China, which is fast on its way to becoming the most powerful economic force in the world, has four unique characteristics that distinguish it from other countries in Asia: (1) The proportion of aging population is growing faster than that of Japan (the country previously recognized as having the fastest rate) and much faster than nations in western Europe. (2) An early arrival of an aging population before modernization has fully taken place, with social policy implications. It is certain that China will face a severely aged population before it has sufficient time and resources to establish an adequate social security and service system for older people. (3) There will be fluctuations in the total dependency ratio. The Chinese government estimates are that the country will reach a higher dependent burden earlier in the twenty-first century than was previously forecast. (4) The government's fertility policy (single child per family) and its implementation has a strong influence on the aging process. Fewer children are being born, but with more elderly people a conflict arises between the objectives to limit population increase and yet maintain a balanced age structure (Peng and Guo 2001). The intersection of these fourfold factors means that the increased aging population is giving rise to serious concerns among Chinese social policy makers. There is a chronic lack of good resource materials that attempt to make sense of social policy in its relationship to examining the problems and possibilities of human aging grounded in an analysis of economic of social policy in China and impact on rural and urban spaces. Such analysis of China will be covered by conceptual, theoretical, and empirical approaches. The book will also discuss substantive topics of housing, community care, family care, pensions, and mental health. The book brings together a truly world class array of researchers to provide discussions of critical implications of aging social policy and the economic impact in China.

Drawing on contributions from user activists and academic researchers, this topical reader provides a critical stock take of the state of user involvement. It considers different contexts in which such involvement is taking place and includes diverse and sometimes conflicting perspectives on the issues involved. This original and insightful critique will be an important resource for students studying health and social care and social work, researchers and user activists.

Almost everywhere across the world, economic inequality has been rising within and across national borders. The vision of a fairer world embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is being assailed by the advance of conservative ideology aided by vitriolic right-wing populism sweeping across the globe. Neoliberal ideology has had a profound impact in the shaping social work and human services at the frontlines. This book contributes to scholarship in critical practice and theory. It does so by exploring a practice approach steeped in the critical tradition that has hitherto received inordinately nominal attention in social work literature. The book features accounts of consciousness-raising in a variety of contexts - caste relations, race and religion, gender and sexuality, disability and social class. The narratives are meant to tease out conceptions and potential applications of consciousness-raising as an approach for critical practice. It will be of interest to practitioners, educators and students of social work, community development, social development and social pedagogy as well as those engaged in the promotion of human rights and social justice.

The volumes in this set, originally published between 1940 and 1994, draw together research by leading academics in the area of welfare and the state, and provide a rigorous examination of related key issues. The volume examines the concepts of welfare in relation to the state through the areas of policy making, social administration, class division and social inequality, social policy and privatization, whilst also exploring the general principles and practices of the welfare state in various countries. This set will be of particular interest to students of sociology, politics, economics, social work respectively.

The book is a collection of peer-reviewed scientific papers submitted by active researchers in the 37th National System Conference (NSC 2013). NSC is an annual event of the Systems Society of India (SSI), primarily oriented to strengthen the systems movement and its applications for the welfare of humanity. A galaxy of academicians, professionals, scientists, statesman and researchers from different parts of the country and abroad are invited to attend the conference. The book presents research articles in the areas of system's modelling, complex network modelling, cyber security, sustainable systems design, health care systems, socio-economic systems, and clean and green technologies. The book can be used as a tool for further research.

Product recalls spanning toys, children's products, food, pet food, and automobiles have increased dramatically in the recent past. Consequently, the safety of imported products has been pushed to the top of the agenda for companies, consumers, and governments. It has often been argued that recalls occur due to differences among national standards, cost pressures and opportunistic behavior by companies. However, analysis of US toy recalls over a 20 year period reveals that the key to decreasing recalls and harm from defective products lies in improving product designs, learning from recalls and swiftly acting on incidents. Together, these point to the inherent dangers in the disaggregation of value chain and the need to effectively manage those dangers.

How can unjust societies be overcome with a better distribution of opportunities to flourish? How can human development be revitalised in countries where social welfare is being questioned? In short, how can human development be fostered in practice? These are some of the important questions asked in this volume through analysis of existing policies and conceptualisations of coherent and systematic strategies for human development policies at the local, national and international level. International contributors innovatively combine the hitherto unpaired perspectives of the capability approach and the tradition of critical social policy with empirical examples using case studies from South-Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North and South America. The result is a call for a new, feasible approach towards more socially balanced, democratic and innovative capability-promoting policy activities, models and programmes that reduce social and human suffering to promote an enhanced social quality of current societies around the world.

This edition of Social Policy Review marks the 40th anniversary of a publication from the UK Social Policy Association devoted to presenting an up-to-date and diverse review of the best in social policy scholarship. It includes a special Anniversary Preface celebrating the publication's evolution and distinctive contributions. Continuing its reputation as a cutting edge, international publication in social policy, Part One of this edition analyses current developments under the UK's Coalition Government across a range of key policy areas. Part Two includes an examination of social policy in 'developing' countries, including in Africa and the Arab nations. Part Three considers the fate of social welfare in countries among the worst hit by the 'economic crisis', including: Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Iceland. Social Policy Review is essential reading for social policy academics and students and for anyone who is interested in the implications of government policy.

The ongoing News International phonehacking scandal has made abundantly clear that the media's influence over politics is both immense and largely hidden from public scrutiny. As the scandal grows, a question arises: even when they stay on the right side of the law, to what extent do the media influence the political process? In "Democracy under Attack," one of the media's own--Malcolm Dean, the "Guardian'"s long-standing chief monitor of social policy--expertly indicts his fellow journalists, revealing the ways their distorted coverage undermines democracy. Based on four decades of upperlevel UK government briefings and interviews with over one hundred senior policy makers, "Democracy under Attack" overflows with incisive observations and colorful stories, culminating in a damning list of the seven deadly sins of modern journalists. Dean's long experience and insider status inform his detailed and disturbing account of news production in Britain, revealing the connections between what goes on in newsrooms, lobbyists' offices, and Parliament as well as how those connections decisively shape government policy.

Hardbound. This three part monograph aims to enable road safety researchers and professionals to interpret correctly the results of one of the main sources of knowledge about the effect of road safety engineering measures, the observational Before-After study.Part I, ESSENTIALS - contains information the author regards as essential for forming an opinion of results obtained by others, and for planning and analysing such a study. This is written to be accessible to all.Part II, ADAPTATIONS OF CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES - explains how to avoid the errors and improve the results obtained from the predominant methods currently used. This Part employs algebra and statistical analysis.Part III, ELEMENTS OF A NEW APPROACH - presents new approaches to improve future methods of observation and analysis.

Research in Social Problems and Public Policy (RSPPP) is a peer-reviewed series devoted to the sharpening and reshaping of scientific discourse involving the intersection of social problems and public policy. In particular, it is interested in the analysis of the potential failure of public institutions to fulfil their obligations to the broader society. Multidisciplinary in nature, Research in Social Problems and Public Policy presents important themes of: social/crime problems and their treatment; criminal justice; law and public policy; crime, deviance and social control; courts and diversion programs; therapeutic jurisprudence, restorative justice and alternative dispute resolution; law and society; substance use/abuse and treatment; health and society; and institutional interaction. The articles have a clear connection to the series' main focus, lying at the confluence of social problems and public policy. The series emphasises the need to consider the organisationally - and institutionally - specific features, competencies and decision-making practices of social problems, whilst also providing a useful mix of theoretical, methodological, substantive and public policy issues. Additionally, it aids the establishment of working networks of academics and practitioners from across the globe.

This book explores the dynamics of community self help in local neighbourhoods. It shows how widespread it is, and argues that it should be considered as the third major sector of social and economic organization (alongside the state and market). Danny Burns, Colin C. Williams and Jan Windebank examine community self-help as a springboard into the mainstream, a complement to it, and an alternative. Finally, the book opens out a vision of social organization with self-help and mutual aid at its heart.

Motherhood Interrupted: Stories of healing and hope after abortion. Sixteen women come together to offer their personal experiences on how abortion affected their lives. These revealing stories underscore the impact of abortion on the individual, relationships and families. These courageous women overcome their shame and guilt to witness to the devastating aftermath of their choice. Through their stories readers will understand that abortion is not the answer for women or society. Motherhood Interrupted is a journey through acceptance, forgiveness and healing arriving at mercy and hope. Empowered and unified voices of experience speak dismissed truth into the darkest moments of child loss through choice. Forgiveness from the guilt of sin has birthed a new day of victory in secluded grief. Motherhood Interrupted is a "must read" for individual and corporate living beyond America's secret sorrow, abortion. Joyce Zounis, mom of 12, seven lost through abortion. Featured in the internationally released documentary, "I was wrong." View trailer at www.IwasWrong.info

What is the relation between social class and social justice? This is currently a matter of public as well as academic controversy. While nobody would deny that the distribution of rewards in industrial societies is unequal, there is sharp disagreement about whether this inequality can be justified. Some see existing patterns of social mobility as evidence of inequality of opportunity. Others regard them as meritocratic, simply reflecting the distribution of abilities among the population. This fascinating, interdisciplinary study brings together recent developments in normative thinking about social justice with new empirical findings about educational attainment and social mobility. The result is a path-breaking contribution to our thinking about issues of class and justice, one that will be of interest to both sociologists and political theorists for many years to come.

The economic crises of the 1970s marked the end of the 'Golden Age' of the welfare state and triggered a broad range of cost containment measures in OECD countries. In the healthcare sector the difficulties of cutting back state involvement are largely caused by the fact that the legitimacy of health systems is based on their capability to provide a satisfactory standard of healthcare for all citizens, irrespective of their ability to pay for it. Hence, the divergent healthcare system types of the heydays of the welfare state which were characterized by the distinct role of the state have now changed profoundly. Combining cross-sectional studies on healthcare financing, provision and policy values with in-depth country studies of Britain, Germany and the US, this volume argues that divergent healthcare system types are now converging toward hybrid forms.

Social policy is now central to political debate in Britain. What has been achieved by efforts to improve services and reduce poverty? What is needed to deliver more effective and popular services to all and increasing social justice? These are some of the questions discussed in this collection of essays by a distinguished panel of leading social policy academics. The papers cover key issues in contemporary social policy, and particularly recent changes. The essays in this collection have been specially written in honour the 70th birthday of Howard Glennerster whose work is concerned not only with the theoretical, historical and political foundations of social policies but, crucially, with how they work in practice. All too often, services delivered at street level fall far short of planners' dreams and politicians' rhetoric. The essays examine the history and goals of social policy and the delivery of social policy focussing on the family and the state, schools, higher education, healthcare, social care, communities and housing. Then, redistribution is examined focussing on child poverty, pension reform and resources for welfare. This is a collection of importance for those working in and interested in policy and politics in a wide variety of fields and for students of social policy, public policy and the public sector.

This book studies the relationships between economic growth and social welfare and the policy implications of these relationships for development. Understanding the relationships between economic growth and social welfare is an enduring issue within contemporary development economics and welfare economics. These relationships are analysed in this book by operationalising normative social choice theory. Normative social choice theory is an appropriate approach as it explicitly incorporates society's preferences, values and choices in determining how social welfare should be defined and measured. Two approaches, aggregate and hierarchical, are developed and empirically applied to Thailand for a twenty-five year period 1975-1999. This book concludes that in terms of social welfare, economic growth cannot always be assumed desirable. What is needed is social welfare enhancing economic growth. A review of the policy implications of this finding is also undertaken.

This book contains a series of articles, written by international experts in the fields of intellectual disability and quality of life, that explore a broad range of issues that impact on the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. The book commences with a general discussion on defining quality of life and family quality of life and the appropriateness of using these constructs in the field of intellectual disability, and is followed by an analysis on the effects of living arrangements and employment on quality of life. The book concludes with discussions on the unique issues facing children with intellectual disabilities and people living in developing countries and the effect these issues have upon their quality of life.

'In this important contribution to the analysis and construction of European Union citizenship, Charlotte O'Brien provides her characteristic blend of rigorous legal scholarship and compelling social vision. She identifies challenging questions about the relationship between justice and vulnerability that should concern the shaping of law at all levels of governance.' Professor Niamh Nic Shuibhne, University of Edinburgh 'Piercing the veil of well-known proclamations of "equality" and "non-discrimination", in this intimate portrait of Union law O'Brien sounds a sobering wake up call. The Union, to the genuine surprise of some converted, is a powerful actor of injustice, failing the vulnerable Europeans at many a turn, blinded by its own proclaimed righteousness and goodness to be aware of the plight of those it lets down. The sooner we dispel the oxymoronic myth of a "market citizen" as a necessary tool of the uniquely benevolent EU internal market project, the sooner the process of healing the Union turning its back on the majority of Europeans can begin. This book is an important part of this beginning.' Professor Dimitry Kochenov, University of Groningen 'Doctrinal mastery. Intellectual rigour. Conceptual depth. Empirical enrichment. O'Brien's landmark text offers its readers all of these qualities. But she also writes with a clarity and honesty of purpose that is an inspiration to her readers. Particularly at a time when certain political actors seek to vilify "expertise", Unity in Adversity is a testament to the value of independent and critical academic research.' Professor Michael Dougan, University of Liverpool The EU is at a crossroads of constitution and conscience. Unity in Adversity argues that EU market citizenship is incompatible with a pursuit of social justice, because it contributes to the social exclusion of women and children, promotes a class-based conception of rights, and tolerates in-work poverty. The limitations of EU citizenship are clearest when EU nationals engage with national welfare systems, but this experience has been neglected in EU legal research. Unity in Adversity draws upon the ground-breaking EU Rights Project, working first hand with EU nationals in the UK, providing advice and advocacy, and giving ethnographic insight into the process of navigating EU and UK welfare law. Its study of EU law in action is a radical new approach, and the case studies illustrate the political, legal and administrative obstacles to justice faced by EU nationals. Taken together, the strands demonstrate that 'equal treatment' for EU nationals is an illusion. The UK's welfare reforms directed at EU nationals are analysed as a programme of declaratory discrimination, and in light of the subsequent referendum, should be treated as a cautionary tale - both to the EU, to take social justice seriously, and to other Member States, to steer away from xenophobic law-making. Shortlisted for the 2018 BBC Thinking Allowed Award for Ethnography. Winner of the 2019 Hart-SLSA Book Prize.

This book explores the complex relationship between social security and economic development, arguing that social security contributes positively to economic development by promoting social investments that not only foster economic growth but enhance social welfare for all. The contributors analyse the various forms of social security, and, through comprehensive analysis of country experiences, demonstrates that the relationship between social security and economic development defies the simplistic interpretations currently popular in literature on the subject. A variety of country case studies are explored including Britain, Chile, China, India, Korea, Norway, Singapore, South Africa and the United States. This topical volume is a vital companion for all interested in the dynamics of the relationship between social security and the economy.