The Power of Citizens and Professionals in Welfare Encounters: The Influence of Bureaucracy, Market and Psychology

This book explores the power dynamics in welfare encounters, highlighting the shift from passive clients to active participants. It incorporates both Weberian bureaucracy and Foucauldian market values to investigate the complex interactions between citizens, welfare workers, and other factors. It is aimed at academics, post-graduates, and undergraduates in sociology, anthropology, and political science.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 16 August 2022
Publisher: Manchester University Press

The dynamics of power in welfare encounters have undergone a significant transformation in modern times. Citizens, once passive recipients of bureaucratic services, are now expected to engage in active, responsible, and coproductive relationships with welfare workers. This shift in power dynamics has led to a complex interplay of factors that often pull in different directions.

Bureaucratic principles and market values play a significant role in shaping welfare encounters. The bureaucratic mindset emphasizes efficiency, uniformity, and control, which can clash with the individual needs and preferences of citizens seeking assistance. On the other hand, market values prioritize competition, individualism, and self-reliance, which can influence the way welfare services are designed and delivered.

Consequently, this book delves into both Weberian (bureaucracy) and Foucauldian (market values/NPM) studies to investigate the powerful welfare encounter. By examining these two frameworks, the book seeks to understand how power is exercised, contested, and resisted in welfare encounters. It explores the ways in which citizens, welfare workers, and other stakeholders navigate the complex web of rules, regulations, and expectations that govern these interactions.

The book is designed to appeal to a wide audience, including academics, post-graduates, and undergraduates within sociology, anthropology, and political science. It offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to understanding the power dynamics in welfare encounters, providing valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers alike.

Weight: 286g
Dimension: 156 x 233 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526110299