Environmental problems - particularly climate change - have become increasingly important to governments and social researchers in recent decades. Debates about their implications for social policies and welfare reforms are now moving towards centre stage. What has been missing from such debates is an account of the history of the welfare state in relation to environmental issues and green ideas. A Green History of the Welfare State fills this gap. How have the environmental and social policy agendas developed? To what extent have welfare systems been informed by the principles of environmental ethics and politics? How effective has the welfare state been at addressing environmental problems? How might the history of social policies be reimagined? With its lively, chronological narrative, this book provides answers to these questions. Through overviews of key periods, politicians and reforms the book weaves together a range of subjects into a new kind of historical tapestry, including: social policy, economics, party politics, government action and legislation, and environmental issues. This book will be a valuable resource for students and scholars of environmental policy and history, social and public policy, social history, sociology and politics.

The International Handbook on Social Policy and the Environment reviews debates concerning poverty, inequalities, social distribution, social rights, taxation, healthcare, education, water and energy policies to examine the relevance and importance of climate change to social policies and welfare reform.Environmental change is central to the global social policy challenges of the twenty-first century. This comprehensive Handbook brings together leading experts from around the world to address the most important questions and issues we face. How should welfare states adapt to environmental change? To what extent are the ecological and social policy agendas compatible? Must we contemplate radical reforms to the principles and organisation of welfare services? Combining cutting-edge theory and data in an interdisciplinary approach, this Handbook both summarizes existing developments and suggests how debates and research must develop in the future. This book will appeal to taught postgraduates, doctoral students and academics across the policy and social sciences. It will also be of interest to non-academic researchers, practitioners and environmental activists. With case studies drawn from many countries including Australia, Japan, Germany, Scandinavia, Canada, Latin America and the UK, the Handbook will provide an important resource for years to come. Contributors : N. Bardsley, K. Bell, E.L Boasson, M. Bostroem, W. Bretschneider, M. Briguglio, S. Brooks-Wilson, M. Brown, M. Buchs, I. Bugeja, J. Cherni, H. Dean, T. Fitzpatrick, E. Gawel, K. Hussey, Y. Kameyama, J.L. MacArthur, H.O. Nielsen, A.B. Pedersen, A. Schaffrin, S.V. Schnepf, C. Snell, J. Wettestad

Environmental problems - particularly climate change - have become increasingly important to governments and social researchers in recent decades. Debates about their implications for social policies and welfare reforms are now moving towards centre stage. What has been missing from such debates is an account of the history of the welfare state in relation to environmental issues and green ideas. A Green History of the Welfare State fills this gap. How have the environmental and social policy agendas developed? To what extent have welfare systems been informed by the principles of environmental ethics and politics? How effective has the welfare state been at addressing environmental problems? How might the history of social policies be reimagined? With its lively, chronological narrative, this book provides answers to these questions. Through overviews of key periods, politicians and reforms the book weaves together a range of subjects into a new kind of historical tapestry, including: social policy, economics, party politics, government action and legislation, and environmental issues. This book will be a valuable resource for students and scholars of environmental policy and history, social and public policy, social history, sociology and politics.

The ancient moral philosophy of Epicureanism offers many valuable lessons for the modern world. How to Live Well updates and modifies Epicurean philosophy to offer an exciting new framework for contemporary social reform. How To Live Well provides a synopsis of the key facets of Epicureanism and offers a history of Epicureanism across the past twenty centuries. Fitzpatrick identifies the core criticisms of Epicureanism and compares it with Aristotelian thought. In light of these criticisms, he proposes a ?new epicureanism?, based around four key subjects: liberty and freedom, justice and community, our obligations to other humans and nonhumans, and social justice and reform. Rejecting classical Epicurean hostility towards public intervention, How To Live Well proposes that ?new Epicureans? must promote and defend social fairness, and equate personal with communal well-being. An ethos of ?social guarantee? could help rethink our social welfare systems, our use of public spaces, economic and employment systems, contextualising all of these in terms of the need for long-term ecological sustainability. Relating Epicurus to contemporary ideas and debates in politics and social reform, this book will be of interest to students of applied philosophy, ethics and social policy, as well as those with an interest in social theory and welfare.

Available in paperback for the first time, this milestone work offers an in-depth treatment of all aspects of the discipline and practice of social policy globally. Supported by a distinguished international advisory board, the editors have compiled almost 900,000 words across 734 entries written by 284 leading specialists to provide authoritative coverage of concepts, policy actors, welfare institutions and services along a series of national, regional and transnational dimensions. Also included are biographical entries on major policy makers and shapers. The editors have particularly striven to provide strong coverage of differing geographical and cultural traditions so that the variety of social policy, as both an academic discipline and a domain of governance, is reflected. Contributors draw in and make the necessary connections with social policy's associated disciplines to provide a rich picture of this vast and highly diverse field. Comprehensive and authoritative, the Encyclopedia has sought to open up rather than to foreclose the numerous areas in which there is on-going research, debate and, sometimes, serious disagreement and divergence in theory and practice. To this end, entries attempt to introduce a core or common ground of understanding before moving on to a wider discussion of debates regarding different conceptual and geographical approaches. The whole is integrated by cross-referencing and each entry includes a bibliography for further reading. There is a full index. The International Encyclopedia of Social Policy provides the most substantial mapping of the international study and practice of social policy to date and will stand as a vital storehouse of knowledge for many years to come.

Bringing together leading experts, this textbook explores the key social, political, economic and moral challenges that environmental problems pose for social policy in a global context. Combining theory and practice with an interdisciplinary approach, the book reviews the current strategies and policies and provides a critique of proposed future developments in the field. Understanding the environment and social policy guides the reader through the subject in an accessible way using chapter summaries, further reading, recommended webpages, a glossary and questions for discussion. Providing a much-needed overview, the book will be invaluable reading for students, teachers, activists, practitioners and policymakers.

Climate change is the main challenge facing developed countries in the 21st century. To what extent does this agenda converge with issues of poverty and social exclusion? Climate change and poverty offers a timely new perspective on the 'ecosocial' understanding of the causes and symptoms of, and solutions to, poverty and applies this to recent developments across a number of areas, including fuel poverty, food poverty, housing, transport and air pollution. Unlike any other publication, the book therefore establishes a new agenda for both environmental and social policies which has cross-national relevance. It will appeal to students in social policy, public policy, applied social studies and politics and will also be of interest to those studying international development, economics and geography

Available Open Access under CC-BY-NC licence. Climate change is the main challenge facing developed countries in the 21st century. To what extent does this agenda converge with issues of poverty and social exclusion? Climate change and poverty offers a timely new perspective on the 'ecosocial' understanding of the causes and symptoms of, and solutions to, poverty and applies this to recent developments across a number of areas, including fuel poverty, food poverty, housing, transport and air pollution. Unlike any other publication, the book therefore establishes a new agenda for both environmental and social policies which has cross-national relevance. It will appeal to students in social policy, public policy, applied social studies and politics and will also be of interest to those studying international development, economics and geography

The International Handbook on Social Policy and the Environment reviews debates concerning poverty, inequalities, social distribution, social rights, taxation, healthcare, education, water and energy policies to examine the relevance and importance of climate change to social policies and welfare reform.Environmental change is central to the global social policy challenges of the twenty-first century. This comprehensive Handbook brings together leading experts from around the world to address the most important questions and issues we face. How should welfare states adapt to environmental change? To what extent are the ecological and social policy agendas compatible? Must we contemplate radical reforms to the principles and organisation of welfare services? Combining cutting-edge theory and data in an interdisciplinary approach, this Handbook both summarizes existing developments and suggests how debates and research must develop in the future. This book will appeal to taught postgraduates, doctoral students and academics across the policy and social sciences. It will also be of interest to non-academic researchers, practitioners and environmental activists. With case studies drawn from many countries including Australia, Japan, Germany, Scandinavia, Canada, Latin America and the UK, the Handbook will provide an important resource for years to come. Contributors : N. Bardsley, K. Bell, E.L Boasson, M. Bostroem, W. Bretschneider, M. Briguglio, S. Brooks-Wilson, M. Brown, M. Buchs, I. Bugeja, J. Cherni, H. Dean, T. Fitzpatrick, E. Gawel, K. Hussey, Y. Kameyama, J.L. MacArthur, H.O. Nielsen, A.B. Pedersen, A. Schaffrin, S.V. Schnepf, C. Snell, J. Wettestad

This fascinating fictional account will introduce the reader to key ideas in social and political philosophy. It presents crucial skills of philosophical investigation in an accessible, rigorous and light-hearted way. The novel is funny, informative and entertaining, allowing the reader to experience often complex ideas from the 'inside' by using skills they will have acquired, unconsciously, from films, TV and novels. The reader will learn about freedom, responsibility, justice and fairness and see how these are played out in the different utopian futures of a range of socio-political regimes. The book is supported by a companion website, containing additional materials for both students and lecturers using the book, which is available from the link above. This work of fiction covers the following philosophies: Market Liberal; Marxist/Communist; Communitarian/Republican; Moral Conservative; Egalitarian/Socialist; Social Democratic; Feminist; and Ecological.

This fascinating fictional account will introduce the reader to key ideas in social and political philosophy. It presents crucial skills of philosophical investigation in an accessible, rigorous and light-hearted way. The novel is funny, informative and entertaining, allowing the reader to experience often complex ideas from the 'inside' by using skills they will have acquired, unconsciously, from films, TV and novels. The reader will learn about freedom, responsibility, justice and fairness and see how these are played out in the different utopian futures of a range of socio-political regimes. The book is supported by a companion website, containing additional materials for both students and lecturers using the book, which is available from the link above. This work of fiction covers the following philosophies: Market Liberal; Marxist/Communist; Communitarian/Republican; Moral Conservative; Egalitarian/Socialist; Social Democratic; Feminist; and Ecological.

Designed to address practical questions, applied ethics is one of the most exciting areas in contemporary philosophy. Yet the relevance of ethical theories to social policy has been under-explored. Until now. In "Applied Ethics and Social Problems" Tony Fitzpatrick presents introductions to the three most influential moral philosophies: Consequentialism, Kantianism and Virtue Ethics. He then relates these to some of the most urgent questions in contemporary public debates about the future of welfare services.These include: Taxing unhealthy habits; drug legalisation; parental choice in education; abortion; euthanasia; and, migration and cultural diversity. In each case he asks a perennial question: what are the legitimate boundaries of state action and individual liberty? Never before has there been such a rigorous overview of the topic offered to social policy students, academics and professionals, as well as those interested in public policy, politics and social science. A user-friendly intervention into these key debates, "Applied Ethics and Social Problems" will set the agenda for years to come.

Designed to address practical questions, applied ethics is one of the most exciting areas in contemporary philosophy. Yet the relevance of ethical theories to social policy has been under-explored. Until now. In "Applied ethics and social problems" Tony Fitzpatrick presents introductions to the three most influential moral philosophies: Consequentialism, Kantianism and Virtue Ethics. He then relates these to some of the most urgent questions in contemporary public debates about the future of welfare services. These include taxing unhealthy habits, drug legalisation, parental choice in education, abortion, euthanasia and migration & cultural diversity. In each case he asks a perennial question: what are the legitimate boundaries of state action and individual liberty? Never before has there been such a rigorous overview of the topic offered to social policy students, academics and professionals, as well as those interested in public policy, politics and social science. A user-friendly intervention into these key debates "Applied ethics and social problems" will set the agenda for years to come.