Welfare State, Universalism and Diversity is a thought-provoking book dealing with key ideas, values and principles of social policies and asking what exactly is meant by universal benefits and policies? Is the time of post-war universalism over? Are universalism and diversity contradictory policy and theory framings? Well-known scholars from different countries and fields of expertise provide a historically informative and comprehensive view on the making of universal social policies. Universalism is defined and implemented differently in the British and Scandinavian social policies. Service universalism is different from universalism in pensions. The book underlines the multiple and transformative nature of universalism and the challenge of diversity. There certainly is need for a greater diversity in meeting citizen s needs. Yet, universalism remains a principle essential for planning and implementing sustainable and legitimate policies in times characterized by complex interdependences and contradictory political aims. This impressive book is an attempt to untangle the multiple meanings of universalism and clarify the concept's relevance to contemporary policy debates. It will prove invaluable for students, researchers and practitioners in social policy, public policy, social administration, social welfare, social history, social work, sociology and political sciences. Policy makers and administrators involved with social and public policies, social services, social welfare, and social work will also find this book groundbreaking. Contributors: A. Anttonen, A. Borchorst, J. Clarke, J. Goul Andersen, L. Haikio, B. Hvinden, M. Kautto, J. Newman, J. Sipila, K. Stefansson, M. Szebehely, M. Vabo

As the world becomes digitalized, developing countries are starting to see an increase in technological advancements being integrated into their society. These advancements are creating opportunities to improve both the economy and the lives of people within these areas. Affordability Issues Surrounding the Use of ICT for Development and Poverty Reduction is a relevant scholarly publication that examines the importance of information and communications technology (ICT) and its ability to aid in developing countries and the methods to make such technologies more accessible and cost less. Featuring coverage on a wide range of topics, including community networks, infrastructure sharing, and the digital divide, this book is geared toward academics, technology developers, researchers, students, practitioners, and professionals interested in the importance of understanding technological innovations.

This book is a comparative study of family change, parental employment and social policy in the five Nordic countries, the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom. In all these countries family forms have been profoundly affected by lower fertility rates, lower marriage rates, increased cohabitation, higher risks of relationship breakdown and episodes of lone parenthood. These changes have also been linked to an increase in the proportion of mothers participating in the labour market. The contributors to this book trace these social trends over the last twenty years and analyse how social policy has developed and evolved in response. They argue that while the Nordic countries pioneered efforts to recognise new family forms and reconcile work and family life, there is still considerable variation between them as well as some evidence that the non-Nordic countries are catching up. Social Policy, Employment and Family Change in Comparative Perspective will strongly appeal to academics and researchers of social policy as well as policy makers looking to learn from the experiences of these countries.

This edited volume highlights the work of ten forgotten and neglected social theorists in the hope of reinvigorating interest in their work and their potential contributions to the analysis of contemporary social issues. Each chapter includes a brief biographical sketch, an overview of the selected theorist's work and significance, and the relevance of their work to one or more contemporary social issues. While other similar texts tend to focus primarily on intellectual biography, our emphasis here is on the scholar's theories and their application to contemporary social issues. We provide a contextualization of each scholar's work, using present-day social issues or problems. Many of these individuals played a significant role in the development of sociology. Our hope is to provide a resource that will help re-integrate these marginalized social theorists, rescuing them from obscurity and elevating their status.

In 2011, the Midwest suffered devastating floods. Due to the flooding, the US Army Corps of Engineers activated the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway, one of the flood prevention mechanisms of the Mississippi Rivers and Tributaries Project. This levee breach was intended to divert water in order to save the town of Cairo, Illinois, but in the process, it completely destroyed the small African American town of Pinhook, Missouri. In When They Blew the Levee: Race, Politics, and Community in Pinhook, Missouri, authors David Todd Lawrence and Elaine J. Lawless examine two conflicting narratives about the flood--one promoted by the Corps of Engineers that boasts the success of the levee breach and the flood diversion, and the other gleaned from displaced Pinhook residents, who, in oral narratives, tell a different story of neglect and indifference on the part of government officials. Receiving inadequate warning and no evacuation assistance during the breach, residents lost everything. Still after more than six years, displaced Pinhook residents have yet to receive restitution and funding for relocation and reconstruction of their town. The authors' research traces a long history of discrimination and neglect of the rights of the Pinhook community, beginning with their migration from the Deep South to southeast Missouri, through purchasing and farming the land, and up to the Birds Point levee breach nearly eighty years later. The residents' stories relate what it has been like to be dispersed in other small towns, living with relatives and friends while trying to negotiate the bureaucracy surrounding Federal Emergency Management Agency and State Emergency Management Agency assistance programs. Ultimately, the stories of displaced citizens of Pinhook reveal a strong African American community, whose bonds were developed over time and through shared traditions, a community persisting despite extremely difficult circumstances.

How might practice theories and engagement with practice contribute to and advance theological study of religion and religious life and practices? This volume explores and discusses how theological engagement with practice, theoretically as well as empirically, might profit from theories of practice developed in disciplines such as philosophy, sociology, education and organisational studies during the recent decades, but so far scarcely employed within theology. In part I, the volume unfolds key components of practice theory, especially as they have more recently been developed within sociological practice theories, reflect on their significance and potential with regard to theology. In part II, these perspectives are employed in the study of concrete religious practices - established as well as experimental religious practices, and collective as well as individual ones. By unfolding connections between theology and practice theories, and reflecting on practice theories' analytical and theoretical potential for theological study of religion, the book will be of interest for any scholar in the study of contemporary religion and practical theology.

This book introduces the value of a Darwinian social evolutionary approach to understanding social change. The chapters discuss several different perspectives on social evolutionary theory, and go on to link these with comparative and historical sociological theory, and two case-studies. Kerr brings together social change theory and theories on nationalism, whilst also providing concrete examples of the theories at work. The book offers a vision of rapprochement between these different areas of theory and study, and to where this could lead future studies of comparative history and sociology. As such, it should be useful to scholars and students of nationalism and social change, sociologists, political scientist and historians.

Disaster management is an imperative area of concern for society on a global scale. Understanding how to best utilize information and communication technology to help manage emergency and disaster situations will lead to more effective advances and innovations in this important field. Smart Technologies for Emergency Response and Disaster Management is a pivotal reference source that overviews current difficulties, challenges, and solutions that technology must adapt to in crisis situations. Highlighting pertinent topics such as network recovery, evacuation design, sensing technologies, and video technology, this publication is ideal for engineers, professionals, academicians, and researchers interested in discovering more about emerging technologies in crisis management.

This book offers a conceptual map of Habermas' philosophy and a systematic introduction to his work. It does so by systematically examining six defining themes-modernity, discourse ethics, truth and justice, public law and constitutional democracy, cosmopolitanism, and toleration-of Habermas' philosophy as well as their inner logic. The text distinguishes itself in content and perspective by offering a very clear conceptual map and by providing a new interpretation of Habermas' views in light of his overarching system. In terms of scope, the book touches upon Habermas' broad range of works. As for method, the text illustrates key concepts in his philosophy making it a useful reference aid. It appeals to students and scholars in the field looking for a current introductory text or supplementary reading on Habermas.

Religion is considered by many to be something of the past, but it has a lasting hold in society and influences people across many cultures. This integration of spirituality causes numerous impacts across various aspects of modern life. The variety of religious institutions in modern society necessitates a focus on diversity and inclusiveness in the interactions between organizations of different religions, cultures, and viewpoints. Religion and Theology: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice examines the cultural, sociological, economic, and philosophical effects of religion on modern society and human behavior. It also explores the impact of gender identity and race within religious-based institutions and organizations. Highlighting a range of topics such as religious traditionalism, spirituality, and comparative religion, this publication is an ideal reference source for theologists, religious officials, managers, government officials, theoreticians, practitioners, researchers, policymakers, advanced-level students, and sociologists.

In a critical, comparative study of the sociological literature, this book explores the term "time," and the various interconnections between time and a broad cluster of topics that create a conceptual labyrinth. Various understandings of time manifest themselves in the context of many individual social problems-there is no single vision in sociology of how to grasp time and address within social theory. This book, therefore, attempts to define an approach to the concept of time and its associated terms (duration, temporality, acceleration, compression, temporal structures, change, historical consciousness, and others). The volume is guided by a critical engagement with three main questions: a) the formation of human understanding of time; b) the functioning of temporal structures at different levels of social reality; c) the role and place of time in general sociological theory.

Many governments in developing nations are finding it nearly impossible to address challenges posed to their countries, including poverty, disease, and high levels of youth unemployment. Thus, social entrepreneurs are attempting to address these social challenges through the creation of social enterprises. However, further research is needed as to what social entrepreneurship is and how these enterprises can utilize and formulate marketing strategies. Strategic Marketing for Social Enterprises in Developing Nations provides innovative insights for an in-depth understanding of where marketing and social entrepreneurship interact, providing clarity as to what social entrepreneurship is as an organizational offering, what drives social entrepreneurship, and the formulation of marketing strategies for social enterprises. Highlighting topics such as income generating, marketing management, and media dependency theory, it is designed for managers, entrepreneurial advisors, entrepreneurs, industry professionals, practitioners, researchers, academicians, and students.