Social Welfare Responses in a Neoliberal Era: Policies, Practices, and Social Problems

This book explores welfare responses by questioning and going beyond Esping-Andersen's typologies, focusing on how the state engages with market mechanisms and how these responses create path dependencies in inequality. It also investigates the embeddedness of market values and modes of thought in different contexts and institutional forms, and the responses and modes of resistance that arise from practices that point to new forms of resilience.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 314 pages
Publication date: 28 September 2021
Publisher: Haymarket Books

This book aims to delve into welfare responses by challenging and expanding upon the broad typologies proposed by Esping-Andersen. Specifically, the project seeks to explore the ways in which the state engages with and establishes institutionalized responses to market mechanisms, thereby shaping the trajectory of states' approaches to addressing inequality. Furthermore, given the characterization of the neoliberal era as the widespread dissemination and extension of market values to various state institutions and social practices, it becomes crucial to critically examine not only the inherent presence of these values and thought patterns in different contexts and institutional forms but also the emerging responses and modes of resistance that arise from practices that suggest the potential for new forms of resilience.

The book delves into the intricate relationship between the state and market mechanisms, shedding light on how the state engages with and responds to market forces. It questions the assumptions underlying Esping-Andersen's broad typologies of welfare capitalism and seeks to understand the broader institutionalized responses that have emerged as a result. By critically examining these responses, the book aims to identify the path dependencies that have shaped states' approaches to inequality.

One of the key themes explored in the book is the extent to which market values and modes of thought have permeated different contexts and institutional forms. The neoliberal era, characterized by the widespread dissemination and extension of market values, is examined in detail to understand how these values have become embedded in various state institutions and social practices. The book highlights the need to critically examine the embeddedness of these values and modes of thought in order to identify potential resistance and alternative pathways to resilience.

Furthermore, the book explores the responses and modes of resistance that have emerged from practices that challenge the dominant neoliberal narrative. It recognizes that practices that might point to new forms of resilience cannot be solely understood within the framework of traditional welfare state theories. The book encourages a more nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between state, market, and social practices and the potential for alternative forms of resilience to emerge.

In conclusion, this book offers a comprehensive exploration of welfare responses by challenging and expanding upon the assumptions found in Esping-Andersen's typologies. It provides a critical examination of the ways in which the state engages with and responds to market mechanisms, shaping the trajectory of states' approaches to inequality. By highlighting the embeddedness of market values and modes of thought in different contexts and institutional forms, the book encourages a more nuanced understanding of the potential for resistance and alternative forms of resilience to emerge.

Dimension: 228 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781642595666