International Social Policy

The second edition of this textbook provides an accessible and structured look at social policy in a global comparative context. With detailed explanations of the historical, political and social context of policy developments across thirteen nations, the book offers an authoritative picture of social policy across the developed world. The book considers core areas of policy provision alongside contemporary international concerns, such as globalisation, demographic change and economic reform. Specifically, it examines policy in the following nations:

• USA
  
• Canada
  
• Australia
  
• New Zealand
  
• UK
  
• Sweden
  
• Germany 
  
• Italy
  
• Russia
  
• Japan
  
• South Korea
  
• China
  
• South Africa

Written and edited by leading social policy experts in each country, this is an invaluable contribution to the study of global social policy and an indispensable resource for students, researchers and policy-makers.

Introduction and Acknowledgements; P.Alcock& G.Craig.- The International Context; P.Alcock& G.Craig.- An American Welfare State?; J.Clarke with F.F.Piven.- Canada: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back?; E.Lightman& G.Riches.- Australia: From Wage-Earners to Neo-Liberal State; L.Bryson& F. Verity.- New Zealand: From Early Innovation to Humanising the Market; J.Davey& S.Grey.- The United Kingdom: Constructing a Third Way?; P.Alcock .- Sweden: Between Model and Reality; T.Salonen.- Germany: A Centrist Welfare State at the Crossroads; L.Leisering.- Italy: Still a Pension State?; V.Fargion.- Russia: State Socialism to Marketised Welfare; N.Davidova& N.Manning.- Japan: Constructing the 'Welfare Society'; T.Uzuhasi.- Korea: Rescaling the Developmental Welfare State; H.Kwon.- China: The Art of State and Social Policy Remodelling; K.Lin .- South Africa Transition Under Pressure; F.Lund