In this fifth edition of the best-selling core introductory textbook, Pete Alcock and Lee Gregory provide a comprehensive and engaging introduction to social policy. Continuing with the unbeaten narrative style and accessible approach of the previous editions, the authors explore the major topics of social policy in a clear and digestible way. By breaking down the complexities behind policy developments and their outcomes, the book demonstrates the relationship between core areas of policy and the society we live in. This new edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to cover the impact of Brexit and contains reflections on the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic for social policy. Each chapter contains comprehension activities to aid understanding, as well as helpful summary points and suggestions for further reading.

Welfare reform in the wake of austerity has fostered increased interest in self-help initiatives within the community sector. Amongst these, time banking, one of a number of complementary currency systems, has received increasing attention from policy makers as a means for promoting welfare reform. This book is the first to look at the concept of time within social policy to examine time banking theory and practice. By drawing on the social theory of time to examine the tension between time bank values and those of policy makers, it argues that time banking is a constructive means of promoting social change but is hindered by its co-option into neo-liberal thinking. This book will be valuable for academics/researchers with an interest in community-based initiatives, the third/voluntary sectors and theoretical analysis of social policy and political ideologies.

In this fifth edition of the best-selling core introductory textbook, Pete Alcock and Lee Gregory provide a comprehensive and engaging introduction to social policy. Continuing with the unbeaten narrative style and accessible approach of the previous editions, the authors explore the major topics of social policy in a clear and digestible way. By breaking down the complexities behind policy developments and their outcomes, the book demonstrates the relationship between core areas of policy and the society we live in. This new edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to cover the impact of Brexit and contains reflections on the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic for social policy. Each chapter contains comprehension activities to aid understanding, as well as helpful summary points and suggestions for further reading.

This study seeks to critically examine the field and function of social stratification, with emphasis on Africana phenomena. Phrased another way, this edited volume attempts to study and focus on who gets what and why, with regard to resources and structural application of support. The John Henrik Clarke query is who made this arrangement of leadership in America. Moreover, serving as a reference, this study will assist researchers in contextualizing and thematically examining the structural and resource allocation of disparity exhibited toward Africana people. This manuscript of essays is the first its kind. This study incorporates an interdisciplinary scope to examine the concept of Africana Social Stratification in the subject areas of: history, political science, economics, Africana Studies, and social policy.