Advanced Introduction to Social Policy: (Elgar Advanced Introductions series)

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.Advanced Introduction to Social Policy offers a concise overview of the field that takes newer realities into account, without rejecting the insights found in the traditional social policy canon. Daniel Beland and Rianne Mahon draw on both classic and contemporary theories to illuminate the broad processes that are putting pressure on existing social policy arrangements and raising new research questions. This enlightening book enriches social policy research by moving beyond the methodological nationalism that has traditionally marked the field to include the role of transnational actors. Key features include: a concise yet advanced introduction to social policy research<.li> a close examination of changing gender relations and the increasing salience of ethnic diversity a focus on both the advanced industrial world and the growing importance of the Global South as a site of social policy innovation stressing the role of ideas in social policy a global perspective on social policy that features systematic attention to transnational actors. In this lucid and accessible book, the authors offer a thorough overview of the field of social policy. The Advanced Introduction to Social Policy is essential reading for students, academics and policymakers alike.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Introduction 1. Capitalism, Citizenship and Solidarity 2. Explaining Social Policy Development—Theoretical Perspectives 3. Classifying Countries—Reconsidering Welfare Regimes 4. Taking Ideas Seriously in Social Policy 5. Social Exclusion, New Social Risks and Social Investment 6. Changing Gender Norms, Welfare Regime Forms 7. Social Policy and the Politics of Diversity 8. Globalisation and Social Policy Conclusion Index

About the Author :
Daniel Béland, James McGill Professor of Political Science and Director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, McGill University and Rianne Mahon, Distinguished Research Professor, Carleton University, Canada

Review :
'This introductory but advanced level book is well written, accessible, clear and to the point. It's a good read. It provides a succinct overview of approaches to explaining welfare state diversity among capitalist economies. It reviews how gender and ethnic diversity and struggles around these divisions play out in shaping social policies. Its main original contribution is the case made for the independent role that ideas play in influencing policy. The globalisation context of the subject matter is nicely captured meaning that this text escapes the outdated constraints of methodological nationalism that burdens much comparative social literature.' 'Daniel Béland and Rianne Mahon provide advanced students with an excellent overview of systems of social provision and regulation worldwide, notable for its theoretical sophistication and compelling empirical materials. The authors engage with the practical and analytic challenges to welfare states, and their analysts, posed by globalization and global governance, increased migration, transformations in household forms and gender relations, and shifting racial/ethnic dynamics. Moreover, the book is well-grounded in the rich comparative traditions of welfare studies while also attending to innovative theoretical trends.'