Middle Class and Welfare State: Making Sense of an Ambivalent Relationship

This book explores the relationship between the middle class and the welfare state, combining discourse analysis, welfare state theory, and interpretive policy analysis to investigate how the middle class becomes a meaningful object of public debates and policymaking. It compares Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and reconstructs the prevalent images and meanings of the middle class from each country's public debates, showing how the formation and consolidation of different welfare regimes can be interpreted as specific ways of solving the puzzle of how to incorporate the middle class in the construction of a welfare state consensus.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 21 January 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate relationship between the middle class and the welfare state, employing an interpretive approach that recognizes the middle class as a socially constructed category. By seamlessly integrating discourse analysis, welfare state theory, and interpretive policy analysis, it offers a novel exploration of how the middle class emerges as a significant subject of public discourse and policymaking. Through a comparative analysis of Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, the book reconstructs the prevailing images and meanings of the middle class within these countries' public debates. It then tracks how the diverse manifestations of the middle class, characterized by their unique meanings and characteristics, intertwine with the identification of societal problems, the formulation of political demands, and the construction of welfare policies. Ultimately, the book demonstrates how the formation and consolidation of different welfare regimes can be interpreted as specific strategies for addressing the challenge of incorporating the middle class into the construction of a welfare state consensus.

This book holds immense relevance for scholars and students engaged in comparative welfare state research, policy analysis, political sociology, political theory, and European and comparative politics. Its in-depth analysis and insightful perspectives shed light on the complex dynamics that shape the relationship between the middle class and the welfare state, providing valuable insights into the broader political and social landscape.

Weight: 400g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032474649