policy in developing countries. In combining analytical frameworks used in comparative social policy analysis with an examination of key areas of policy and provision in selected countries, it will be a key resource for anyone interested in current debates in international social policy and welfare.Õ Ð Nicola Yeates, Open University, UK There is increasing interest in the significance of social policy in the management of welfare and risk in the developing world. This volume provides a critical analysis of the challenges and opportunities facing social protection systems in the global south, and examines current strategies for addressing poverty and welfare needs in the region. In particular, the text explores the extent to which the analytic models and concepts for the study of social policy in the industrialised North are relevant in a developing country context. The volume analyses the various institutions, actors, instruments and mechanisms involved in the welfare arrangements of developing countries and provides a study of the contexts, development and future trajectory of social policy in the global South. The bookÕs comparative and interdisciplinary approach will be of interest to anyone involved in social policy research and analysis and current welfare debates.
′Strong social policy is essential for sustainable growth. This book is an extremely useful overview of social policy issue for policy makers and anyone who wants to understand the true roots of successful sustainable development′ - Ian Johnson, Vice President for Sustainable Development, The World Bank ′Throughout the world issues of social development have now taken centre stage. There is no more comprehensive and readable guide to the choices and conflicts of this global drama. This book is essential reading for all students and practitioners of social development - and for every World Bank economist′ - David Piachaud, Professor of Social Policy, London School of Economics This much-needed textbook fulfils a major gap in providing a complete up-to-date guide and introduction to the increasingly important role of social policy in the context of development processes and practice. Across a number of key sectors and areas of social policy concern, the authors accessibly introduce and explain the main conceptual debates, the most recent policy discussions, and provide applied examples to illustrate the latest developments in the social policy and planning field. Central topics covered include: - poverty - rural development - urban development - education - health - social work - social welfare - international development and cooperation. Social Policy for Development is an essential text for all students and practitioners alike seeking a deeper understanding of the issues of poverty, social exclusion and deprivation across social policy and development studies internationally.
In recent years, government and policymakers around the world have shifted their attention away from money-oriented, supply-side economics to institutional economics and people-oriented social and economic development. Issues such as poverty reduction, win-win solutions and strategies in social policy and their implementation, universalization, and a variety of new large-scale conditional cash transfers programs have become ever-present in the global discussion about development and social policy. This book provides win-win strategies for social policies on the ground, as developed and put forward by the normative theoretical paradigm of Developmental Social Policy (DSP). Taking the state-of-the-art general development theory as a starting point of reference and discussion, it goes on to discuss in detail the key win-win strategies that form the basis and core of the DSP paradigm. It examines key related issues such as the performance of provident fund systems, the performance of conditional cash transfer systems (especially their elements that are based on asset- and means-testing), universalism and extension in social security provision in the context of especially developing countries, and "non-economically targeted" social welfare benefits and services. Providing fully-fledged theoretical guidance paired with key social policy strategies and solutions, it will be highly valuable for students and scholars of social policy, development studies, and Asia Pacific studies.
Social mobility is the hope of economic development and the mantra of a good society. There are disagreements about what constitutes social mobility, but there is broad agreement that people should have roughly equal chances of success regardless of their economic status at birth. Concerns about rising inequality have engendered a renewed interest in social mobility—especially in the developing world. However, efforts to construct the databases and meet the standards required for conventional analyses of social mobility are at a preliminary stage and need to be complemented by innovative, conceptual, and methodological advances. If forms of mobility have slowed in the West, then we might be entering an age of rigid stratification with defined boundaries between the always-haves and the never-haves-which does not augur well for social stability. Social mobility research is ongoing, with substantive findings in different disciplines—typically with researchers in isolation from each other. A key contribution of this book is the pulling together of the emerging streams of knowledge. Generating policy-relevant knowledge is a principal concern. Three basic questions frame the study of diverse aspects of social mobility in the book. How to assess the extent of social mobility in a given development context when the datasets by conventional measurement techniques are unavailable? How to identify drivers and inhibitors of social mobility in particular developing country contexts? How to acquire the knowledge required to design interventions to raise social mobility, either by increasing upward mobility or by lowering downward mobility?
Inequality has emerged as a key development challenge. It holds implications for economic growth and redistribution and translates into power asymmetries that can endanger human rights, create conflict, and embed social exclusion and chronic poverty. For these reasons, it underpins intense public and academic debates and has become a dominant policy concern within many countries and in all multilateral agencies. It is at the core of the 17 goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This book contributes to this important discussion by presenting assessments of the measurement and analysis of global inequality by leading inequality scholars, aligning these to comprehensive reviews of inequality trends in five of the world's largest developing countries - Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa.
Relationships between social policy and human development are the subject of much research and theorizing. The literature in this area, however, examines these issues strictly within national contexts. What influence will international agendas such as NAFTA, the World Summit for Social Development, and Habitat II have? Transnational Social Policies specifically addresses the worldwide trend for national policies on human and social development to be increasingly influenced by agendas that are international, or "transnational," in nature. In doing so, the book examines the underlying international developmental, ethical, economic, and political issues shaping national policies in health, education, and employment in the developing world. This book's focus on the "transnational" character of the social policy debate makes it a truly unique and original contribution to the literature. It will appeal to the academic community, worldwide, in international development, public policy and administration, and social work; policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in the field of public (social) policy; and the international community of individuals and organizations working in international social development.
The Handbook of Social Policy and Development makes a groundbreaking, coherent case for enhancing collaboration between social policy and development. With wide ranging chapters, it discusses a myriad of ways in which this can be done, exploring both academic and practical activities. As the conventional distinction between ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ countries becomes increasingly blurred, this Handbook explores how collaboration between social policy and development is needed to meet global social needs.
Drawing upon both conceptual and empirical evidence, this volume argues the case for the centrality of social policy in development, focusing particularly on the message that social policy needs to be closely intertwined with economic policy. It is argued that social policy can provide the crucial link between economic development poverty eradication and equity. This volume is a significant contribution to thinking about social policy in a development context.
