| The Transformation of Welfare States? Contributor(s): Ellison, Nick (Author) |
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ISBN: 0415142512 ISBN-13: 9780415142519 Publisher: Routledge OUR PRICE: $54.10 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: December 2005 Annotation: This new study argues that while nationalism can focus on different objectives and concerns, one constant in nationalist argument is the role of a shared frame of reference. It details how frames of reference are important because they are a pre-condition for representation, both political and cultural. It argues that nations are a shorthand for the process that establishes and maintains frames of reference at a very large and very general level. However, acknowledging this does not give carte blanche endorsement to all nationalisms. There are conditions that a frame of reference should meet in order for it to be useful for a population. These conditions include relevance (a frame of reference must reflect real circumstances), currency (it must be revisable), and equal moral worth (it must value individual members of the population). In sum, this is a clear argument that the grounds of nationalism lie in its role in representation, and that its limits lie in the conditions for a useful frame of reference. This book will therefore be of great interest to all students and scholars of political science, political theory, philosophy and sociology. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Political Science | Public Policy - Social Services & Welfare |
| Dewey: 361.65 |
| LCCN: 2005007664 |
| Physical Information: 0.55" H x 8.06" W x 9.2" (0.91 lbs) 236 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: This accessible work provides a 'political sociology' of welfare states in industrial societies, with both historical and contemporary perspectives. Ellison focuses on the social and political underpinnings of a number of welfare regimes and looks at the transformations they have undergone and the challenges they face. This book assesses current debates about the role of 'globalization' in welfare state change, paying particular attention to contemporary views about the capacity of embedded institutional structures to limit the effects of global economic pressures. Ellison assesses the changing nature of social policies in nine OECD countries - selected to include 'liberal, 'social democratic' and 'continental' welfare regimes. Taking labour market and pension policies as the main areas of investigation, this volume provides 'snapshots' of welfare reform in each case, charting the ways in which different regimes 'manage' the range of challenges with which they are confronted. Ultimately, the book suggests that all contemporary welfare regimes are experiencing a level of 'neoliberal drift'. As yet, this trend towards liberalization remains constrained in those countries with more 'coordinated' economies and institutionalized forms of social partnership - but the question is for how long? This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of International Politics, Sociology and Social Policy. |