Social Control Theories of Social Policy

1980 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan Higgins

ABSTRACTThe concept of social control is crucial in explaining both the growth of social policies and their effects. It raises important questions about the legitimacy of state intervention, the maintenance of order and the protection of individual freedom. The term is widely used in the social policy literature but there have been few attempts to define it or to explore its various meanings and connotations. The aim of this article is to examine some of these issues. It begins with an account of the growth of social control theories focusing particularly upon recent developments in Marxist thought and the literature on the ‘urban crisis’ and ‘radical social work’. The second and third sections of the article explore the different usages of the notion of social control and evaluate some of the main propositions of social control theories of social policy.

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (42) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cilene Sebastiana da Conceição Braga ◽  
Maria Inês Martinho Antunes Amaro

Esse artigo parte de reflexões produzidas na pesquisa Serviço Social e famílias: análise das demandas postas aos assistentes sociais do Brasil e de Portugal, iniciada em 2017. Países da América Latina e da Europa têm enfrentando uma gama de desafios frente às tensões sociais decorrentes da ofen­siva neoliberal. O objetivo desse artigo é levantar algumas preocupações de assistentes sociais em vista da redução de direitos sociais. Existe a necessidade de capacitação e de reflexões dos profissionais com as mudanças nos processos de reorganização dos arranjos familiares e com o aumento da desigualdade. Em paralelo, assistiu-se, sob o signo da austeridade, a uma viragem das políticas sociais para modelos mais assistenciais e focalizados.Palavras-Chave: austeridade; assistência social; famílias.  Abstract – This article is based on reflections produced in the research “Social work and families: an analysis of the demands placed on social workers in Brazil and Portugal” started in 2017. Countries in Latin America and Europe have a range of challenges facing the social tensions arising from the neoliberal advance. The purpose of this article is to raise some concerns of social workers about the diminishing social rights. There is a need for training of and reflection by professionals with the changes in the processes of reorganization of family arrangements and increase of inequality. In parallel, austerity was seen as a shift in social policies towards more assistencialized and focused models.Keywords: austerity; social assistance; families.


Südosteuropa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-174
Author(s):  
Pieter Vanhuysse

Abstract This essay contributes to the development of an analytical political sociology examination of postcommunist policy pathways and applies such an analysis in a reinterpretation of the social policy pathways taken by Hungary and Poland. During the critical historical juncture of the early 1990s, governments in these new democracies used social policies to proactively create new labor market outsiders (rather than merely accommodate or deal with existing outsiders) in an effort to stifle disruptive repertoires of political voice. Microcollective action theory helps to elucidate how the break-up of hitherto relatively homogeneous clusters of threatened workers into newly competing interest groups shaped the nature of distributive conflict in the formative first decade of these new democracies. In this light, we see how the analytical political sociology of postcommunist social policy can advance and modify current, predominantly Western-oriented theories of insider/outsider conflict and welfare retrenchment policy, and can inform future debates about emerging social policy biases in Eastern Europe.


2009 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 336-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. David Harrison

Community social work was a model of practice that was advocated by many roughly from the late 1970s through the 1980s, in the United Kingdom. The approach faded as the field of social work and social services changed drastically in subsequent years. This study conducted in 2006 and 2007, follows up a 1984 study of community social work advocates to learn how the same people understood the changes that occurred over more than 20 years. A total of 9 of the original 30 participants discussed the important role of social policy and social changes that appear to have led toward more individualized, mechanistic, and often control-oriented services.


2000 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHACK KIE WONG ◽  
NAN SHONG PETER LEE

The paper starts with a brief discussion of recent developments of economic restructuring of the State Owned Enterprises in China and their related reforms in social insurance and social assistance. It then reports the findings of an attitude survey of residents in Shanghai in 1996 towards the social and economic consequences of economic reform. It reveals that, despite the fact that most people feel better off with the reforms, there is still a need for the state to play a role in social protection.


Social Work ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 97-114
Author(s):  
Guy Shennan

The chapter considers changes and developments in the content of social work education under the three headings of social science disciplines, understanding human development and relationships, and theories, approaches and methods for practice. At the start of the period under review, social science knowledge (primarily from sociology and social policy) and human development theories predominated, but as their research base and published literature have expanded, theories and methods for practice have become more prominent. The contribution to knowledge from research conducted by social workers themselves is acknowledged, as is the contribution made by experts by experience, both directly and through research interviews. The prominence of sequences on law for social workers is noted. The chapter concludes by asserting that the broad partnership of interests which should determine the content of the social work knowledge base is threatened by Government's much-expanded role, but that most social work programmes continue to ensure a balanced curriculum.


2020 ◽  
pp. 31-35
Author(s):  
Maria Kudryavtseva

The article examines the relationship between the social policy of the state and the Institute of social work. Some foreign and domestic approaches to defi ning the essence of social work as a specifi c type of activity are presented. It is noted that at a specifi c historical stage, the prevailing directions of social work, models of social assistance and support are determined by the socio-economic situation in the country, the level of social development, and the socio-cultural context. It is emphasized that in the conditions of modern reality, there is a need to develop the Institute of social work and realize its potential.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 255-263
Author(s):  
Joseph A. Varacalli ◽  

This Comment concerns itself with the relationship between the social policies of U.S. President Donald J. Trump and, respectively, American civilization and Catholic social thought. Also included are discussions of two recent American populist social movements, the Tea Party and that one generated by a commitment to the Trump Presidency, insofar as the latter relates to the primary focus of this Comment.


Author(s):  
Idit Weiss-Gal ◽  
John Gal

This study contributes to research on policy practice by enriching our knowledge about the forms that the policy engagement of social work academics takes, the dynamics of this engagement, and the factors associated with it. The study is based on structured interviews with 24 faculty members from schools of social work in Israel, all of whom are actively involved in policy formulation. The findings of the study reveal that participants are motivated by ideology and values to engage in policy and that they do so despite their perception that there is a lack of institutional support for this type of activity. The participants report that they successfully manage to combine their policy-related activities with teaching and research. The study also indicates that the social policy formulation process in Israel offers specific opportunities for the policy engagement of social work faculty.


Author(s):  
Arati Maleku ◽  
Richard Hoefer

This chapter examines the engagement of social work academics in the policy process in the United States. It begins by presenting an overview of social policy and the welfare state in the United States and by discussing the emergence of the social work profession in that country. The development of social work education in the United States and its contemporary features are then depicted. Following these, the methodology and the findings of a study of the policy engagement of American social work academics are presented. The findings relate to the levels of engagement in policy and the forms that this takes. The study also offers insights into various factors that are associated with these, such as perceptions, capabilities, institutional support and the accessibility of the policy process. The chapter concludes with an analysis of the findings and their implications.


Author(s):  
Katarina H. Thorén ◽  
Pia Tham

This chapter examines the engagement of social work academics in the policy process in Sweden. It begins by presenting an overview of social policy and the welfare state in Sweden and by discussing the emergence of the social work profession in that country. The development of social work education in Sweden and its contemporary features are then depicted. Following these, the methodology and the findings of a study of the policy engagement of Swedish social work academics are presented. The findings relate to the levels of engagement in policy and the forms that this takes. The study also offers insights into various factors that are associated with these, such as perceptions, capabilities, institutional support and the accessibility of the policy process. The chapter concludes with an analysis of the findings and their implications.


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