Social Policy: A Conceptual and Theoretical Introduction

by Michael Lavalette (Editor), Alan Pratt (Editor)

The Second Edition of this widely adopted text has been completely revised, to provide an up-to-date and accessible introduction to social policy. The text outlines the conceptual and analytical tools essential to the understanding and investigation of social policy in any society, enabling the student to engage with the theoretical debates surrounding the discipline. Social Policy introduces and reviews key theoretical approaches used in social policy analysis, considering competing interpretations based on social democracy; neo-liberalism and Marxism. It outlines radical critiques that address inequalities of gender, race, sexuality ad age in welfare provision, and goes on to examine the issues and debates of social justice, citizenship, poverty and universalism versus selectivism. Throughout there are a range of theoretical and practical tasks to aid the students. Social Policy is a core textbook for students of social policy and welfare in universities, colleges and professional training courses.

312 pages, Hardcover

First published June 9, 1997