Understanding the Mixed Economy of Welfare: (Understanding Welfare: Social Issues, Policy and Practice)

As the state withdraws from welfare provision, the mixed economy of welfare – involving private, voluntary and informal sectors – has become ever more important. This second edition of Powell’s acclaimed textbook on the subject brings together a wealth of respected contributors. New features of this revised edition include: • An updated perspective on the mixed economy of welfare (MEW) and social division of welfare (SDW) in the context of UK Coalition and Conservative governments • A conceptual framework that links the MEW and SDW with debates on topics of major current interest such as ‘Open Public Services’, ‘Big Society’, Any Qualified Provider’, Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and ‘Public Private Partnerships’ (PPP) Containing helpful features such as summaries, questions for discussion, further reading suggestions and electronic resources, this will be a valuable introductory resource for students of social policy, social welfare and social work at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: the mixed economy of welfare and the social division of welfare ~ Martin Powell The mixed economy of welfare in historical context ~ John Stewart The state ~ Brian Lund Market welfare ~ Robin Miller Voluntary and community welfare ~ Rob Macmillan and James Rees Informal welfare ~ Martin Powell The benefits and inequalities of fiscal welfare ~ Adrian Sinfield Occupational welfare ~ Edward Brunsdon and Margaret May The mixed economy of welfare: a comparative perspective ~ Michael Hill Conclusion: analyses in the mixed economy of welfare and the social division of welfare ~ Martin Powell

About the Author :
Martin Powell is a Professor of Health and Social Policy at the University of Birmingham. Martin’s main research interest is in the British welfare state, especially the NHS. He has written or edited some 19 books, including some being translated into Chinese, Korean, and Polish. He has written over 80 peer reviewed articles, and he is a former editor of the journal ‘Social Policy and Administration’.

Review :
"This book provides an up-to-date account of welfare pluralism that is both accessible to students and likely to revitalise an important debate within Social Policy. A must-read for academics and students alike." Kirk Mann, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Leeds, about the first edition. "..offers a coherent and comprehensive account of MEW in Britain both in policy and in policy studies, while offering useful insights to other conceptualisations. Presented in a very accessible way and including teaching and learning tools, it is of interest both to academics and students....." Social Policy, Vol 37:3, about the first edition. "The authors and editors are to be congratulated on maintaining an accessible style throughout, and in their clear explanations and critiques of the political thinking behind New Labour's 'Third Way' approach to welfare. ... I would recommend this book" Journal of Advanced Nursing, Vol 60 (4), about the first edition.