Adopting an interdisciplinary approach this book provides a cutting-edge, in-depth account of social policy research today, how we got here, and where future research should be headed. It defines the core research agenda for the future covering multiple social policy fields, including care, family, health, and housing policy as well as gender equality, labour market policy, and welfare attitudes. The book brings together a unique combination of scholars from social policy, sociology, political science, international relations, and law, who explore how European societies have changed over the last 20 years, the future challenges which need to be addressed and the role for social policy research. The editors argue that to advance research on European social policy, we need to develop a better understanding of the interplay between multiple policies, invest more resources in theoretical development, and effectively utilize perhaps the greatest asset of European social policy research - its multidisciplinarity. Offering crucial insights into the dynamic nature of social policy research, this book will be a valuable guide for social policy scholars and students. Its discussion of a broad range of social policy areas will also be useful for practitioners and policymakers across a wide range of social policy fields.

Although textbooks on the subject of Osteopathy have been in print for over 100 years, there is little material specifically addressing the treatment of adults over the age of 50, in spite of the increase in this demographic group. This book is intended to provide a study of the biomechanics and physiology of somatic dysfunction as it relates to individuals over the age of 50. Practitioners require information about the diagnosis of somatic dysfunction and application of osteopathic manipulative treatment specifically as it relates to this age group - and this is where this book is invaluable. - The main body of the text considers the relevance of somatic function and dysfunction in multiple clinical areas including cardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, urology, neurology and rheumatology. - The diagnostic approach to the patient over the age of 50 and osteopathic manipulative treatment is thoroughly described. This book provides information on the biomechanics and physiology of somatic dysfunction for the osteopathic treatment of older adults in a thorough, yet easy to approach, fashion for practitioners of osteopathy and osteopathic medicine.

This groundbreaking book brings together perspectives from political philosophy and comparative social policy to discuss generational justice. Contributing new insights about the preconditions for designing sustainable, inclusive policies for all of society, the authors expose the possibilities of supporting egalitarian principles in an ageing society through balanced generational welfare contracts. Welfare states are largely structured around social risks that appear in distinct phases of human life, including childhood, working age and old age. By empirically analyzing the causes and consequences of social policy in a large number of countries, the authors show that balanced generational welfare contracts - in which age-related social protection is more evenly distributed across different stages of life - is to the advantage of all age groups, therefore contributing to social justice and welfare state sustainability. The authors offer a combination of descriptive data analysis and statistical regressions to provide robust evidence that countries can avoid generational trade-offs in policymaking and find positive-sum solutions. Appealing to academics, researchers and students of politics and social policy, The Generational Welfare Contract gives expert insight into the possibilities for success in future welfare states.