Full Description
This important book builds a bridge between the literature on popular welfare deservingness and social welfare policies. It examines the relationship between the two, exploring the close correspondence between public opinion and public policy that has been present throughout the history of social welfare.
Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative data in a mixed-methods approach, Tijs Laenen not only investigates popular attitudes towards some of the most contested and 'least-deserving' policy target groups, but also towards groups alleged to be highly deserving of social welfare. The chapters also examine how deservingness opinions relate to public support for the social obligations of welfare recipients, for example job-seeking requirements for the unemployed, which has often been overlooked in the field.
Valuable insights are offered into the relationship between welfare deservingness and policy on a cross-national basis, making this a valuable read for sociology, political science and social policy scholars seeking a more in-depth understanding of cross-national differences in welfare policies and welfare attitudes. Policy makers and administrators will also find the study of both the macro-level of welfare regimes and the meso-level of welfare schemes useful.
Contents
Contents: Foreword Part I General Introduction, Theoretical Framework And Methodological Framework 1. Introduction: The Interaction Between Welfare Deservingness And Welfare Policy 2. Theoretical Framework: Deservingness, Policy Feedback And Policy Responsiveness 3. Methodological Framework: Welfare Support, Deservingness And Welfare State Policies Part II Empirical Chapters 4. A Universal Rank Order Of Deservingness? Geographical,Temporal And Social-Structural Comparisons 5. Public Support For The Social Rights And Social Obligations Of The Unemployed: Two Sides Of The Same Coin? 6. Why Deservingness Theory Needs Qualitative Research. Comparing Focus Group Discussions On Social Welfare In Three Welfare Regimes 7. Do Institutions Matter? The Interplay Between Income Benefit Design, Popular Perceptions And Support For Social Welfare 8. How Popular Deservingness Perceptions Mediate The Link Between Unemployment Policies And Their Public Support 9. The Absence Of Public Resistance Against The Retrenchment Of Unemployment Insurance In Denmark And The Netherlands. The Role Of Deservingness Perceptions Among Welfare Constituencies Part III General Conclusion And Discussion 10. Conclusion: What The Book Contributes And What It Leaves Open For Future Research References Index
