Fighting Income Inequality in Nigeria and Social Exclusion

The chapter examines the income inequality and social exclusion in Nigeria. The gap between the haves and have-nots has become an issue of concern in Nigeria. This chapter, therefore, seeks to examine a methodical approach for measuring inequality in Nigeria; Nigeria's ranking in human development index (between 1990 and 2017); trends in inequality, poverty, unemployment, and life expectancy from 1980 to 2017; and the income inequality in Nigeria relative to other Sub-Saharan African countries along with sex disaggregated HDI relative to other Sub-Saharan African countries and the implications to social policy reforms.

Gender Inequality and Sustainable Development

The chapter argues that inequality between men and women has led to the gap in income and poverty for women. Gender inequality and women's empowerment have, therefore, become one of the 17 pillars of the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030. This chapter, therefore, examines the global performances on gender inequality index (GII) and the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030, regional performance and the Sustainable Development Goals, the top best performers on gender gap parity versus the worst performers on gender gap parity, and sub-national performances and global rankings. Also, this chapter examines the challenges of achieving gender equality by 2030 along with policy options for achieving gender equality in the year 2030.

Fighting Poverty in the United States

A major thread that runs through the fight against poverty in the United States is its connection between the history, values, and beliefs and interventions designed to combat poverty. Certain factors determine the characteristics of poverty in the United State of America: racial and ethnic discrimination, age, gender, residence, employment, inter-generational mobility, and immigration status. This chapter, therefore, seeks to examine the historical implications to poverty, the values and beliefs about poverty and the poor, legislative interventions, conceptual clarifications and poverty measures, realities of poverty in the contemporary United States, and potential policy solutions.

Combatining Income and Wealth Inequality, Racial Discrimination, and Social Exclusion in the United States

Inequality has increased significantly in the United States during the last three decades. Growing inequality has become a shared value among political actors. Inequality has become problematic and a threat to values of citizens and even the conservatives in U.S. The chapter, therefore, examines the trends in income inequality between 1920s and 2010 and the trends in income inequality between 1979 and 2017. It also focuses on wealth inequality, realities of income inequality at sub-national levels, and income equality along racial and ethnic lines with a specific focus in the years 2007-2016. Also, inequality and social inclusion and social policy measures are discussed.

Global Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development Goals

The chapter examines the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals and its approaches to poverty eradication beyond economic deprivation. Results from the analysis of existing statistics from United Nation's reports, research centres and institutes, and Bureau of Statistics show that extreme poverty still exists at the global, regional, and sub-national levels of the world. The chapter identifies the challenges facing global poverty eradication to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda of 2030 and suggests solutions on how to eradicate poverty and hunger in the world. The chapter, therefore, examines the global multi-dimension of poverty and extreme hunger and the multi-dimension of poverty in developed and developing countries at a regional and national level with a focus on Nigeria's experience. Also, the challenges and policy options for eradicating poverty and hunger by 2030 are examined.

Conceptualizing and Theorizing Social Policy, Poverty, and Inequality

The chapter conceptualizes and theorizes social policy in the context of poverty and inequality. Inequality and poverty are two concepts that are by definition multi-dimensional and, therefore, require a comprehensive approach. The chapter argues that different theories underpinned social policies of welfare states in their fight against extreme poverty and inequality. The chapter, therefore, seeks to examine the following concepts and theories as they influence the development and reform of social policies: conceptual clarifications of social policy, poverty, social exclusion and inclusion, social cohesion or equity, theoretical underpinnings that influence social policy development and reforms, and the new social policy paradigm.

Historical Context

The chapter explores the origin of social welfare policies in welfare states in Western democratic countries. It traces the state of poverty in most Western democracies before the Great Depression of 1930s, and states' interventions with welfare social assistance programs previously handled by communities, churches, and charitable organizations. The chapter, therefore, examines the historical context of social welfare policy, the nature of the welfare state regime, modern welfare state approaches to social welfare policy, and the market and global economies and the welfare state.

Poverty and Social Exclusion in Developed and Developing Countries

The chapter examines the causes and consequences of poverty and social exclusion in developed and developing countries and suggests a new social policy option. The chapter, therefore, seeks to examine concept clarification and poverty measures, causes of poverty, consequences of poverty, poverty in developed countries, poverty in developing countries, challenges of combating poverty, extreme poverty in developed and developing countries, and new social policy options.

How the Cultural, Economic, and Political Contexts Shape Social Policy

This chapter examines the development of social welfare programs in Western democracies and notes that they are influenced by cultural, economic, and political contexts. The chapter argues that in order to understand how social policies and social programs are developed, the cultural, economic, and politician contexts must be considered. The chapter, therefore, seeks to examine the cultural context that influenced the development of social policy, the economic context that influenced the development of social policy, and the political context that influenced the development of social policy.

Gender Income and Wealth Inequality in Developed and Developing Countries

The chapter examines gender income and wealth inequality in developed and developing countries and its consequences and implications to social policy. The chapter argues that many government and non-governmental efforts to reduce inequality globally have failed because income and wealth inequality have been found to be concentrated at 1% of the population, while 99% of the population still concentrate at the bottom of the income household distribution. This chapter, therefore, examines regional gender inequality index and rankings, gender inequality in developed countries with case study of seven selected Sub-Saharan African countries, and the gender wage inequality in developed countries. Further, it explores the trends of income inequality in developed countries, using Gini-coefficient metrics between 2007 and 2016, the trends of share of income in total income distribution in 2014 (using 10 selected OECD countries), the income and wealth inequalities nexus, and the implications for social policy reforms.