Social Protection and Vulnerability

Author(s):  
John Murphy

This chapter surveys the interlocking ensemble of public policy choices made in Australia around the beginning of the twentieth century, tracing the impact they have had over time. Policies of tariff protectionism, wage arbitration, racial exclusion, and social welfare were embedded in institutions. Using the framework of historical institutionalism, the chapter charts the gradual demolition of these policies, and of the distinctive pattern of social protection they attempted to develop. Shifting from a highly protected economy to one more exposed to global forces undermined the old system of ‘domestic defence’, placing significant pressure on a male breadwinner wages system and on the social welfare institutions built on the presumption of fair wages. In this scenario, it is remarkable that the welfare system has remained largely intact.

2009 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Attia ◽  
Valérie Bérenger

Although with the Maastricht Treaty, European construction took a remarkable step forward, the robust pillar of the single currency started to shake the other one: the social welfare systems. The main goal of this contribution is to study the evolution of Social Protection in Europe by questioning the existence of a convergence between the different social welfare systems and the impact of the Treaty of Maastricht on this process. The evolution of the social protection concept in Europe, the reforms implemented in the most important domains of social protection: pensions, health and employment are analyzed. A common philosophy clearly appears. The welfare State is receding, calling more and more upon market mechanisms. Furthermore, the traditional binary typology is changing and countries are becoming more similar in their financing methods. We can thus say that a process of social convergence seems well and truly underway in the European Union.


1992 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 578-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Pruzinsky

This paper discusses the social and psychological experiences of patients with the most severe forms of craniofacial deformity. The paper concludes that individuals with the most severe forms of craniofacial deformities are at risk for experiencing social and psychological stress and for having their quality of life negatively impacted by the experience of having a facial deformity. Much of the stress experienced by these individuals is the result of the negative social response to their facial deformity. It is emphasized that many patients will not develop psychopathology, because of intervening personality and family factors that may ameliorate these negative social stressors. The excellent progress made in assessing, preventing, and treating the negative psychosocial impact of facial deformity is noted. Finally, in attempting to understand the impact of facial deformity on quality of life, emphasis is placed on the subjective evaluation of these factors by each individual patient and family.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11/1 (-) ◽  
pp. 37-39
Author(s):  
Olena POSHYVALOVA

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused grave and severe losses in many of the economies across the globe. The impact and the duration of the economic crisis occurring due to the pandemic among certain households is difficult to anticipate since the indeterminacy is being defined through the duration of the crisis and costs for the recovery of the economy. The purpose of the paper is to study theoretical aspects related to the assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the poverty of households. Methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study are modern theories, concepts, hypotheses. Comparative analysis is used. The methodological and information basis of the work are scientific works, materials of periodicals, information resources. Results. The paper incorporates a content analysis of studies focusing on the economic impact of the COVID-19 on the development of national economies. The majority of studies assess economic implications of the COVID-19 however they are concentrated on the macroeconomic and financial impact of the Corona Crisis. The impact on national economies is subsequently reduced to the microlevel, specifically the social and economic impact on individuals. Nonetheless, there is a need for a microanalysis which may better describe the interrelation between sectors and countries (the effect of macroeconomic aggregate indicators) and supplement the macroanalysis, providing more relevant evaluations of the impact of the distribution of income, outline the authorities of households, the role of people's savings, determine the resilience of households. The work establishes main assumptions and restrictions of formulating the model of impact of social and economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the poverty of households Conclusion. Taking into consideration the distribution of incomes for various sectors, the proposed model allows to ensure the assessment of losses in the consumption of households, savings depletion and time for their recovery. It has been proven that without the social protection of the population the Corona Crisis will lead to a massive economic shock for the national economy. Prospects of further studies lie in the assessment of the impact of indirect macro-level factors, role of indeterminacy in the decision-making of households and implications in case of numerous waves of social crisis as well as the possible effect in the condition of concurrent exogenous shocks.


2010 ◽  
pp. 239-253
Author(s):  
Ljubo Lepir

The number of the elderly in the overall population is increasing, which poses a need to seek an adequate model of organizing social care of the elderly. Most of them get social safety through the social welfare system. A functional and sustainable social welfare system requires application of efficient management and technique models based on the theoretical premises of contemporary management. The role and the importance of old people's protection in a social welfare system is becoming a topic of great importance both for theoreticians and the practitioners in the social sector area. This research analyzes the management functions and the roles of managers in running social protection of the elderly in the example of the social welfare system in the Republic of Srpska. A decentralized system, such as the one existing in the Republic of Srpska, brings along a number of organizational problems which points out to a need to apply the theoretical bases of managerial processes. The results obtained via empirical analyses indicate a number of deficiencies and obstacles in the implementation of social protection of the elderly in the social welfare system of the Republic of Srpska which are result of the insufficient and inconsistent application of the basic managerial elements. The obstacles emerging from this analysis indicate that there are chances and opportunities to improve the system and enhance the development of new forms of protection by applying managerial theories. .


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-217
Author(s):  
Kevin Caraher ◽  
Enrico Reuter

Self-employment in the United Kingdom rose steadily until 2017, as part of wider changes in labour markets towards more flexible and potentially more vulnerable forms of employment. At the same time, welfare reform has continued under the current and previous governments, with a further expansion of conditionality with respect to benefit recipients. The incremental introduction of Universal Credit is likely to intensify the subjection of vulnerable categories of the self-employed to welfare conditionalities and to thus accentuate the ambivalent nature of self-employment. This article analyses the impact of Universal Credit on the self-employed by first discussing elements of precarity faced by the self-employed, and, second, by exploring the consequences of the roll-out of Universal Credit for those self-employed people who are reliant on the social protection system.


1998 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 248-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duncan Gallie ◽  
Helen Russell

The paper addresses the issue of the nature and determinants of variations between countries in the severity of the implications of unemployment for psychological well-being. It focuses on ten countries in the European Union over the period 1983 to 1994. It establishes that there are consistent differences between countries over time. It then examines a number of potential explanations, in particular relating to the level of unemployment, the social composition of unemployment, the strength of the work ethic in the society and the characteristics of welfare institutions. It concludes that such differences cannot be accounted for in terms of the level of unemployment or its composition in terms of age and sex. They are also unrelated to measures of employment commitment. Rather the severity of the impact of unemployment has to be understood in terms of the interaction between the characteristics of the welfare regime and the composition of the unemployed with respect to household position.


2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 1083-1123 ◽  
Author(s):  
LI ZHAO

AbstractThis study offers a conceptual analysis of the social economy in China within the context of institutional transition. In China, economic reform has engendered significant social changes. Accelerated economic growth, privatization of the social welfare system, and the rise of civil society explain the institutional contexts in which a range of not-for-profit initiatives, neither state-owned nor capital-driven, re-emerged. They are defined in this research as the social economy in China. This study shows that although the term itself is quite new, the social economy is no new phenomenon in China, as its various elements have a rich historical tradition. Moreover, the impact of the transition on the upsurge of the Chinese social economy is felt not only through direct means of de-nationalization and marketization and, as a consequence, the privatization of China's social welfare system, but also through various indirect means. The development of the social economy in China was greatly influenced by the framework set by political institutions and, accordingly, legal enabling environments. In addition, the link to the West, as well as local historical and cultural traditions, contribute towards explaining its re-emergence. Examining the practices in the field shows that the social economy sector in China is conducive to achieving a plural economy and an inclusive society, particularly by way of poverty reduction, social service provision, work integration, and community development. Therefore, in contemporary China, it serves as a key sector for improving welfare, encouraging participation, and consolidating solidarity.


Author(s):  
Maria Julia

The social, political, and economic features of Central America are summarized and the impact of economic and political processes on the region is highlighted. Predominant global, historical, cultural, and political events are weaved together, in an attempt to understand the realities of the region. The challenges for social work profession and practice are presented, as well as their implications for new approaches to intervention and education.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ka Ho Mok ◽  
Maggie Lau

China's welfare system has been a typical ‘residual welfare regime’, but the economic reform and market-oriented transformations in recent decades have weakened the original well-balanced ‘residual’ and ‘needs’ pattern. Marketisation of social welfare has intensified social inequality as those who are less competitive in the market-oriented economy have encountered tremendous financial burdens in meeting their welfare needs. In order to rectify the social problems and tensions generated from the process of marketisation of social welfare, the Chinese government has adopted different policy measures to address the pressing welfare demands from the citizens. This article examines how a local government in Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong province, has responded to the call of the central government in promoting social harmony in the context of growing welfare regionalism emerging in mainland China. More specifically, with reference to a case study of Guangzhou, this article discusses how Guangzhou residents assess their social welfare needs and expectations, and how they evaluate the municipal government's major welfare strategies. It also reflects upon the role of the state in welfare provision and social protection, especially when many social welfare and social services have been marketised in the last few decades in China.


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