Global Social Policy in the Making: The Foundations of the Social Protection Floor

The global economic crisis continue to dominate headlines, yet measures to build a social floor under the global economy and reform global governance have received little attention. In 2012 the Social Protection Floor was adopted as a global social policy measure ensuring that all could have access to essential health care and income security over their lifespan. This book by the world's leading authority on global social policy examines why and how the Social Protection Floor became ILO, UN and G20 policy and how the World Bank and IMF took steps to lay its foundation. Bob Deacon explains this development in terms of four influences: firstly, shifts in the global social structure, secondly, processes inside international institutions, thirdly, global actors -sometimes individuals - using their positions to make change, and fourthly, shifting discourses about social protection. This much-needed contribution to the field of global social policy will be of interest to students of international relations, international organization and development studies and should be read by international civil servants in global agencies.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; The Global Economic and Social Context; The Development of the Social Protection Floor Recommendation; The SPF, Social Dialogue and Tripartite Global Governance in Practice; The SPF and Global Social Policy Synergy; Implications for Understanding Global Social Policy Change; Reflections and Prospects.

About the Author :
Bob Deacon is Emeritus Professor of International Social Policy at the University of Sheffield, UK. His recent books are Global Social Policy and Governance, World Regional Social Policy and Global Governance and Social Policy and International Interventions in South-East Europe. He is founding editor of Critical Social Policy and Global Social Policy. He has been an adviser to the International Labour Organisation, UNICEF, United Nations Development Project, UNESCO, the World Bank, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, the European Commission and the African Union.

Review :
"A compelling combination of critical analysis, in-depth observation and a passionate plea for a Social Protection Floor as a key component of a move towards a more socially just world." ---Paul Stubbs, Senior Research Fellow, The Institute of Economics, Zagreb. "A must read for anyone interested in global governance, this book offers a richly detailed account of the how the important global social protection floor initiative took shape." ---Rianne Mahon, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. "Global Social Policy in the Making exhibits the characteristics of an excellent social policy text. Its conceptually driven, theoretically informed original empirical research produced in the service of wider social transformations makes it essential reading for students, researchers and policymakers following social policy developments in cross-border spheres of governance." ---Professor Nicola Yeates, Open University. "Professor Deacon skilfully identifies the crucial moments, key actors and competing - and shared - ideas in the global policy-struggles towards realising the right to decent livelihoods and socioeconomic protection for all." ---Dr. Timo Voipio, Senior Adviser for Global Social Policy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFAF); "A well-written report of a piece of very good news." Citizen's Income.