Introducing Social Policy

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on 'Introducing Social Policy', including its definition, historical development, theoretical critiques of the welfare state, and its interdisciplinary and comparative aspects.

Social Policy

Both an academic subject area and a sphere of government activity, with boundaries that are somewhat vague and change over time.

Social Administration

The earlier name for social policy, strongly associated with the Fabian tradition and social democratic thought for much of the twentieth century.

Fabian Tradition (in Social Administration)

A perspective linked to social democratic thought (e.g., the Labour Party) that believed in the state as a central pillar of welfare provision (the 'welfare state') in a mixed economy.

Classic Welfare State Policies

Often conceived in relation to income maintenance, social security, health care, personal social services, education and training, employment, and housing.

New Right (Anti-collectivists)

A theoretical challenge to state welfare provision, often drawing on neo-liberal ideas, arguing it burdened the economy, damaged individual choice, weakened the family, and encouraged dependency.

Marxist Approach (to welfare)

A critical view suggesting that state welfare primarily reflects the needs of capitalism for an educated, healthy workforce, rather than genuinely solving social problems.

Centrist Critiques (of welfare state)

Focused on the inefficiency, inflexibility, and remoteness of large bureaucratic welfare organizations, proposing shifts towards pluralistic, decentralized, and participative provision.

Feminist Perspectives (on welfare)

Highlighted assumptions behind welfare provision, such as the 'natural' role of women in providing unpaid care, and the exploitation of their caring role, as well as gender inequalities within services.

Neo-liberal critiques of bureaucracies

Arguments that bureaucrats promote self-interest at public expense, that political control of state bureaucracies is ineffective, and that these factors increase pressure for higher public expenditure.

Comparative Social Policy

A major strand within the subject that emerged from the 1970s, involving the study and understanding of social policy by examining different forms of welfare provision across various states.

Policy Transfer

The process by which governments draw upon ideas and policies from other countries to help them respond to domestic issues.

QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Social Policy

Defines social policy as an interdisciplinary and applied subject concerned with the distribution and organization of human welfare and well-being, focusing on how societies respond to social needs.

Critical Examination of Social Policies

A practice for students and analysts to examine policies regarding their intentions and impacts, considering the extent to which they achieve goals and the reasons why, often involving understanding diverse perspectives.

Evolution of Academic Social Policy

Has moved from a narrow focus on the welfare state to a broader consideration of provision by public, private, voluntary, and informal sectors, and incorporates international dimensions.

Interdisciplinary Nature of Social Policy

Draws on ideas and methods from economics, political science, sociology, criminology, development studies, human geography, social anthropology, social psychology, and social work.