ISSN 1745-6320 Policy Wor ld

NEWSLETTER OF THE SOCIAL POLICY ASSOCIATION

News Round-up

SPA Conference moves to Bath

Social Policy at Manchester

CPAG & CRSP in focus

WWW.SOCIAL-POLICY.COM AUTUMN 2004 The first international journal devoted to the study of evidence-informed policy and practice

EVIDENCE June 2004 Volume 1: Issue 1

EVIDENCE & POLICY New Journal & A journal of research, debate and practice DISCOUNT RATE FOR SPA MEMBERS

POLICY ISSN: 1744-2648 A journal of research, debate and practice Managing Editor: Ken Young, ESRC UK Centre for Evidence-based Policy and Practice, Queen Mary, University of London

“This is a journal that many researchers, 2005 Subscription rates decision makers and public service Introductory subscription offers providers have been waiting for.” • FREE electronic access for institutions in 2005 Haluk Soydan, Research Director, Institute for Evidence- • 2 year discounted subscription rate (institutions only) based Social Work Practice, Stockholm, Sweden and • Discounted personal rate for Evidence Network Co-Chair of the International Campbell Collaboration Associates • Discounted personal rate for members of the UK Aims and scope Social Policy Association

Evidence & Policy is the first journal dedicated to comprehensive Institutional rate Personal rate (print only) and critical treatment of the relationship between research (online only) UK and Europe evidence and the concerns of policy makers and practitioners. FREE in 2005 £41.00/€66.00 International in scope and interdisciplinary in focus, it addresses Rest of the World Institutional rate £56.00/US$70.00 the needs of those who provide public services, and those who (combined print and online) provide the research base for evaluation and development UK and Europe Discounted personal rates £191.00/€305.00 across a wide range of social and public policy issues – from (print only) Rest of the World Evidence Network Associates social care to education, from public health to criminal justice. £206.00/US$352.00 £30.00/€48.00/US$51.00 Voluntary sector The Journal is edited and managed by an expert team of UK Social Policy Association (UK only) £68.00 Members £37.00 international academics and practitioners, all of whom are at the forefront of evidence-informed research and practice in Sample copies can be ordered from our Journals distributor, their fields. There will be three issues of Evidence & Policy in The Portland Press on Tel: 01206 796351 or email: 2005, rising to four in subsequent years. [email protected] How to subscribe: Contact The Portland Press, details as above or download a flyer/order form from www.policypress.org.uk/ evidenceandpolicy.htm or contact [email protected] for a hard copy of the form.

www.policypress.org.uk EditorialTeam / ExecutiveCommittee THISISSUE

PolicyWorld Editorial Team Editor: John Hudson SPA News Treasurer: Tony Fitzpatrick Department of Social Policy & Social Work University of Nottingham 4 Editorial University of York e-mail: [email protected] 5-7 SPA News roundup York 5 2005 SPA Annual Conference YO10 5DD Membership Officer: Karen Clarke e-mail: [email protected] University of Manchester Announcement e-mail: [email protected] 5-7 Conference & Seminar Round Up Book Reviews Editor: David Gladstone Linda Bauld e-mail: [email protected] EDITIONTheme: Department of Urban Studies Rita Haworth Where Next for Social Policy? University of Glasgow e-mail: [email protected] 8-9 Paul Spicker – Saving Social Policy 25 Bute Gardens 10 Adrian Sinfield – Upstream Thinking Glasgow Chris Holden G12 8RS Brunel University 11 John Hudson – In Defence of Social e-mail: [email protected] e-mail : [email protected] Policy John Hudson 12 Nick Ellison – Recapturing University of York Engagement Print Designer: Natalie Tuckwell e-mail: [email protected] The Lavenham Press 13 Stuart Lowe – Bringing Political 47 Water St., Lavenham Mark Hyde Science Back In Suffolk CO10 9RN University of Plymouth Tel:01787 247 436 e-mail: [email protected] Policy World ROUND UP e-mail: [email protected] Suzi Macpherson 14-17 Celebrating Social Policy at Manchester University of Stirling 18-19 Child Poverty Action Group e-mail: [email protected] Editorial Board: 20 Centre for Research in Social Policy Tony Maltby Suzi Macpherson University of Birmingham Dept of Applied Social Science e-mail:[email protected] IN Practice University of Stirling 23 SPA Annual Conference Report Lisa O’Malley Stirling 25 SSPN Launch Seminar Report FK9 4LA University of York e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] 26 ESPAnet Conference Report 28-30 Book Reviews Kirstein Rummery Jan Pahl Government, International Politics University of Kent and Philosophy e-mail: [email protected] University of Manchester Jackie Rafferty Oxford Road SWAP/University of Southampton Manchester e-mail: [email protected] PolicyWorld is published three times each academic M13 9PL year, one each in the Autumn, Spring and Summer Kirstein Rummery e-mail : [email protected] terms. Contributions for future issues are welcome. University of Manchester A factsheet for contributors can be downloaded from e-mail: [email protected] www.policy-world.com. Click on “Contributors” and SPA Executive Committee 2004-05 Tess Ridge click to download the Acrobat PDF. Please supply President: University of Bath hard copy as a Microsoft Word document or an RTF Polly Toynbee e-mail: [email protected] file via e-mail to the editor John Hudson at [email protected]. Graphs, tables and images can Chair: Saul Becker Sandra Shaw University of Salford be handled in a variety of formats – please contact the Loughborough University editor in advance of submitting these. e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Vice Chair: Nick Ellison Rob Sykes e-mail: [email protected] Sheffield Hallam University Contributors’ deadlines for forthcoming e-mail: [email protected] issues: Honorary Secretary: Catherine Spring 2005: 01/02/05 Bochel Emma Wincup University of Leeds Summer 2005 22/04/05 University of Lincoln Autumn 2005 25/10/05 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]

John Hudson Linda Bauld Kirstein Rummery Suzi Macpherson www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 3 SPANews Editorial

Some of you may have begun to wonder took considerable effort and we wanted to electronic resource updates and career what had happened to the Autumn issue of make sure we had the new look right before development issues. SPA News. Having received this magazine going to press too. there is a good chance you still are! There are Not everyone reading this issue of Policy two reasons why the newsletter has gone to Policy World – like SPA News – will continue World will be a member of the SPA. If this is press a little later than is the norm. to appear once per academic term. Aside you then please take a moment to consider from the new look and new name – which what you’re missing! Membership of the SPA The first is that there have been some signif- we hope will help to broaden both our carries a range of benefits including three icant issues for the Association to resolve in readership and SPA membership - a key issues a year of PolicyWorld, four issues of connection with our annual conference. After difference is that each issue will have a core each of our two peer reviewed journals, the a successful and well attended conference at theme that will provide the focus of the Journal of Social Policy and Social Policy & the University of Nottingham in July (see newsletter. In this issue we build on the Society, access to our online Social Policy page 23 for a report) we had planned to ‘Where Next for Social Policy?’ debate that Digest and a copy of the annual Social Policy return there in 2005. However, following the closed the SPA’s annual conference at Nott- Review. Membership rates are very compet- Association of University Teachers’ ‘greylist- ingham in July. Future issues will take forward itive - starting at just £18 a year. Full details and ing’ of Nottingham in late September the themes prominent within the profession or in a downloadable membership form are Executive decided to find an alternative the ‘policy world’ more generally. available on our web site at venue for the event (see Chair & Secretary http://www.social-policy.com/ Report, page 5). This process inevitably took Aside from the themed section, each issue of some time and we decided to hold off pub- the newsletter will be broken down into three We would like to encourage members at lication in order to be able to bring details of other sections: large to make more use of the newsletter as the new venue - the University of Bath - along SPA News: stories about the SPA’s activities, a forum for promoting events, spreading with a call for papers from the new organising relevant conferences, publications and so on. news, diseminating research and starting committee (see page 21). debate. If you have a story, a conference Policy World Round-Up: an in-depth look report or an event you’d like to cover then The second reason is, that after 10 years in at what’s going in selected academic depart- please get in touch - even if it’s just to provide its old format, we’ve decided to start a new ments, research centres, think tanks or lobby a seminar date or a one line story for the news period of editorship by giving the newsletter groups within the social policy world section. The next issue is due out at the end a makeover. While doing this we’ve also had of February - the deadline for contributions a good think about the content and structure IN Practice: the end section of the news- is 1st February 2005. of the publication too. Undertaking the letter carrying book reviews, conference John Hudson redesign and restructuring of the newsletter reports, teaching and learning issues, Editor, Policy World

Social Policy Digest

The Social Policy Digest is an online resource available to all SPA members and Journal of Social Policy subscribers. It is an invaluable, fully-searchable and regularly updated source of information about current events across the whole social policy field.

The Digest provides a commentary on changes in social welfare legislation and a review of the major reports and surveys published by government departments, leading think tanks and voluntary bodies. Access to the Digest is via subscription only. If you are using a PC at a university that holds a current subscription to the Journal of Social Policy then you can access the Digest directly at: http://journals.cambridge.org:8080/spd/action/home.

SPA members who wish to access the Digest from a home PC, or whose institution does not have a subscription to the Journal of Social Policy, will need to create a personal log-in ID. If this is the case you may find it helpful to download the Social Policy Digest User Guide from the SPA’s web site at: http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/spsw/spa/digest.htm SPA News From the Chair and Secretary Social Policy Association Conference Two events have dominated since Saul confirm that the 2005 conference will take Becker took over as Chair of the Associa- place at Bath University, and we are tion in July 2004: RAE 2008 (see page 6) and extremely grateful to colleagues at Bath for the 2005 SPA conference agreeing to organise the conference in 2005 SPA conference: The 2005 SPA these difficult circumstances. The confer- conference was scheduled to take place at ence will take place a little earlier than is the University of Nottingham in July 2005, usual for SPA conferences, from Monday following the successful 2004 conference 27th to Wednesday 29th June 2005, so
SAUL BECKER at the same venue. However, the greylist- please put these dates in your diary now. ON THE MOVE ing of Nottingham University by the Further details of the conference theme, As of January 2005, Professor Saul Becker, Association of University Teachers, which and a call for papers, can be found else- Chair of the SPA, will be based at: The commenced in late-September, has posed where in this issue of Policy World. Institute of Applied Social Studies,University serious financial and other risks to the The 2006 and 2007 conferences will return of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, Association if members do not offer papers to their scheduled venue and July slot, at England B15 2TT or if they do not make bookings to attend. The University of Birmingham. Email: [email protected] Given these risks, and following cordial dis- Telephone:0121 415 8030 cussions with Social Policy colleagues at Saul Becker, Chair, and Catherine Bochel, Fax: 0121 414 5726 Nottingham, the Executive decided to Hon Secretary make alternative arrangements for the [email protected] 2005 conference, and a number of univer- [email protected] sities were approached. We can now
PETER BERESFORD WINNER OF NATIONAL ESSAY COMPETITION SPA Annual Conferences 2006-7 Peter Beresford, Professor of Social Policy and the Director of the Centre for Citizen Venue Confirmed Participation,at Brunel University,has been announced as the winner of a national essay Birmingham University will contest run by the National Conference of host the 2006 and 2007 con- University Professors (NCUP). Entrants ferences, 18th-20th July 2006 were required to write on the theme of and 17th-19th July 2007. “The Changing Role of the Professor.” Beresford, who became a professor six years ago, had spent “eight years on the poverty line, drawing benefits, and 12 years as a mental health service user,” including time as an in-patient in a psychiatric hospital and describes himself as being an “ ‘out’ mental health user”. In his essay he argued that his personal experience helped him in his career - against all the odds, and expectations: In “tabloid- speak […] I qualify as a ‘nutter,’ ‘psycho,’ ‘crazy,’ and ‘loony.’ As far as I know, I am the SPA Conference first person actively involved as a mental health service user to be promoted to Papers Available professor.” He goes on to argue that his background as a long-term mental health service user was not a barrier to his Online promotion,but,rather,was seen as having a A selection of papers delivered at the A secret password distributed at the helpful contribution to make in his field. SPA Annual Conference in Nottingham conference limits access to these “I’m amazed. I feel proud that in writing are available online at the Association’s papers to conference delegates. about these things, that they thought it website. They can be accessed from the worth first prize. It’s a vindication. I really following address: hope that this can open doors for others to http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/spsw/spa/conf.htm talk about their experiences. ”

www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 5 SPANews NEWSitems SPA joint submission with the Social Policy Committee of the Joint University Council

SCOTTISH SOCIAL POLICY NETWORK (SSPN) RAE 2008 Panel Nominations The newly established Scottish Social Policy The SPA has made a joint submission with Network (SSPN) held an open meeting at the Social Policy Committee of the Joint the SPA Annual Conference in Nottingham University Council for UoA 40 and Main in July and followed this with its launch Panel J of the next Research Assessment seminar - ‘Is there a Scottish Welfare State?’ Exercise. The joint submission was - at the University of Stirling on 8th compiled through a process of consulta- October.The network,which is funded by tion with members of the academic the Social Policy Association, the community through a committee of SPA University of Stirling and the Open and JUC executive members. The nomina- University, is free to join and is co- tions for the sub-panel (UoA 40) were as ordinated by Gerry Mooney at the Open follows: Professor Pete Alcock (Birmingham University and Sharon Wright at the University), Professor Dave Byrne (Durham Walker (Lincoln University) and Professor University of Stirling. If you would like to University), Professor Jochen Clasen Fiona Williams (Leeds University). get involved, you can contact them at (Stirling University), Professor Dee Cook Nominations to the main panel were: [email protected] (Wolverhampton University), Professor Professor Maurizio Ferrera (Milan University or [email protected] Gary Craig (Hull University), Ms Sue - international representative), Professor Duncan (Government Chief Social Ruth Lister (Loughborough University - The SSPN have a dedicated jiscmail Researcher - user/practitioner), Professor additional main panel member), Professor discussion list. To join the list, go to Eithne McLaughlin (Queen’s University Sheila Shaver (University of Western www.jiscmail.ac.uk, type ‘sspn’ into the Belfast), Professor Jane Millar (Bath Sydney - international representative) and box ‘FIND LISTS’, click on ‘Join or leave University), Professor Peter Taylor-Gooby Professor Win Van Oorschott (Tilburg the list’ and follow the instructions. (University of Kent - chair), Professor Carol University - international representative).

WRAMSOC WEBSITE ConferencesRound-up The Welfare Reform and the Management of Societal Change project has been re- launched with new material that includes Upcoming Conferences in-depth ‘policy maps’ of recent reforms in key policy areas in seven European ESRC Family, Community and Social will take place at the University of York on Change Seminar: Learning about long- 12th-13th April 2005 in memory of Professor countries and papers written by the term trends. London South Bank Sally Baldwin. Keynote speakers include: research team. It can be found at: University, 6th January 2005. Saul Becker, Caroline Glendinning, Hilary www.kent.ac.uk/wramsoc/ Further information: [email protected] Land, Jane Lewis, Eithne McLaughlin, Jane Millar, Jan Pahl, Tricia Sloper and Linda The British Sociological Association Ward. For further information: http:// Annual Conference - The Life Course: www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/cashcareconf.html
NEW ACADEMICIANS Fragmentation, Diversity And Risk – Two SPA nominees were elected as will take place Monday 21st – Wednesday The University of Brighton will be holding Academicians of the Academy of Learned 23rd March 2005 at the University of York. a conference on ‘Communities and Societies in the Social Sciences Plenary Speakers will be: Liz Stanley and Care’ on Saturday, 23rd April, 2005 at (http://www.the-academy.org.uk/) in Jenny Hockey. Further information: Falmer, Brighton. Speakers will include www.britsoc.co.uk Marian Barnes, Marjorie Mayo and Bill and September:Alan Deacon and John Dixon. Charlie Jordan. Further details: Alan Deacon, who was Chair of the The Political Studies Association www.brighton.ac.uk/ sass/research SPA from 2001-2004,is Professor of Social Annual Conference will take place at Policy at the University of Leeds. the University of Leeds 4-7th April 2005. The The Foundation for International His recent publications include Perspec- main conference will take place between Studies of Social Security is running its tives on Welfare (Open University Press, 5th and 7th April 2005, with the graduate eleventh annual International Research 2002). John Dixon, who was Honorary conference starting on Monday 4th. Further Seminar on Issues in Social Security at Secretary of the SPA 2000-2002, is details: http://www.psa.ac.uk/2005/default.htm the Sigtunahöjden Conference Centre in Professor at the University of Plymouth; Sigtuna, near Stockholm, Sweden, from his recent publications include The State The Housing Studies Association 19th – 21st June 2004. The theme of the Annual Conference – Building on the seminar will be ‘International cooper- of Social Welfare:The Twentieth Century Past: Visions of Housing Futures – will ation in social security: How to cope in Cross-national Review (Greenwood take place at the University of York, 6th-8th with globalisation’. Details at: Press, 2002). April. This is an extended anniversary http://web.inter.nl.net/users/fiss/ conference to mark 50 years since the founding of the HAS. Further details: The 2005 European Network for http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/ Housing Research International chp/hsa/spring05/index.html Housing Conference will take place in Reykjavik at the University of Iceland, 29th Cash And Care: Understanding The June–3rd July. Further details: Evidence Base For Policy And Practice http://registration.yourhost.is/enhr2005iceland/

6 Policy World AUTUMN 2004 www.social-policy.com NEWSitems SPA News Julia Waldman

NEW SPA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS SWAP Developments Three people were newly elected to the SPA Executive Committee at our AGM in SWAP is now part of the Higher Education Adviser and will be working with the Social July.They are: Dr Christopher Holden of Academy. LTSN Subject Centres will Policy constituency. Brunel University;Dr Suzi Macpherson of continue to exist in their present format and Stirling University; and Dr Kirstein role and will be a core part of the Academy. New SWAP Report Rummery of Manchester University. In They will contribute to the Academy’s SWAP has published a report based on addition Polly Toynbee was confirmed as outreach to practitioner communities and research undertaken by Pat Young and Zoe the new President of the SPA and ensure the effective dissemination and Irving titled Changing practices in teaching Professor Saul Becker its new Chair. sharing of good practices with subject com- undergraduate social policy. A summary is munities. A review, however, is underway available at Dr Kirstein regarding the current configuration of dis- http://www.swap.ac.uk/learning/Researc Rummery ciplines within each subject centre. h.asp Decisions will be reached by the end of the year. SWAP supports the continuation of the SWAP Event existing social policy and social work focus In January 2005 SWAP will be co-hosting and would welcome an extension of further a workshop on Service Teaching in Social links with allied Health Professions and Policy (provisional date is 21st or 24th). This Sociology, Anthropology and Politics. workshop was provided earlier in the year Pat Young, who has been the Social Policy in Birmingham and its success led to the lead in SWAP, has moved on to a new post. decision to run a second workshop, this Julia Waldman, who has worked with time in Stirling in Scotland. Full details are SWAP in a consultancy capacity, has been available on their web site at: http:// Dr Suzi redeployed as a Learning and Teaching www.swap.ac.uk/events/events.asp?show=2 Macpherson

ConferencesRound-up s and Seminars The 2005 British Society of Criminology London South Bank University, July 2005. The 2005 Association for Public Policy Conference - ‘Re-Awakening the Crimi- Further information: [email protected] and Management (APPAM) conference nological Imagination’ - will take place at the will take place November 3rd-5th, Washington, University of Leeds 12th-14th July 2005. Plenary The 2005 Annual Conference of the DC, USA at the Washington Marriott Hotel. speakers will be Richard Ericson, Mike Levi, European Group of Public Administration SPA members are entitled to reduced rate Tim Newburn and Lucia Zedner. Special will take place at the University of Bern, membership of APPAM which in turn brings Sessions will include Zygmunt Bauman and Switzerland, 31st August-3rd September, under a reduced rate conference fee Carol Smart. Details: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/ the theme: Reforming the Public Sector: (see:http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/spsw/spa/news. law/bsc2005/ What about the citizens? htm#appam). Further information: Further conference details at http://www. The 2005 Australian Social Policy http://www.iiasiisa.be/egpa/agacc.htm appam.org/conferences/fall/. Conference - Looking Back, Looking Forward: A Quarter- Century of Social The Annual Conference of the UK Public ESRC Family, Community and Social Change – will take place 20th-22nd July at the Administration Committee (UK-PAC) - Change Seminar: Learning about the past University of New South Wales (UNSW), Public Administration and Management from the present. London South Bank Sydney, Australia. Further details: 2005 (PAM2005) – will take place 5th-7th University, November 2005. http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/ September at the University of Nottingham. Further information: [email protected] Further details: [email protected] ESRC Family, Community and Social ESRC Family, Community and Social Change Seminar: Learning about what The 7th Conference of the European Soci- Change Seminar: Learning from the past changes and what stays the same. ological Association will take place at from the present. London South Bank Nicholas Copernicus University, in Torun, University, June 2006. Poland, 9th– 13th September 2005. Further information: [email protected] Further information: http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/esa/ conferences.htm The XVI International Sociological Association World Congress of Sociology The 2005 ESPAnet Annual Conference - will take place in Durban, South Africa, 23rd- ‘Making Social Policy in the Post- 29th July 2006 under the theme ‘The Quality industrial Age’ – will take place September of Social Existence in a Globalising 22nd-24th at the Department of Social Work World’. and Social Policy, University of Fribourg, Further details at: http://www.ucm.es/info/ Switzerland. isa/congress2006/ For more information: [email protected] or www.espanet.org

www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 7 Where next for Social Policy? Where next for

At the SPA’s Annual Conference, the final Space limitations have restricted the number plenary session featured a lively debate on the of contributions that can be included here,but issue of ‘Where Next for Social Policy?’ Here we would like to extend the opportunity to we feature shortened versions of the papers participate to all with a stake in the issue.If you by Paul Spicker, Adrian Sinfield and Nick would like to add something to the debate then Ellison that opened that session along with please post your thoughts to the SPA’s elect- additional papers from Stuart Lowe and the ronic discussion list by sending a message to PolicyWorld editor John Hudson.These are social-policy@ jiscmail.ac.uk. followed by an extended article celebrating social policy at Manchester by Duncan Scott We will then collate the contributions and and Paul Wilding that kicks off the next post an edited version of them alongside the section of the newsletter;it also offers much papers here on the PolicyWorld web site at food for thought in connection with this www.policy-world.com. debate.

Saving Social Policy

Social Policy is in deep trouble. It has environment, communications, leisure and Social Administration, an area of study suffered greater falls in the number of shopping. There are reasons why people which is now vilified and neglected. Social students in the UK than any other social might need to consider these issues, but Administration studies the structure and science. Degrees are closing, and depart- they are not reasons which have anything operation of services, the process of service ments will follow. This has not happened to do with the agenda of Social Policy. delivery and the effect that services have on because of a loss of interest in applied Social Policy is not sociology, it is not the people who receive them. This is as social science: other subjects like Socio- politics, and it is not about the study of central now as it’s ever been. Topics like logy and Social Work are thriving. Social welfare in society. Recently, I sent a community planning, partnerships, partic- Policy’s problems are self-inflicted. proposal to a publisher for an introduction ipation, rationing, quality assurance, to the subject, focussing on issues of need empowerment and the redress of Social Policy developed with a clear and disadvantage. A reviewer complained: grievances are basic to public services in applied focus. “The study of social policy comes across as practice. They’re not as exciting as love and a dismal pursuit ... It is possible to introduce laughter, true, or even “Men and Masculin- The principal areas relate to social policy in a much more positive frame ity”, which was given as an example of a
policy and administrative practice in social - as the study of human well-being and of popular course, but they do have something services, including health administration, social systems for achieving well-being ...” to do with getting students a job. When we security, education, employment services, I know that some people in the SPA will lost sight of the vocational purpose of Social community care and housing management; share this view. I do not. Social policy is not Policy and Administration, we sacrificed the about the good things of life. It’s not about heart and core of the subject - and removed
social problems,including crime,disability,unem- love, partnership and emotional nurturing. the principal reason why people should ployment, mental health, learning disability, and It isn’t about aesthetics, music, poetry, want to study it. old age; comedy, leisure, or entertainment. As a description of the subject, the claim that
issues relating to social disadvantage, including social policy is concerned with the good life Can we save the subject? race, gender, sexuality and poverty; and is just plain wrong. As a prescription for future directions, it’s tenable but uninterest- I don’t think we can hope to reverse the
the range of collective social responses to these ing, because there is no obvious reason why immeasurable damage done to the subject conditions. we should try to study these things together. since 1987, when the SPA abandoned “Social Administration”, but we need to It is clear that many people working in Social policy, as it was initially conceived, stop things getting worse. We need to Social Policy are dissatisfied with the scope was study for a purpose. It was aimed at re-establish the identity of the subject, of the subject as it currently exists, and there future public and voluntary sector admin- so that we can establish its distinctive are constant pressures to change it. istrators who needed to know about the contribution, recruit students to it, and It has been suggested, for example, that problems and processes they would be give it a defensible presence in higher social policy ought to be looking at the dealing with. The core of the subject was education.

8 Policy World AUTUMN 2004 www.social-policy.com Where next for Social Policy? Social Policy? We need Social Policy lost its way because people
to reintroduce the term “Social Policy and in the field decided they wanted to do When I spoke at the SPA Administration” in the titles of our degrees, our something else instead. The identification On how we’d come to lose our way, departments and our professional association; of the subject with sociology and politics has not expanded the field, because the I put the claim in verse, to make
to re-emphasise the distinctive character of the effect of cutting out a rich, diverse subject The bitter pill less hard to take. subject, by strengthening our application of the area has given up more territory than it has My tale was gruesome to relate, contributory disciplines we have forgotten - gained. The subject has been abandoned, psychology, philosophy, economics and law; lured into a back alley and stripped of On how some kiddies met their fate articles of value. Social Policy across the
to ensure that taught courses contain elements Once they had strayed into the wood. country has been reeling under a series of relating to social services, social administration (It rhymed, but wasn’t very good.) impacts: amalgamation with other sub- and policy analysis; jects, loss of degrees, and a loss of This version’s still weighed down with gloom
to re-forge the link with vocational courses, students. We may already be too late. But, for the poem, there isn’t room. including the establishment of placements; and Paul Spicker
to stop trying to change the agenda. The Robert Gordon University Paul Spicker

Changing Roles, Changing Boundaries: Historical Perspectives on Health and Welfare 10.00 – 4.00 Friday 18 March 2005 Glenside Campus, UWE Bristol

Changing professional roles and boundaries are at the heart of current policy to modernise health and welfare services. But policy makers often neglect the lessons that historical perspectives bring to understanding such complex change processes.

This conference will explore the two interconnected themes of changing roles and changing boundaries in health and welfare. Contributors come from a range of disciplines, but the conference will particularly bring contemporary health and social care academics together with historians with a shared interest in changing health and welfare roles and boundaries. Two plenary sessions will cover overarching themes. Virginia Berridge will begin the conference by discussing ‘history in public health: roles and boundaries,’ whilst David Gladstone will focus on ‘boundaries and the whole’ in health and welfare.

Concurrent sessions will give participants the opportunity to explore streams on ‘changing roles’, ‘boundaries in health and social care’, ‘oral history’ and ‘archival research’.

For further information and details of the programme, visit http://hsc.uwe.ac.uk/hsc/newsevents.asp or contact Caroline Lapthorn at [email protected] or on 0117 328 8441.

Supported by grants from the Social Policy Association and the Royal College of Nursing History of Nursing Society.

www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 9 Where next for Social Policy? Upstream Thinking Are people’s lives any better, or any worse, than they were? And which people, and in what ways?

more upstream analyses. Disappointing which the subject is centrally concerned results in public health, they argue, ‘can be and as a major obstacle to their resolution. traced, in part, to preoccupation with 3 tails – the tail end of the normal distribution, the This is a plea for a re-balancing of social tail end of causality, and the endless pursuit policy analysis, not a denunciation or repu- of our own tails’1 diation of certain types of work. It is a ‘not only but also’ argument, but in any such Similarly, in social policy we have given too plea the second element is a necessary much research time and energy to looking complement to the first, not an optional at the tail end of the income distribution add-on. Without it the contribution of social and to the tail end of causality – very often policy will continue to be wanting in in proper response to the commissioning important respects. requirements of our funders, official and independent. We have not been invited by So which way for social policy? Towards a Are people’s lives any better, or any worse, them to raise our heads – and I do not think political economy of welfare, which than they were? And which people, and in that we have realised how far our heads connects to broader structural changes what ways? These are questions we have remained bowed in our more inde- and their consequences for the welfare of constantly ask about the impact of pendent activities. With a few outstanding people - in a word, upstream! particular services or policies, but I do not exceptions we have overlooked the force think we have been asking them enough of Richard Tawney’s observation before Adrian Sinfield about the broader changes in a society or the First World War: ‘What thoughtful rich School of Social and Political Studies societies over time, and, when we do, not people call the problem of poverty, University of Edinburgh searchingly enough. thoughtful poor people call, with equal justice, the problem of riches’ 2. 1 McKinlay,John B.and Marceau,Lisa D.(1999) ‘A Tale We have got very skilled at comparing of 3 Tails’,American Journal of Public Health, vol. welfare states and individual policies, their It is impossible to engage with the 89, no. 3, March, pp. 295-298, p.295 developments and their restructuring. The underlying causes of poverty without taking welfare of societies and the differing account of the ways in which resources are 2 Tawney, R. H. (1913) ‘Poverty as an industrial experience of different peoples have not distributed throughout society. Poverty problem’, reproduced in Memoranda on the received as much attention as their welfare therefore has also to be studied as a char- Problem of Poverty,London,William Morris Press. states. We need a political economy of acteristic of society and not just of those welfare, and not only a political economy people who are currently living in poverty. 3 Titmuss, Richard M. (1962) Income Distribution of welfare states. ‘We cannot ... delineate the new frontiers and Social Change, London, Allen and Unwin.. of poverty unless we take account of the p.187 To achieve this we need to develop better changing agents and characteristics of connections to context in social policy inequality’3 4 Sampson, Anthony (2004) Who Runs this Place? analyses: don’t let more technical work The Anatomy of Britain in the 21st Century, lead to context-stripping. As a part of this, Central to analyses linking private troubles London, John Murray. p.342 we need to restore the balance between and public issues must be the combination work ‘upstream’ on more structural of higher inequality and reduced mobility About the Author analyses at higher levels of causality and reinforced by ‘the most fundamental leading to societal and preventive policies change in Britain over four decades ... the Adrian Sinfield is Professor and work ‘downstream’ on more remedial respect now shown for wealth and money- Emeritus of Social Policy in 4 the School of Social and and ameliorative policies with their more making’ . These developments are making Political Studies at the individualised focus on those trapped it significantly more difficult to bring an end University of Edinburgh. below or on the margins. to poverty and to achieve many other He is currently Senior Vice- objectives with which social policy is Chair of the Child Poverty Action Group and is a In ‘A Tale of 3 Tails’ John McKinlay and Lisa regularly concerned. As in public health, former President of the Marceau have challenged public health structural inequalities must be recognised Social Policy Association. analysts to take a broader perspective with both as a major cause of problems with

10 Policy World AUTUMN 2004 www.social-policy.com Where next for Social Policy? In defence of Social Policy I see a vibrant field of study that should still be alive and kicking when I hang my mortarboard up in 2039. As an academic field, social policy so often greater interplay between academia and sociology but only attract around one fifth seems to be on the back foot – a subject in government. These trends are of greater of the number of undergraduates? crisis, unpopular with students, under benefit to our subject than any of the other threat from new fields, squeezed out by the social sciences. The income generation Clearly the subject has a recognition old social science disciplines. In recent and user engagement associated with all problem amongst 16-18 year olds that years this unease has snowballed as degree of this are real strengths of the field that contrasts with a much stronger identity programmes and departments have faced other social sciences look towards with amongst postgraduates and within closure. Some colleagues have even posed envy. They are also popular with Vice- government. There is obvious work to be the question ‘Whither social policy?’ Chancellors! done here by the SPA and others to promote the ‘brand’. As others argue elsewhere here, I am a relative newcomer to the field and Methodological Sophistication. a clearer identity might help too. to the profession. I took up my first full-time In part because of our engagement with academic position in 1998 and already the the ‘real world’ the subject has a method- However, there is also a sense in which we ‘crisis’ mood was in full swing. Yet, despite ological rigour – both in quantitative and should play to our strengths. It could be – this, and the fact that my degrees are in qualitative terms – that generally surpasses as Michael Hill has argued – that social political science, I made an active decision that found in the other social sciences. It policy makes more sense as a postgradu- to nail my colours to the social policy mast. is worth noting that in political science a ate subject. Here we need to do more to I do not regret this for a moment. Why? debate is still raging about whether there establish ourselves as the first port of call Because I do not see a subject in crisis. I is a need for methods courses in their BA for those working in the public sector who see a vibrant field of study that should still & MA programmes. wish to extend their knowledge base at be alive and kicking when I hang my mor- postgraduate level. tarboard up in 2039. The Growth of Research Outside of Academia. But I think too that much could be gained In saying this I do not wish to sound An MA with a strong social research by looking at ourselves and our own sense complacent or underplay the very real methods component is increasingly of identity. Though more social policy-ists challenges we face. But I see plenty of becoming de rigueur for those working as appeared in the last RAE than sociologists, reasons to be hopeful. policy advisors or government social re- the BSA easily out bats the SPA in terms of searchers. Central government alone members and resources. Too few aca- Research Base. employs more than 1,000 social demics in social policy departments see The 2001 RAE returns showed that there researchers. Our methodological sophisti- themselves as ‘social policy-ists’. This goes were more researchers in social policy cation and engagement with policy issues with the territory of an inter-disciplinary than in the supposedly bigger subject of should place us in the box seat for providing field of study but it does not help either sociology. Political science, meanwhile, training for this group. Data collected by the in building up funds for the SPA to had only a handful more than ourselves. Commission on the Social Sciences show promote the subject or in protecting our While some of this is, of course, a conse- that, already, we attract a similar number institutional base. quence of gaming, it is also clear that of postgraduates as sociology and that social policy academics are as much a more of ours are undertaking one-off MA Those of us who do see ourselves as social feature of UK universities as sociologists or programmes as opposed to the academic policy-ists perhaps need to do more to political scientists – albeit dispersed across apprenticeship provided by a PhD. convince our colleagues of the need to the social sciences rather than residing in commit to the cause: your subject needs a neat social policy home base.1 Where, of course, we have a real problem you! is in undergraduate recruitment. As the Booming Interest from Policy Makers. report of the Commission on the Social John Hudson In part the above reflects the high number Sciences notes, in 2001 there were 4,553 University of York of those in the subject working as full- acceptances to sociology BA degrees time researchers on projects funded by compared with just 929 to social policy 1 Commission on the Social Sciences (2003) policy makers. The general political programmes. The $64 million question is, Great Expectations: the Social Sciences in Britain. climate, the downsizing of government therefore, why is it we have more Commission on the Social Sciences, London. Available on-line at: departments and trends such as ‘evidence researchers, more research money and a http://joni.soc.surrey.ac.uk/~scs1ng/ based policy making’ are all leading to a similar amount of postgraduates to C.Univ-Gt. Expectations.pdf

www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 11 Where next for Social Policy? Recapturing Engagement: The ‘discipline’ of social policy beyond the Third Way evidence that this new approach is lanes join up, and – importantly – working. David Blunkett’s speech, lacking a clear picture of the wider ‘Influence or Irrelevance? Can Social landscape. It is a feature of the Third Science Improve Government?’ (2000), Way ethos that debates about the role made it clear that New Labour is prepared and purposes of welfare too often give to devote millions to social researchers in place to discussions about strict policy return for clear indications about ‘what detail. We increasingly think only inside works’. Of course, the conviction that the ‘Third Way box’. underpins this approach is the extraordi- narily narrow one that policies and their
Creeping (creepy?) technocracy: the effects can be understood and codified growing belief that, armed with the with evidence being ‘aggregated and dis- right methods, the evidence base will seminated: added up, joined up and wired somehow speak for itself. Politics and up’, as Wayne Parsons states, without ideology can then safely be banished This short piece argues that the turn having to take account of the political from the policy process. towards evidence-based policy making processes involved in policy formulation (EPBM) is reducing the critical (and and implementation. Nevertheless, after 18 Because debates, research and evidence political) edge that characterised social years of UK governments that displayed no in social policy are inherently normative policy research in the past. In effect, the interest whatsoever in the social sciences, and political – politicians, communities, discipline is in the process of being reor- the research community was pleased to be ethnicities, genders and indeed researchers ganised by government for narrow political recognised by New Labour as having themselves understandably have interests ends as a sort of research ‘service industry’. something of value to contribute. When the of their own and will attempt to use Indeed this emerging industry already call came for evidence-based research on evidence in particular ways – it is important mimics the lower end of the private service core TW policies the response, particularly that the research community thinks sector in certain respects, including in from social policy, was enthusiastic. outside the box and rejects the naive belief many instances its low-paid, short-term, that the evidence it provides can be value- casualised conditions of work. The Dangers of Evidence-based neutral. To preserve the autonomy (indeed research the dignity) of the discipline it is important EBPM and Third Way Social Policy There are problems with enthusiasm, to re-recognise this fact of existence and Definitions of ‘third way’ social policy will however, if evidence-based research is pay attention to the organisation of have to be dispensed with here – but there conducted without constant reference to research evidence in ways that engage is likely to be general agreement about the the wider nature and purposes of academic critically not just with specific policy initia- fact that it incorporates a contractualist, social policy (particularly perhaps power tives but with the general ideological regulatory approach to policy in which an relations – the ‘who gets what, when and assumptions and prevailing socio-political ‘enabling’ state operates (or appears to how’ that social policy academics have and economic context that underpin them. operate) at arm’s length from the commu- historically been concerned to understand). There is a need, in other words, to ensure nities and users which it supposedly These are (at least) twofold: that, ‘beyond the Third Way’, social policy serves. In view of the extraordinary array scholarship and research does more than of (expensive) policy initiatives that have
‘Cornish lanes syndrome’: navigating service the narrow ends of government. been rolled out under the TW banner over sunken lanes and seeing the close the past seven years or so, it is not detail but with inadequate signposts, Nick Ellison surprising that those in government want so having little idea about how the University of Durham.

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12 Policy World AUTUMN 2004 www.social-policy.com Where next for Social Policy? Bringing political science back in What is wrong with Social Policy that it should be treated as though it does not exist or worse still is irrelevant? In October last year the British Journal of power struggles in universities, are not John Hudson and I argue strongly in Under- Sociology hosted a debate at the LSE under theoretically pure and their boundaries do standing the Policy Process: Analysing the title Public Sociology: sociology and and should overlap with each other. welfare policy and practice that there is a the democratic debate. The event lead to Political science abstracts out the nature need for Social Policy to re-engage with the the publication of a number of papers in the and distribution of power and political disciplines, meaning the production of BJS with a very direct bearing on ‘our own’ institutional structures. It is this knowledge more conceptually aware work that poses debates about the contemporary signifi- base that brings in understanding of how the question why? as well as documenting cance of Social Policy. The key paper by social problems come onto the policy social problems. In this there is a burning Lauder, Brown and Halsey1espouses the agenda, how political institutional structures need for the ‘policy’ part of Social Policy to idea of developing a new ‘policy-oriented mediate and filter macro-level forces and be given much greater prominence in the sociology’ with the aim of developing a what happens at the moment of policy teaching and the research agenda of the ‘new policy science’. In their paper there is delivery. Historical institutionalists have subject. Knowledge of how institutional no mention of political science, which is the made some of the most important con- structures filter social and economic disciplinary source of an already existing ceptual advances in the social sciences in processes is a key issue here and a core life policy science with a huge and growing recent years with their insights into the path skill for students, many of whom eventually literature behind it. Nor is proper reference dependency of policy and the stickiness work for ‘state’ agencies (in the broadest made to the interdisciplinary field of Social exerted by institutional structures on the sense of the word). It is time to bring the Policy, which seems most extraordinary policy process. A very large part of what knowledge base of political science back given the pedigree of these authors. The LBH seem to want to invent already exists to the heart of Social Policy, so that it can upshot of all this is that unfortunately our inside this knowledge base, particularly become a much more balanced, truly sociologist colleagues are about to reinvent the general field known as ‘policy analysis’. interdisciplinary field rather than having its the wheel. A very large part of what they agenda skewed both by theoretically talk about and the requirements of their In the conclusion to our recent book John innocent empirical research and especially new policy science already exists, particu- Hudson and I write about the problem by the dominance of sociology. Of course larly in the form a branch of political caused by the over-dominance of sociolo- sociology has a special theoretically science called ‘policy analysis’. gists in the field of Social Policy.2 The attuned status – that is one of its main subject is often taught in joint departments identities as a discipline and empirical Apart from arguing the justification for this and the focus on issues of social divisions research is bound to figure prominently at statement (which cannot be done here) the have to a considerable extent taken over the heart of the subject. But there is a ‘dis- paper by LBH raises the question about the more policy-oriented agenda, which is ciplinary’ failure taking place if LBH why they chose to reference neither the where the roots of the subject are to be consider it necessary to invent a new policy analysis approach or the wider found – the defence of and understanding ‘policy science’. Colleagues, it already subject of Social Policy? This in turn raises about the core welfare state. exists. The moral of this for Social Policy another layer of questions about Social is 1) to bring political science back in and Policy itself, particularly why such distin- Social Policy does itself no favours here. 2) to engage more with the wider social guished colleagues should feel the need to As an interdisciplinary subject it is vulner- sciences with more conceptually aware invent a new subject that is largely Social able to being marginalized in the social studies even if only as a matter of survival! Policy’s existing domain. What is wrong sciences precisely because it is not a with Social Policy that it should be treated discipline. If anything what gives Social as though it does not exist or worse still is Policy its identity is its expertise in empirical Stuart Lowe irrelevant? The answer to this suggests a research methodology. The danger with Department of Social Policy and rather salutary lesson for our subject and this is that the findings of its extensive Social Work necessitates going back to some basics, research programme never gets properly University of York. notably about the social science disciplines. evaluated in general discourse, especially in the wider social sciences. Maybe this is 1 Lauder, H, Brown, P and Halsey, A H (2004) The disciplinary foundations why LBH have devised the idea of a ‘policy- ‘Sociology and Political Arithmetic: Some Each of the disciplines has an epistemolog- relevant sociology’. Social Policy has Principles of a New Policy Science’,British Journal ical foundation, a knowledge base and become an almost invisible entity, publish- of Sociology, 55 (1), 3-22. literature that in theory should stop the ing overwhelmingly empirical, atheoretical 2 Hudson, J and Lowe, S (2004) Understanding wheel from forever being re-invented. They papers in its own small circulation journals, the Policy Process:Analysing Welfare Policy and came into existence largely as the result of unconnected to the wider social sciences. Practice.The Policy Press: Bristol. www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 13 Policy World ROUND UP Celebrating Social Policy

In the summer of 2004 what was once the Department of Social “discipline area” within the new School of Social Sciences, Administration,later the Department of Social Policy and Social Criminology to the School of Law,and Social Work to the School Work and most recently the Department of Applied Social of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work. Some past and current Science ceased to exist. Staff were dispersed to a number of members felt that the Department should not be allowed to safe havens in the University - the surviving fragments of Social disappear without an attempt to celebrate some of its achieve- Policy to the Government, International Politics and Philosophy ments over more than half a century.

there was a Social Administration degree Government in the 1950s. By then Depart- - the BA (Admin) - from 1936 run by mental staff included many figures who, Frances Collier. Barbara Rodgers’ ‘Register over the years, would play a prominent part of Social Administration Students 1940- in the development of the subject - Barbara 1960’ lists a class of six women students in Rodgers, David Donnison, Kay Jones. 1937. A lone male appears in 1942 but it is Others joined shortly afterwards - T.E. after the Second World War before a Chester as the first Professor of Social second man is recorded. Administration in 1955, Gordon Forsyth, Gordon Rose and Barry Cullingworth. This was the first or second such University degree course in Britain - predictably there David Donnison had this to say about his is some argument about who led the way! time in Manchester “I was appointed The Register indicates that the degree straight from an Oxford PPE degree to an course led to a wide range of welfare- Assistant Lectureship in Social Administra- related occupations. The class of ‘37 tion in 1950. We joined the Social Science going on to posts as almoner, AssistantMilk Faculty, not just Bill Mackenzie’s Depart- Officer, W.V.S. Welfare Officer at Hawker ment of Government. The professors - Bill Siddeley and an Educational Settlement. Mackenzie (politics), Arthur Lewis and Eli Devons (Economics), Max Gluckman Perhaps the most important feature of the (Anthropology), Michael Polanyi (whatever early ‘pre-department’ period was the he was doing this week)… were world- umbilical link with the then Manchester class, every one of them. We went to each Dover Street Building, photograph courtesy of The University of Manchester and Salford Council of Social Service. other’s seminars. Colleagues from other Barbara Rodgers and a research assistant/ Faculties sometimes came too: philoso- 1. History tutor, Margaret Haigh, were both appointed phers, physicists, public health people… For many generations of students the in 1939-40 to joint C.S.S. / University posts. We spent little time in academic Department of Social Administration will These joint appointments were part of a committees: Bill as Dean was a benevolent be for ever associated with the gloom of well established tradition in the Faculty; dictator. Teaching was light enough to the ground floor of the Dover Street there are references3 to a member of the get to know your students, too; and to building with its famous - and seemingly University Settlement staff simultaneously write your first book within three years… eternal - brown lino, its high windows being a Lecturer in Social Science (1913- Then you were expected to go abroad. designed very effectively to exclude almost 17), and a Director of ‘practical training’ on The University would keep your job open all sunlight and the very clear surviving the Diploma in Social Science (1933 for three years, and expected you to come evidence of its days as a girls’ school which onwards). The incumbent of the latter post back with another book written... In my ended in the 1930s. As one former pupil became Secretary of a Carnegie Trust innocence I assumed this was how all said when she paid a return visit to the supported re-housing survey (1936-8) universities worked.” building 50 years later in the late 1980s ‘You which coincided with the very first social know, it hasn’t changed much’. Kay Jones’s administration students. Early research Students could take a practice-oriented 1963 survey showed that Manchester was reports also reflected the empirical- degree programme with a substantial not unusual when it depicted the typical practical focus of the embryonic Social amount of compulsory field work both in Social Studies department accommoda- Administration presence eg ‘The Income term time and in vacations, leading to the tion as ‘characterised by dark brown paint of Charities in Manchester and Salford’ B.A.(Admin). This attracted many students and dark green linoleum, inadequate (1941) and ‘Absenteeism at the Manchester as a pre-social work degree programme, plumbing and dirty windows’2. Docks’ (1942). Barbara Rodgers was because, for a time, a requisite number of eventually appointed Lecturer in 1945. placement weeks ‘bought’ access to a one Although the Department of Social rather than a two year social work training Administration only emerged from the The Department of Social Administration course. By 1960, around twenty students a Department of Government in the 1950s loosed its ties to the Department of year were graduating from the BA (Admin)

14 Policy World AUTUMN 2004 www.social-policy.com Policy World ROUND UP at Manchester programme. It was clearly a strong, lively The small, intimate, heavily taught and quiet to write up some of my PhD field department. B.Soc.Sci. programme removed these work.” unpopular course requirements and was In 1981, the Department launched a able to build on the explosion of relevant From as early as 1951 the postgraduate specialist undergraduate degree - the research and writing in the field. It was an Diploma in Social Administration was a Bachelor of Social Science in Social Policy. important influence on many undergrad- route into the subject for those who had Student demand was very strong but uate students - particularly mature students done first degrees in other fields numbers were tightly controlled by the - through the 1980s and 1990s. - something which was very valuable when Faculty and for many years limited to an there were few undergraduate prog- intake of 10 student per year - a constraint One of those B.Soc.Sci students writes rammes and the subject was poorly which was ultimately very damaging to the “I have genuinely fond memories of being known. A few years later the Department Department. No significant expansion in an undergraduate social policy student at was involved in providing Diploma and this programme was permitted until the Manchester. I had been shamefully MA programmes in Health Services mid 1990s by which time the tide of attracted to Manchester for its night life management. From the late 1960s there applicants for social policy degrees was rather than the academic credentials of the was also the Diploma / MA in Social and beginning to turn. University, but it was the political nature of Pastoral Theology, taught jointly with the the discipline and its critical edge which Department of Theology, a course which From the mid-1990s, three factors - local prompted me to switch disciplines in the brought into the Department a range of and wider - undermined the Department’s first month and to specialise in social policy. very lively and stimulating part time position. First, there were increasing I found the course enormously stimulating students. These programmes connected problems in recruiting to the specialist and it engaged an intellectual interest in the the Department to a wide range of profes- Social Policy degree. To combat the discipline which persists to this day, albeit sionals working in the city and the region. emerging shortfall in student numbers a that I have somewhat side stepped social new and very popular joint degree in policy in favour of criminology… In the 1980s and early 1990s the part time Criminology and Social Policy was MA in Social Policy and the Organisation of launched. Another factor which weakened “In addition to finding the course thought- Welfare gave middle managers in the the Department was the failure of the provoking in a way that many of my friends region an opportunity to relate practice to Faculty/University to fill vacant posts. also studying other degrees at Manchester research and theory and to pool a fund of Between 1995 and 2000 three professors did not, the Department stood out in the rich and fruitful experience. In the mid moved, retired or died. Only one of these quality of the learning experience. With 1990s the Department launched a joint MA three vacant posts was filled. Though the few exceptions the teaching was of the programme, the first ever formal joint Department was graded 5 in the Research highest standard and most staff were easily programme in the University, with the Assessment Exercise in 2001 this achieve- accessible to students, even pesky under- Manchester Metropolitan University. ment was not enough to ensure survival. graduates!” A third factor which hit all social policy And, of course, there are the Ph D. students departments in the 1990s was the expan- Another mature student has this to say in criminology and in mainstream social sion of social policy oriented research in “For me it was the right course, in the right policy. Two have this to say of their years a broad range of other social science department, in the right place, at the right in the Department. departments, for example politics, time. Back then (1989) there were just a sociology and geography. dozen or so B.Soc.Sci. students enrolled “The Department was like a family, with each year. Our small numbers meant we quite a number of strong personalities, who 2. Teaching (and the Taught) had the opportunity to get to know our had been there together for many years. The Department has made significant social policy lecturers on a much more We were a handful of Ph. D. students from contributions to the teaching of social personal level and presumably vice versa, home and abroad, with various back- policy on a number of fronts. There have so that our individual quirks, characters, grounds and very diverse ideas and been the overall programmes of study and needs and circumstances were better approaches to our work. It was nice to see there have been specific courses or known. that we all felt welcome and appreciated in modules where the Department has the same way. Just like in a good family, pioneered some important developments. “I stayed on in the Department as a post- there was freedom but also a texture graduate… The high point of those of care” Programmes post-grad years for me was the three From the 1950s students had the chance months spent in Finland at the University “I never thought that I would be in to do a recognisably specialist degree in of Tampere, made possible through the Manchester one day. It was too far away. Social Policy though with the disincentive University and Department’s links with However I finally arrived in Manchester in (for some!) of compulsory first year courses European universities where exchange 1991 studying social policy. A lot of friends in quantitative methods and economics student placements were encouraged in my country warned me with a sad look and with the constraint of the rather limited through the Erasmus programme. This of the criminal problems there and always social policy literature then available. placement provided me with the peace commented that ‘Englishmen were cold

www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 15 Policy World ROUND UP Celebrating Soc Pol at Manchester - continued

and difficult’ Well, they were terribly wrong. domestic parts. I suppose mother Triffids scale and range of Departmental ‘outputs’ So many people showed me the warmest die. RIP Social Policy at Manchester. some of it now for ever lost in dusty library welcome even though I spoke very poor You were a schizophrenic mother to us stacks but influential in its time. English. My first son was born in criminologists, but you nurtured and Manchester just before my Ph. D. viva. I am strengthened us” David Donnison’s first book The Neglected really happy to call him a Mancunian in Child and the Social Services (1954) was memory of the wonderful old days” Ian Gough’s course on the Political published during his time at Manchester. Economy of the Welfare State both reflect- Barbara Rodgers’ Portrait of Social Work Courses ed and pioneered a new approach to (1960) and the New Portrait of Social Work Around 1960, Barbara Rodgers began the understanding the increasingly complex (1973), written with June Stevenson, were teaching of Comparative Social Policy at and contradictory phenomenon of the pioneering attempts to study what was Manchester in what was among the very welfare state. This course came to be actually happening on the ground in a first such courses. Comparative Social complemented by a compulsory third year northern town. Her Comparative Social Policy has been taught ever since. The course on Social Values which wrestled - Administration (1968) (written with John literature in the early days was limited and or tried to make students wrestle - with the Greve) was one of the first attempts to there was a strong emphasis on what conflicting political value systems at issue provide students with a textbook for com- Barbara styled ‘constructive description’ in welfare state policies. Generations of parative study. K. Jones published the two partly because there was a shortage of students complained of what they saw volumes of her history of mental services material to do anything more ambitious. - not unreasonably - as a huge jump from while she was at Manchester - Lunacy The great gain was that students were year two courses to this more philosophi- Law and Conscience (1955) and Mental forced to explore systems very different cal and often rather alien ideas-based Health and Social Policy (1960). Gordon from what existed in the UK. The subject’s approach. Rose published his Struggle for Penal strong occupational risks of ethnocentric- Reform (1960) and his book on Approved ity were challenged by the introduction of In the mid 1980s the Department began Schools, Schools for Young Offenders comparative study and again in the early teaching a course on Women and the (1967). Barry Cullingwoth’s first book 1970s when the Department began to Welfare State as a response to the Housing Needs and Planning Policy was teach a course on social policy and race enriching explosion of feminist research published in 1960. Gordon Forsyth relations - an early venture in this field. and theorisation. Dale and Foster’s home published his widely used Doctors and grown Feminists and State Welfare was a State Medicine in 1967. Brian Rodgers’ The Throughout its history the Department has key text. In a subject always dominated at Battle Against Poverty came out in 1968-9. had a strong tradition of Criminology the undergraduate level by women In 1977 K. Jones published her Immigration teaching, pioneered by Gordon Rose and students this course was a richly liberating and Social Policy. In the area of theorising broadened and expanded in the 1980s and experience for many. and interpreting the welfare state there 1990s to take account of the explosion of were Ian Gough’s Political Economy of the knowledge and theory and culminating in Changes were also taking place in the Welfare State (1979), Peter Taylor Gooby the joint degree programme. Department’s long established approach to and Jennifer Dale’s Social Theory and using placements. For example, in the Social Welfare (1981), Vic George and Paul Ken Pease has this to say about criminol- 1950s the Department’s BA (Admin) Wilding’s Ideology and Social Welfare (2nd ogy at Manchester “It has to be said that programme required students to do a sub- edition 1985), Jennifer Dale and Peggy criminology within Social Policy at stantial amount of field work and to write Foster’s Feminists and State Welfare (1986) Manchester was never totally ‘within’. reports about their experience. In the and Len Doyal and Ian Gough’s A Theory Michael Chatterton was certainly among 1970s, efforts were made to link this of Human Need (1991). On race there was the first UK academics to study the police, experience more formally to the academic Valerie Karn’s analysis Ethnicity in the 1991 and the ambivalent relations between programme. A second year course was Census (1997). policing and social policy were mirrored launched - Field Research in Social Welfare within the Department… Between bouts of - which aimed to get students to connect paranoia, we criminologists did some good their own experience to the relevant work. Mike set up the Henry Fielding literature on social research, policy and Centre, which pioneered training for police practice. It was, in a very real sense, an analysts. Pete Ainsworth carried on the initiative in a different form of learning good work. The Kirkholt project remains which has now, of course, become part of one of the most cited burglary reduction a new educational orthodoxy. project ever carried out. However, the real achievement of criminology at 3. Research Manchester was the doctoral training of To review or evaluate the Department’s scholars who have spread Triffid like contribution in research and writing would through academe and seeded the clearly be impossible in the space available wholesome mixture of respect for quanti- but a mention of some of the work tative data and awareness of how they produced by members of the Department need to be complemented in foreign and over its 50 year history can indicate the K. Jones

16 Policy World AUTUMN 2004 www.social-policy.com Policy World ROUND UP

In addition there is a rich output of 5.Things fall apart- almost At the end of the day the pressing demands important journal articles and research Perhaps the centrifugal tendencies for the new, mega-university, (which began reports. Most notably there was Ken of Social Policy are inherent in its inter- from October 2004) to earn research Pease’s Home Office funded work on disciplinary DNA, but wider explanations contracts, publish high quality articles in a crime prevention and repeat victimisation are surely needed for the demise of the limited range of internationally rated and Howard Parker’s work on drug and Department. They must embrace the journals, attract overseas income and so alcohol use and abuse. Howard’s research impact of changes in Higher education, on, may prove too hostile an environment centre has produced work of national Faculty politics in the shadow of the RAE, for a fledgling Social Policy presence to do importance particularly in relation to young the decline of student applications as well more than exist in the form of paired work people. Here criminological concerns as more ad hoc factors. For example, over and loose networks. We seem to have were clearly integrated with broader social the last decade significant numbers of come a long way from David Donnison’s policy issues such as leisure patterns, junior and senior appointments in the experience of benevolent dictators, light health and social exclusion. Whereas Ken Department went to academics from North teaching and getting to know students, but Pease talked of ambivalent and schizo- America. They brought a freshness of some surprising continuities allow a phrenic relations between social policy approach and a wealth of ideas and modest hope. So too does his argument and criminology, Howard eased these connections, but their lack of experience that almost all the social science overlap in problems by the creation of a specialist of the more ethnocentric traditions in subject matter and ‘With the exception of research unit. Social Policy reinforced a diffusion of Economics, any of them could be parti- identity, which was partly reflected in the tioned among its neighbours and leave 4.Beyond the local change of departmental title – from Social scant residue. That is as it should be; when The close links between the department Policy to Applied Social Science. social scientists are tempted to create and local policy/practice institutions private corners of specialist expertise, the continued throughout the first generation Over the same period, there were six outcome is seldom happy’5 of the welfare state. For example, we heads of department in 9 years. Even as are told that in the mid 1950s both staff and Faculty politics responded to the cynical students maintained close contact cliché ‘If you want to stay alive, get a five’, Duncan Scott and Paul Wilding1 with the University Settlement, in what Social Policy eventually got its ‘5’ in 2001, was described as ‘a natural relationship’4. but the academic and social cement which But, it was not long before a number of binds departments together had already 1 With advice, help, comments, criticism and academic and social changes began to been loosened by the changes in contributions from a mighty army! Apologies erode the relationship. Firstly, the personnel and character. When the unifi- to any not mentioned who think they should expansion and growing professionalisa- cation of the University of Manchester and have been and for any errors and misinter- tion of Social Administration/Social Policy UMIST got under way, the traditional fissi- pretations. Corrections and comments very as a field of academic study encouraged a parous tendencies (Social Work/Probation, welcome. move away from this close relationship at least two strands of criminological work, with the `field` and towards greater and a run-down Social Policy) proved an 2 K.Jones The Teaching of Social Studies in emphasis on theory. Secondly, but more attractive target for the rationalisers. British Universities’ Bell, 1964, p.59 subtly, growing suburbanisation and the increasingly national labour market for The Department’s tripartite ending does, 3 M. Stocks (1956) Fifty Years in Every Street, academics weakened the personal links however, make a degree of sense, and Manchester, Manchester University Press, between local academic elites and tradi- there are grounds for optimism about a p.45, p.94 tional local, city based policy-rich issues. small Social Policy presence within 4 Brian Rodgers, in Stocks op cit, p.131 Whereas a vice-chancellor of the late 1950s the strong Government, International 5 Quoted in K.Jones, op cit (Mansfield- Cooper) could point to the Politics and Philosophy “discipline area”. formative influence of his inner Strong academic leadership can ensure Manchester elementary school, his creative links with successors (and academics in general) colleagues interested in were more nationally mobile and less public policy and gov- locally rooted. From the 1970s onwards ernance. Professor Gerry sponsors of Social Policy research have Stoker, for example, been predominantly national, whether who heads a specialist government department or larger unit on the latter charitable foundation. Parallel develop- topic, did his Ph.D. in ments emerged within the academic and Manchester’s old Social professional associations, and were Administration dep- reflected in the proliferation of national and artment. Professor Steve international journals and conference Harrison has unique attendance, particularly outside the UK. links with both health When Barbara Rodgers sailed to Canada and public policy, in the late 1940s, she sent back a series of whilst other staff are letters chronicling the novelty and determined to maintain excitement of it all. Now colleagues are joint projects with routinely expected to visit distant places on criminologists in the a regular basis. School of Law. Dover Street Building, photograph courtesy of The University of Manchester

www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 17 Policy World ROUND UP Eradicating child poverty? CHILD POVERTY A view from the lobby ACTION

Paul Dornan, Child Poverty Action Group GROUP

Heading into a presumed May 2005 general importance in making and sustaining benefit was increased substantially in level election and a little over five years after progress on child poverty. Research in in 1999 but has since fallen again in real Tony Blair’s promise to eradicate child these areas has been extremely useful and value. Universal benefits are the best poverty finds the policy field at a critical we would like to see more! means to overcome the problems juncture. Here I will to take the opportunity associated with the tax credits, and though to briefly detail some of the key issues the First, policy has not engaged in the level of this ought not to be at the expense of Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), as a income – and benefit rates - required for income increases to the poorest, CPAG group lobbying to end child poverty, sees social inclusion. Official pronouncements would certainly argue that child benefit as critical to develop the debate. Research have been rather discouraging on the use needs to be increased in rate as the core has always been critical to CPAG’s work, government sees for budget standards of the anti- child poverty strategy. we work at our best when we are research. Yet without the research we don’t positioned at the nexus between various know if the relative poverty line is set high Five, though the income poverty rate has communities: academic, welfare rights, enough, or the benefit rates (actually below been coming down it has not come down political and policy. As a lobbyist I’m also the poverty line). Concerns on adequacy equally for all and the risk of being poor is not going to let the opportunity pass to also include future changes in rate - the lack sharply patterned. Some groups – most mention some of the areas we’d like to see of a legislative basis for the uprating of tax notably the children of asylum seekers – more research on, helping to push forward credits could allow a future government are very poorly covered by official figures to the goal of ending child poverty. less enamoured with tax credits to reduce and it is very likely that they are extremely their value much more quickly than the poor. Policy needs to develop to address Reviewing progress since 1997 gives a Conservative governments of the 1980s more clearly why it is that different groups mixed picture, very encouraging with a and 1990s managed to do with child – lone parents, those with disabilities, those change in the tenor of debate and significant benefit. Neglect of income support adult without paid work and certain ethnic investment in extra resources for children scale rates – linked to prices and falling in groups – have such low levels of income, but with questions remaining about both the real value also – stands out as an area of research which analyses such experiences thrust of policy and its delivery. Massively concern, not only for childless adults but for is tremendously useful. high child income poverty has been falling, those who become pregnant on IS and for as has material deprivation – both remain the relative contribution it provides for Three points to end with. For CPAG, too high. We have a new Public Service families in receipt of the benefit. research on poverty continues to be critical Agreement (PSA) target on child poverty, in shaping policy and critical in shaping our coming out of the 2004 spending review, Second, the contribution of paid work. messages – so thank you! I have outlined and another to sit alongside promised for Though paid work plays centre stage in some of the key areas in which research the next review. The renewed target, based official ambitions on child poverty, for too is particularly useful to developing lobbying on relative incomes involved a method- many it does not provide the rewards it messages. Second research is most useful ological change which ‘removed’ 700,000 should. Maximising the employment rate, to us when it challenges official preconcep- children from the headline figure, a move if that means people trapped in low wage tions, and CPAG would be keen, for criticised by CPAG and many others, and work, or work that may not be sustained example, to see research continue to be one which will only be vindicated if those is not an effective anti-poverty strategy. done using after as well as before housing children lost from the top-line measure What we would like to see here is higher costs data, even though the child poverty are caught by the proposed second, more wages and more investment in support to target has been firmly linked to the latter materially based, PSA. Accompanying the develop skills. – it provides more ‘headroom’ to argue for spending review was the Child Poverty alternatives. Finally, to end on a shameless Review, which very usefully draws together Third, delivery issues come frequently to plug I would like to ask you to let us know existing strategy but which neither fully CPAG’s attention through its welfare rights about relevant research you are doing and accepts the threats to sustainability of focus. The effect of claw-back of overpaid to consider submitting poverty related progress nor the difficulty of building on tax credits have had the highest profile, with articles to our own journal Poverty. this. Delivery problems persist and, in overpayments being deducted out of the some ways, have worsened both, with the current income awards, leaving affected Dr Paul Dornan increased importance of the means test families with little on which to live. After the Head of Policy and Research and annual assessment of tax credits. Job roll out of tax credits, the administration has [email protected] cuts in the Department for Work and to be got right if they are to add the max- www.cpag.org.uk Pensions and Inland Revenue do not augur imum to the eradication of child poverty. well for improvements in administration. Four, both delivery issues and real returns Looking forward – to the election and from paid work raise traditional concerns beyond – there are five key areas of critical over the limits to the means test. Child

18 Policy World AUTUMN 2004 www.social-policy.com Policy World ROUND UP Call for papers CPAG calls for submissions for consideration for publication in Poverty.

Poverty is the journal of the Child Poverty Action Group. Poverty publishes policy-orientated articles primarily focused on child and family poverty. Our readership encompasses both specialists and non- specialists with an interest in poverty.We aim to inform and to influence CHILD debate and policy on poverty. POVERTY We would welcome articles related to poverty. Articles should be around 2,700 words long and should be sent for consideration to the ACTION commissioning editor, Pauline Phillips, at [email protected]. GROUP

New from the Child Poverty Action Group Tax Credits: one year on Marilyn Howard Introduced in April 2003, the new tax credits – child tax credit and working tax credit – represent a major change in government policy on making work pay for low-income families and are critical to the success of the Government’s pledge to end child poverty by 2020.

Tax Credits: one year on reviews the first year of the new system and makes policy recommendations for the future. Drawing on case studies provided to CPAG by welfare rights advisers across the UK, the book looks beyond the well-documented implementation problems and examines broader issues of concern, including childcare, income assessments, overpayments and the relationship with other benefits. The problems experienced by some families in the scheme’s initial 12 months highlight the need for further reform if tax credits are to be truly successful in eradicating child poverty. June 2004 96 pages £9.00

Poverty: the facts 5th edition Jan Flaherty, John Veit-Wilson and Paul Dornan Poverty:the facts (5th edition) is published by leading national charity the Child Poverty Action Group. It is the most authoritative and up to date analysis of poverty in Britain. It claims that although some regions and countries in the UK are poorer than others, each contains diverse areas and cities with different poverty levels.It also considers recent government initiatives and reports on their ‘limited’ success.

Poverty: the facts now includes an index for easy reference. It is an essential resource for campaigners, policymakers, journalists, students and academics.

‘Presents a clear picture of the growth of poverty in Britain and the divide between rich and poor’ - Community Care March 2004 296 pages £10.95

A full list of CPAG publications and an order form are available online at http://www.cpag.org.uk/publications/policyorderform.htm www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 19 Policy World ROUND UP CRSP CRSP is 21 Centre for Research in Social Policy The Centre for Research in Social Policy celebrates 21 years of success!

The Centre for Research in Social Policy also highlighted by the Minister, particularly in she argued that we cannot allow government (CRSP), in the Department of Social Sciences helping to understand the causes of child to be the sole arbiter of research relevance, at Loughborough University, has been cele- poverty and its effects on people’s life for we also have wider responsibilities, in brating its 21st birthday. A special conference chances. particular to those whose voices are least held at Loughborough University on Septem- heard in policy-making debates. ber 17th, brought together over 80 colleagues Sue Duncan focused on the challenge of in the social policy research and academic getting the policy-research relationship right. In the afternoon parallel sessions, partici- community as well as those involved in policy This includes demystifying the policy process pants discussed the role of research in making to consider and debate the role of for those working outside of government, as shaping social policy around CRSP’s four research in shaping social policy. well as recognising within government the research themes: work, poverty and social complexities of the research process. Without exclusion; welfare and life transitions; com- Keynote speakers were: the Rt Hon good research information, “policies can be parative welfare; and progress towards social Dawn Primarolo MP (Paymaster General ); poorly targeted, can have unintended conse- inclusion. The panels included speakers from Sue Duncan (Chief Government Social quences or they can simply not work”. CRSP and other UK and international Researcher); and Professor Ruth Lister Current approaches to policy making prioritise academics and researchers, as well as repre- (Professor of Social Policy at Loughborough inclusiveness, performance measurement sentatives from government and the research University). CRSP was also very pleased to and delivery, joined-up government, strategic funding community. welcome back its founder, Professor Sir thinking and identifying “what works”. In Adrian Webb (now Vice Chancellor at the each of these key areas, Ms Duncan The day was a great success and concluded University of Glamorgan), and its former emphasised the important role that research with a round table discussion about the future Director, Professor Robert Walker (now at the plays in providing evidence to those working direction of social policy research. Full University of Nottingham). in government, whilst recognising that there conference proceedings will be available via remain inherent frustrations and challenges CRSP’s website in early 2005. In the morning plenary session, the Rt in the research/policy relationship. Hon Dawn Primarolo discussed the vital More information about CRSP’s work can be contribution that research makes to effective Professor Lister reflected on the relevance and accessed via http://www.crsp.ac.uk government and recognised that “in construct- value of social policy research both for or from Clare Lawson at CRSP ing evidence-based policies, the Government government and non-government actors. She ([email protected]). owes a great deal to social researchers and considered the influence and limits of academics around the country”. She research on social policy makers, mediating emphasised the Government’s determina- factors and who decides what is relevant. Simon Roberts and Karen Kellard tion to ensure that policy makers’ decisions She emphasised the need to give more The Centre for Research in Social are rooted in a “bedrock” of sound evidence. thought to how we can make research Policy (CRSP) The importance of longitudinal evidence was accessible to its ‘beneficiaries’. In conclusion, Loughborough University

20 Policy World AUTUMN 2004 www.social-policy.com Policy World ROUND UP Call for papers The 2005 Social Policy Association Conference will be held at the University of Bath, 27th – 29th June 2005

Conference Theme: Well-being and Social Justice

Papers are invited which address the overall theme ‘Well-being and Social Justice’ and the following sub-themes:

1 Childhood and the life course 2 Crime and criminal justice processes 3 Economic security: poverty and social inequalities 4 Education and learning 5 Environment/ housing/community 6 Family and family policy 7 Health and social care 8 Labour market/ work as welfare/corporate citizenship 9 Theorising well-being: defining, measuring and understanding 10 Understanding agency and promoting voice

Papers presenting a comparative, European or international dimension are strongly encouraged. We also welcome papers from outside of the traditional social policy disciplines.

Abstract submission Abstracts of no more than 150 words should be submitted either, on paper with a floppy disc, or by email in rich text format.

Information enclosed with your abstract should include: Title of paper, your name, affiliation, postal address (including post code), contact number (including country and area dialling code) and email address. Please indicate the relevant theme/sub-theme for your paper.

Abstracts should be sent by 18th February 2005, to: SPA 2005 Conference Office Department of Social and Policy Sciences University of Bath Bath BA2 7AY

Enquiries can be made by email to [email protected], telephone + 44 (0) 1225 383529 or fax + 44 (0) 1225 826381

Once your abstract has been processed you will receive a standard email of confirmation. If you do not receive confirmation of receipt of your abstract by the end of February, please contact the SPA Conference Office. www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 21 THE WELFARE STATE IN BRITAIN SINCE 1945 3rd edition By Rodney Lowe Professor of Contemporary History, University of Bristol, UK

‘Lowe has that rare gift of being able to overfly an immensely complicated landscape and to make sense of it with clarity, precision and detachment. His assessment of New Labour brings much-needed perspective and light.’ - Peter Hennessy, Queen Mary, University of London

'This new edition provides an authoritative and clear assessment of the Thatcher years and a valuable assessment of New Labour's policies in relation to the preceding Conservative record.' - Jane Lewis, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Oxford

This is the third edition of a book which has December 2004 established itself as a standard work on the British welfare state. Rodney Lowe incorporates recent HB £49.50 1-4039-1192-4 developments and the latest research, providing a PB £16.99 1-4039-1193-2 clear guide to the evidence on which to base informed judgements on the past record, and future prospects, of the welfare state in Britain.

Orders If ordering from the UK and the Rest of the World: Palgrave Macmillan Orders Tel: (+44) 1256 302866 Fax: (+44) 1256 330688 Email: [email protected] For our full online catalogue and to purchase books online, visit www.palgrave.com

If ordering from within the USA and Canada visit www.palgrave-usa.com IN Practice

ConferenceReport SPA Annual Conference Third Way,Which Way? University of Nottingham, 13th-15th July 2004. For some members of the Association, this democratic involvement plays in that year’s annual conference was a return to model. The end result, she concluded, is its roots, Nottingham having been the that the UK now has the worst of neo- regular home of the conference in the days liberalism combined with the worst of the of the old Social Administration Association. command economy. What NL need to Perhaps this played a role in producing a realise, she suggested, is that the flaws of reflective conference in which members the old style social democracy are not Busing it:Delegates return to the Nottingham campus debated with some intensity the direction remediable by more of the market but by after the Conference Dinner. that social policy should take in the future more democracy. - both as an academic subject and a field that welfare citizenship was becoming of government action - and asked too what The second plenary session - at which Bill increasingly instrumental, consumerist and we might learn from its past. Jordan (Exeter University), Ruth Lister conditional, which she suggested was far (Loughborough University) and David from an inspiring vision for the future. The conference began with a plenary Willetts (Shadow Secretary of State for Finally, Willetts argued that, with their session in which Jane Lewis (LSE), Stuart Work and Pensions) spoke - was titled emphasis on matching rights and respon- White (Oxford University) and Hilary ‘Where Next for Welfare?’ Jordan began the sibilities, it was surprising that NL had a Wainwright (Editor of Red Pepper) debated debate by arguing that NL had pursued blind spot on the contributory principle. ‘Which Way for UK Politics?’ Lewis argued two worthy aims of (i) including the The increased use of tax credits and means that New Labour (NL) were producing a low skilled and marginalised and (ii) tests had, he argued, produced an overly new mix of services but have found it including citizens in services through fragmented and complex system. More- difficult to square the circle of a competi- choice. He suggested, however, that some over, he suggested too that NL’s emphasis tive economy and high quality services. unintended consequences had emerged on investment in human capital had failed While social policy has been viewed in a from these policies that needed to be to produce significant social gains. much more positive light since NL came addressed. In particular, he pointed to the to power, she felt that too often we have increasingly instrumental behaviour of The final plenary session debated ‘Where seen flawed reforms struggle to reach individuals concerned with their personal next for social policy as a discipline?’ - the laudable goals - the politics of good - as opposed to community - development key papers from this session appearing intentions as she dubbed it. White, and a related decline in satisfaction with earlier in this issue of PolicyWorld. This meanwhile, argued that NL’s failure to neighbourhoods and civic organisations. was, perhaps, the most hotly debated tackle inequalities in wealth and the He suggested that the social policy agenda theme of the conference as a whole, democratic deficit had weakened their needed to respond to this in a way that though the mood was lightened by Paul ability to deliver meaningful social change. revalues the collective elements of society, Spicker’s fabulous use of verse to deliver He suggested a vicious cycle exists: in part by connecting public services with his critique of the subject’s shift from social inequalities in power and wealth feed into citizenship rather than consumerism and by administration to social policy. political disengagement and distrust, in casting a critical eye on the idea of work as turn making it more difficult to pass and the source of well being. Lister, meanwhile, Aside from the plenaries, there were, of implement policies that might tackle these focused her analysis on the models of citi- course, many noteworthy papers delivered inequalities. Finally, Wainwright provided zenship discernable in NL discourse. Firstly, within the paper streams. Delegates were the sternest critique of NL. She argued she highlighted the notion of the ‘responsi- well fed, both on campus and, for the that Blair and Brown are captivated by ble citizen’ as seen in their emphasis on Conference Dinner, at the wonderful Mr corporate power and utterly convinced work and the clamp down on ‘anti-social Mans restaurant. And, in a most consider- that globalisation has rendered old behaviour’. Secondly, she talked of the ate gesture, the conference organisers approaches unworkable. She suggested ‘citizen-worker of the future’ implicit in the placed a very large hill between the dining that while NL have tried to move the UK idea of a social investment state. Finally, she room and lecture halls to ensure our towards a German style social market, pointed to the ‘consumer citizen’ where excess calorie intakes could be burned they have overlooked the crucial role choice is the watchword. Lister concluded off before we returned home.

PolicyWorld Contributions PolicyWorld is published three times each academic year, in Contributors’ deadlines for Autumn,Spring and Summer terms.Contributions for future issues are welcome. forthcoming issues: Please supply hard copy and text as a Microsoft Word .doc on disc or post/fax/e-mail copy to John Hudson, details on contents page. Spring 2005: 01/02/05 Graphs, tables and images can be in Excel, or from a variety of software packages. A factsheet for contributors is available from Summer 2005 22/04/05 John Hudson [email protected] or can be downloaded from www.policy-world.com. Click on “Contributors”and click to Autumn 2005 25/10/05 download the Acrobat PDF. www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 23 E.S.R.C ECONOMIC & SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL IN Practice

SEMINAR Report Bringing together those working in the field of social policy in Scotland. Launch of the Scottish Social Policy Network

Labour Party and the small size of the Parliament. According to Kelly, the Scottish population were perceived as perceived lack of forward-motion of opportunities to promote social solidarity. Scottish social policy can be contrasted The reservation of social security to West- with positive changes such as the institu- minster was also seen as a major tionalization of free long-term care for the constraint for a Scottish welfare state by the elderly, the absence of tuition fees and next presenter, Richard Parry (University of attempts at greater participation and local Edinburgh) who concentrated on various partnerships in Scotland. Finally, Prof limits of Scottish social policy in his speech. Adrian Sinfield from the University of The new Scottish Parliament Building However, overall he expressed cautious Edinburgh stressed in his analysis the optimism about the future social policy importance of focusing on real problems The Scottish Social Policy Network (SSPN) development in Scotland. In contrast, such as the relatively low life expectancy held its launch conference at the University Gerry Mooney, co-organizer of the in Scotland and on social policy needs of Stirling on Friday, 8 October 2004. conference, was rather critical about the caused by structural conditions. Research Funded by the Social Policy Association, dominating optimism and in particular the has tended to focus lower down the the University of Stirling, and The Open widespread assumption of the distinctive- income distribution, however, it is nec- University it intends to bring together those ness of Scottish social policy which was essary to move upstream and look at the working in the field of social policy in expressed by the other two speakers. distribution of wealth, e.g. according to Scotland. The aim is to develop, promote Mooney instead viewed ideas of allegedly geography. Referring to Titmuss’ emphasis and inform social policy practices and greater collectivism, more inclusiveness on the “need to look at who has power”, processes while seeking to encourage and a more social-democratic character of Sinfield recommended a shift away from research and promote social policy as an Scotland in comparison with England as the victim perspective to those who benefit academic discipline in Scotland. The long-held myths, particularly in light of from taxes, pensions, and so on. network is based at the Department of widening inequalities between the rich Applied Social Science at the University of and the poor. Also the ensuing discussion, In the concluding discussion particular Stirling and jointly co-ordinated by Sharon involving discussant Gill Scott (Glasgow Scottish differences such as the rural Wright, University of Stirling, and Gerry Caledonian University), mainly focussed character and periphery status were Mooney, The Open University. on the question how distinctive Scottish summarized. It was generally agreed that social policy really is, in particular in the discussion was dominated by what That there is a considerable interest in a comparison to its English sibling. Britain does, but that we should also learn forum for the sharing of ideas and cross- form other European countries. fertilisation of information across the The issue of Scottish distinctiveness and, (Scottish) social policy community was implicitly, superiority continued to be The Scottish Social Policy Network has expressed by the fact that around 50 indi- addressed during the afternoon round now been firmly established and partici- viduals both from Scotland and abroad table discussion on “The Future of Social pants in the seminar seemed enthusiastic working in the field of social policy as Policy in Scotland”. The first contributors, and optimistic about the development of practitioners, policy-makers or academics Philomena de Lima (UHI - Millennium the network. Future events include a attended the first meeting and that many Institute) and Peter Kelly (The Poverty seminar on ‘Teaching Social Policy’, more have joined the network. Alliance, Glasgow) shed some light on organised in collaboration with SWAPltsn, this. Both shared Mooney’s earlier exp- to be held at the University of Stirling on The opening plenary session on “Scottish ressed pessimism with regard to the 20th January 2005. All are welcome. Social Policy Post-devolution” embraced progress of Scottish social policy, but also three key note speakers. First, John Stewart observed potential for change. De Lima Membership in the SSPN is free and open (Oxford Brookes University) addressed made clear that implicit notions of to all. To join the network, please contact post-devolution continuities and change in “Scottishness” were very narrow and [email protected]. To join the the Scottish welfare state. Whereas certain overlook the existence of ethnic minorities. electronic discussion list, go to continuities, such as the fact that some However, she appreciated that issues such www.jiscmail.ac.uk. crucial social insurance decisions have as racism and inequalities are now not moved to the Scottish Parliament, were discussed more openly and that anti-dis- seen as constraints of a genuine Scottish crimination pressure is likely to intensify Elke Viebrock social policy, other continuous features, due to the increased representation of University of Stirling e.g. the general support for the British parties such as the Greens in Scottish www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 25 SOCIAL POLICY RESEARCH UNIT Cash and Care - Understanding the Evidence Base for Policy and Practice

12-13 April 2005 Alcuin College University of York

Across most developed societies, traditional assumptions about the respective roles and responsibilities of welfare states, families and individuals are being called into question. Responsibilities for welfare are becoming fragmented between public and private sectors; traditional relationships between welfare and paid work are being challenged. Families are also changing in response to demographic and economic pressures; and new ways of delivering individualised support are being sought.

Together, these trends generate important new questions about: • Who is responsible for supporting ill or disabled children and young people, adults and older people • The roles of services and cash payments in providing support • The tensions between paid employment and care-giving, and the consequences for living standards, quality of life and social justice • How to respond appropriately to differences of gender, ethnicity and other social divisions

New policy responses are required to tackle these developing social challenges; and these policies need to be underpinned by rigorous research evidence.

This conference will present leading edge research in these areas. In addition, a panel of eminent policy makers and practitioners will debate the contribution of research to policy and practice.

Plenary speakers: Professor Jane Lewis, London School of Economics Professor Peter Saunders, University of New South Wales, Sydney Professor Kari Waerness, University of Bergen, Norway.

Keynote speakers include: Saul Becker, Caroline Glendinning, Hilary Land, Jan Pahl, Jane Millar, Eithne McLaughlin Tricia Sloper Linda Ward.

Panel members: Andrew Cozens - Immediate Past President of Association of Directors of Social Services. Professor Ian Diamond - Chief Executive, Economic and Social Research Council. Sue Duncan - Government Chief Social Researcher, Cabinet Office. Malcolm Wicks MP - Minister of State for Work and Pensions

Who should attend? • Researchers in higher education, central and local government and the voluntary sector. • Policy-makers in central and local government • Service planners and managers in the statutory and voluntary sector • Newer researchers and service users are particularly welcome. A number of free places are available for service users and registered research students.

For further information and a registration form, please contact Lisa Goode [email protected]

This conference is being held in memory of Sally Baldwin and is sponsored by: E.S.R.C ECONOMIC & SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL Funded by the Department of Health IN Practice

CONFERENCE Report ESPAnet Annual Conference 2004 European Social Policy: Meeting the Needs of a New Europe

Last year in Copenhagen, where the first an influx of immigrant labour and cultures, annual conference of the Network for the emergence of new inequalities, and an European Social Policy Analysis (ESPAnet) ever more competitive international took place, it seemed as if the network economic environment. The conference had tapped a hidden source of academic very much focused on the fundamental interest in the analysis of social policy questions that are posed by this context and and welfare state in a European context. the new needs it implies. Specifics debates As those who were there know, the interest touched upon questions like: in this first conference was overwhelming, and Jon Kvist, the organizing host, had
How well adapted are national and to make very difficult decisions regarding sub-national policies and policy-making which papers to accept. At this year’s frameworks to the necessary reconcil- participants clearly saw that for academic annual conference in Oxford things iation of solidarity and competitiveness, analysts of social policy, the needs of a new were not different. Again the interest in and to the necessary balancing of Europe, and how to cope with them, will participation and presenting papers was security and adaptability? be on the research agenda’s for many overwhelming, giving the local organisers years to come. a hard time to choose from among the
What instruments are needed at the nearly 200 abstracts that had been sent in. supra-national level to solve collectively ESPAnet is deeply indebted to the local the problems that are related to social organisers, Jane Lewis and Theresa Smith The large interest certainly had to do with and economic interdependency and to from the Department of Social Policy and the fact that Europe’s role in social policy the common pressures from a wider Social Work of Oxford University, and to the had been set as the over arching confer- global scale? colleagues helping them with many ence theme by the local organisers. For the aspects of the main and peripheral con- plenaries, they managed to get an
What feasible and legitimate EU-level ference activities, Sharon Wright, Daniel impressive list of expert speakers on this instruments are there which could help Bell, Rebecca Surrender, and a number of topic, including Mary Daly, Maurizio Ferrera, countries to meet the old and the new PhD-students. Stephan Leibfried, Zsuzsa Ferge, Jos needs of their citizens? Berghman and Anton Hemerijck, and there From the large interest in its first two were no less than 15 of the 28 sessions that
What can member states learn from annual conferences, it might be too early had European social policy and intra- each other, and what role could or to conclude definitely that ESPAnet has European comparisons as a primary should the EU play here? found a hole in the market, so to speak, objective. The discussions at the plenaries and that it is there to stay for many years. and workshops recognised the current Different views were expressed about But thus far, all signs point in the right wave of enlargement and the search for a the European Project written large (and direction. Activities for the next three years new constitutional framework as the wider especially also about the Open Method of are set in place now, and include Annual policy context , now the European Union Coordination), but it was acknowledged Conferences, Expert Seminars and Young is simultaneously becoming more inter- that, in the longer run, if not already, it will Researcher’s Workshops. Details can be nally differentiated and politically integrated have substantial consequences for the found on www.espanet.org. Those who than ever before. Its member states differ well-being and social and economic would want to organise a session at more than ever, in terms of the size and ori- security of citizens of European countries. next year’s conference in Fribourg entation of their social effort. At the same In future, there will be much academic and (Switzerland) are invited to send an outline time, however, European states are both political debate about when, how and to to the local organiser Giuliano Bonoli increasingly interdependent and they are what degree citizens may, will or should be ([email protected]) (see also the confronted with important common affected by European measures and instru- call for this on the ESPAnet website) challenges, such as population ageing, a ments, and it might turn out that EU policy restructuring of labour markets, a makers are too optimistic about what Wim van Oorschot disruption of traditional work-life balances, they can establish. But the conference (co-chair of ESPAnet)

PolicyWorld - Back issues online PolicyWorld is the newsletter of the UK Social Policy Association (SPA). Published three times a year - once each during the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms of the academic year - it is mailed directly to all members of the SPA. Back issues are also freely available for download on the Poli- www.policy-world.comcyWorld web site. www.policy-world.com www.policy-world.com www.policy-world.com www.policy-world.com www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 27 BOOK Reviews

In this issue of Policy World, the first two of a series of four textbooks on the subject of ‘care’ are reviewed.The series is edited by Jean Carabine and published by Policy Press.

Carabine, J. (ed) (2004) Sexualities: Personal Lives and Social Policy Milton Keynes: Policy Press in association with the Open University

the point of repetition in the book. Such policy. Furthermore, although reflecting variant repetition, however, is a useful these changes, social policy also voices technique in encouraging deep learning. concern over certain issues that can affect the nation. In particular, the wellbeing of Chapter 1 serves as an excellent introduc- children has been on the welfare agenda tion to the topic of sexuality. It emphasises since the Liberal reforms in the early the vital role of sexuality in our private twentieth century, not solely for humani- lives and explains how social policy is tarian reasons but also in the national interwoven in this role. The overall and interest. Similarly, population control was essential message is that both sexuality and a concern of the eugenicists, reference to social policy are in fact mutually constitu- which thus again reinforces the theme of tive, with each informing and shaping the the public-private debate. A link is made other in a dynamic relationship. Policy sets between eugenics and the birth control the boundaries of what is considered to be pioneer, Marie Stopes. However, her role socially acceptable; it informs our expec- as an ardent eugenicist and proponent of tations and identities and, by the same legislation for sterilisation, is overlooked. Edited by Jean Carabine, this book is one token, sexuality influences policy making. As this particularly concerned people who of a series of four textbooks published by This chapter then brings together an under- had any type or level of disability, it would the Open University and the Policy Press. standing that while sexuality gives us a have been useful for cross-references to It is clear in Sexualities: Personal Lives and sense of our self, we are simultaneously have been made in this chapter with the Social Policy that, although sexuality is an influenced by what that ‘self’ actually is, by later chapter on disability. integral part of our private lives, it is also a social policy. Assumptions are commonly significant public issue and is therefore made through stereotypes and ideas of Chapters 3 and 4 then focus attention to relevant to social policy. The book provides what constitutes the ‘norm’ in terms of different aspects of sexuality. Chapter 3 a sound teaching resource to encourage sexuality. In other words, sexuality is examines the issue of young people and and stimulate critical thinking. socially constructed and institutionalised. Chapter 4 involves the issue of disabled This is demonstrated by the use of people. Continuing the theme of a The text offers a three dimensional historical sources, such as extracts from constructed sexuality from Chapter 2, approach to the issues surrounding the the Beveridge Report and contrasting Chapter 3 moves from the notion of a personal and the political domains in statements made by the DfEE (p.11). gendered concept to one that is created respect of sexuality. Firstly, sexuality is While these reveal assumptions, it is inter- through the media and social policy. This central to our understanding of gender esting to note that social policy is identified chapter continues with a feminist and a roles and expectations within the concept as a regulatory agency. To exemplify this, Foucauldian post-structuralist approach of the family. In this respect, sexuality is certain forms of sexual behaviour are through its examination of the perceptions both private and public. Secondly, sexuality permitted, while other sexual activities are of childhood. Also continuing with an is seen to be a marginalised issue with illegal. This illustrates the bridging of the historical theme, this chapter highlights regard to certain groups in society, for divide between the public and private the transitional elements of, not just young example, disabled people. Here the topic domains. people’s emerging sexuality, but of is frequently rendered invisible with the society’s perceptions of their sexuality. In consequence that disabled people are Chapter 2 follows with an historical many respects, the sexuality of young often sexually excluded. Thirdly, the account of the link between sexuality, people has been denied or treated as a mutual effects of sexuality and social marriage and parenthood, again elaborat- problem. This is a similar phenomenon in policies are explored. ing on the theme of the public-private the lives of disabled people, although again domains. A feminist analytical perspective the opportunity to make links or cross- The book is divided into five chapters constitutes the theoretical framework for references between chapters is lost. clearly delineating a progression through this chapter. From an historical viewpoint significant topic areas. Although these it can be seen that sexuality is a gendered Social policy, in the area of young people, areas contain vast differences, what is concept, resulting in inequalities. The focus is seen to be regulatory and paternalistic striking and what binds them together as is on marriage and parenthood, and on the one hand, while being more a coherent whole, is the use of theoretical includes the concomitant issues of sex- permissive in terms of young people’s perspectives throughout, namely Fou- uality, birth control and fertility. Viewed rights to self-determination, on the other. cauldian post-structuralism and feminism. historically, it is clear that changes in Policy areas that are discussed include: sex It could be argued that this is stressed to societal behaviour have affected social education, which involves the controver-

28 Policy World AUTUMN 2004 www.social-policy.com BOOK Reviews sial ‘Section 28’; sexual hygiene and health; theoretical perspectives and key concepts. colour, highlights, and variations in type. teenage pregnancies; and contraception. It examines Foucauldian post-structural- Furthermore, each chapter is subdivided ism, feminism and heteronormativity, and into sections with activities, extracts from Chapter 5 continues with a Foucauldian the dilemma of reconciling the private with other sources which are followed by post-structuralist perspective and the the public domains. A salient theme in this comments. At the end of each chapter theme that ‘normative sexuality’ is con- final chapter is also one that runs through- there is a note of further resources and a structed. Disabled people are generally out the book: that our personal lives and full bibliography. Overall, it is a book that outwith the boundaries of this notion of social policy are mutually constitutive. is very informative, has a wealth of stimu- ‘normative sexuality’. Subsequently, their lating ideas and one that could easily be sexuality is often couched in silence. Overall, the book is a valuable contribution adopted for use in a variety of courses in The chapter highlights the protectionist to the understanding of sexuality, and of social or public policy. role of social policy in respect of disabled the role of social policy in our personal people’s sexuality. This role is expressed in lives. It is especially informative in the area terms of surveillance and control. As a of sexuality and disability, where there is Dr. Susan J. Deeley consequence, disabled people are fre- a dearth of literature. It is commendable University of Glasgow quently infantilised by society. The effects that the book presents the issues clearly, [email protected] are far reaching because sexuality encom- with a high level of critical analysis. passes more than mere sexual activity: it Although there are references in the book also involves self-esteem and a sense of to other factors, such as age and ‘race’, it identity. By refusing to acknowledge their is disappointing that there no entire sexuality through social policy, disabled chapters that focus entirely on these people are, in effect, diminished or issues. Perhaps limited space prohibits negated as whole human beings. There is this. Moreover, an exploration of political a responsibility for social policy to enhance and more various ideological viewpoints disabled people’s lives through empow- in terms of the outcomes of social policy ering measures, while retaining an element with regard to sexuality would have been of their protection from sexual abuse. a useful addition.

The final chapter of the book serves as a The book is presented as a user-friendly pertinent conclusion, drawing together the text book, with an imaginative use of

Fink, J. (ed) (2004) Care: Personal Lives and Social Policy Policy Press in association with the Open University

This book is one of a series of four which In exploring the concept of ‘child care’ in have been produced for a particular chapter 3, Goldson considers the blurred course. The book is divided into five boundaries between caring for children chapters, which use elements of feminist, perceived as ‘victims’ and controlling those psychoanalytic and neo-Marxist theory to perceived as ‘threats’. He draws attention analyse peoples’ experiences. Chapter 1 to the conflicting and contradictory object- provides the framework for the rest of the ives of child welfare and juvenile justice book by introducing the ways in which policies, which on the one hand, talks of care, carers and caregiving can be concep- ‘tackling youth crime’ and on the other, tualised and to the different forms of ‘safeguarding children’. By using some intervention used in the domain of care. very emotive and illuminating quotes from Chapter 2 explores the personal costs of young people and staff in secure accom- care experienced by unmarried women in modation, he highlights how this institution interwar Britain. It considers why care and is the location of ‘care’ for children where paid work were so closely identified with policies, practices and the law also one another and how this has subse- subjects them to the power and control of quently influenced the way in which care adults and the state. is organised in today’s society. Holden’s What shapes welfare policy? According to accounts of how unmarried woman Chapter 4 is concerned with the racialised this book the two domains of personal conformed to society’s pressure to meanings of care and how this impacts lives and welfare policy and practice are sublimate their sexual energy by caring for upon the personal lives of health care each partially shaped and given meaning other people’s children are illuminating. professionals and service users. Where by the other. The book explores this By adopting a historical perspective, this Goldson was concerned with issues of process of ‘mutual constitution’ by chapter helps us to trace and understand power within the context of overlapping analysing everyday practices of care in a the early development of informal care for boundaries of care and control, Gunarat- range of settings. older people and children. nam is concerned with how questions of

www.social-policy.com AUTUMN 2004 Policy World 29 BOOK Reviews

power are played out in care relationships ethnic identity. This chapter was a bit this explicit. An acknowledgement of the in hospices. She considers how the repetitive with a complex structure which increasing diversity of policy in relation to education and training needs of profes- I found confusing. Despite the repetition I care would be a potentially informative sionals produce meanings and identities of had to read it several times to understand addition to this book. Overall, this is a racialised care which, in turn, construct the salient points and I am still not useful and thought-provoking book that is the lives of ethnic minority service users. convinced about the effectiveness of a likely to be of interest to health and social She illustrates how cultural differences ‘multi-site analysis’. The main points could care students and those concerned with are afforded special significance and how have been put in a more succinct manner. care in its multiple settings. It is an empir- this affects the delivery of appropriate care. ically grounded and theoretically informed A strength of this text book is the interac- book, which effectively illustrates the The book contains a number of cross- tive dimension which involves a series of complexity and multi-faceted nature of cutting themes such as identity, meanings questions and activities that encourage care. However, for general social policy and morality, which are pulled together in readers to relate the theories and concepts courses, it has limited value. the last chapter to provide a conclusion. being discussed to their own lives and This final chapter explores how these experiences. All chapters have clear sub- themes illuminate the relationship between headings and are easy to navigate with key Joyce Statham personal lives, welfare practices and policy. concepts highlighted in bold. There is, The Open University in Scotland It concludes that care relationships are arguably, one important omission from Email: [email protected] influential channels through which this book on social policy. With the personal lives are shaped by welfare policy increasing divergence in policy that but which at the same time, challenge the devolution has brought about, it is disap- assumptions of policy-makers. pointing to note that there is almost no mention of it except for one brief reference On the whole, the book is well written in (page 34), which alludes to the division a clear concise and readable format but at between health and social care being less times there is a lack of clarity. The most clearly drawn in Scotland. The book confused picture is drawn in chapter 4, focuses on policy development in England which deals with issues of racial and and Wales but only chapter three makes

C

LAUNCH OF THE SPAnorth REGIONAL NETWORK

We are pleased to announce the SPA north Regional Network launch event will take place at the University of York on Wednesday February 9th 2005.

SPAnorth is a newly established regional network of the Social Policy Association. Its broad aim is to bring together those working in the field of social policy in the North East and Yorkshire and Humber in order to develop, promote and inform social policy research, teaching and practice. A key role of the network is to promote social policy as an academic discipline in the north.

The SPAnorth launch event will begin with a buffet lunch at 12.00. Formal proceedings will begin at 13.00 and the event will end around 15.30. It is open to all SPA members in the region and is free to attend.

For further information – or to book a place at the event - please contact Lisa O’Malley ([email protected]) or visit the conferences section of the SPA web site (http://www.social-policy.com/).

30 Policy World AUTUMN 2004 www.social-policy.com Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences Call for nominations for new Academicians

The SPA is a member of the Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences. Over the past four years we have successfully nominated a number of SPA members to become Academicians. This is a mark of distinction and denotes an outstanding contribution to the study and/or practice of social policy.

We have been invited to submit nominations for the next round of selection for new Academicians. Existing Academicians are entitled to make one nomination each per year and ‘learned societies’– such as the SPA - can make up to six nominations. Nominations need to include the reasons for making the nomination – details of her/his contribution to the study and/or practice of social science;evidence of her/his contribution to the aims of the Academy; an up to date CV; and the agreement of the person being nominated. A copy of the form on which the nomination has to be submitted can be downloaded from the Academy’s website – www.the-academy.org.uk. If you would like to propose someone to be nominated by the SPA, please complete the form from the Academy’s website and send it to the SPA Hon. Secretary, Catherine Bochel by 11th February 2005. All nominations will be ratified by the SPA Executive before being forwarded to the Academy.

Community Care into Practice Series Essential new reading from The Policy Press A more equal society? New Labour, poverty, inequality and New Labour, poverty, inequality and exclusion exclusion Edited by John Hills and Kitty Stewart Edited by John Hills and Kitty Stewart "A comprehensive and authoritative analysis of what Contributors: Tania Burchardt, Maria New"A comprehensive Labour's welfare and reforms authoritative have achieved analysis ofto whatdate." Evandrou,Contributors: Jane Falkingham,Tania Burchardt, Howard Maria New Labour's welfare reforms have achieved to date." Evandrou, Jane Falkingham, Howard Alan Deacon, University of Leeds Glennerster, Paul Gregg, John Hills, Ruth Alan Deacon, University of Leeds Lupton,Glennerster, Abigail Paul McKnight, Gregg, John Coretta Hills, Phillips, Ruth This major new book provides, for the first time, a detailed Lupton, Abigail McKnight, Coretta Phillips, evaluationThis major ofnew policies book onprovides, poverty for and the social first exclusiontime, a detailed since Anne Power, Liz Richardson, Franco Sassi, evaluation of policies on poverty and social exclusion since TomAnne Sefton, Power, Holly Liz Richardson, Sutherland, Franco Kitty Sassi, 1997 and their effects. Bringing together leading experts in Tom Sefton, Holly Sutherland, Kitty 1997 and their effects. Bringing together leading experts in Stewart, Jane Waldfogel, Elizabeth the field, it considers the challenges the government faced, Stewart, Jane Waldfogel, Elizabeth the field, it considers the challenges the government faced, Washbrook and Helen Willmot. the policies that were chosen, and the targets that were set Washbrook and Helen Willmot. the policies that were chosen, and the targets that were set in order to assess the results. Drawing on research from Paperback £19.99 thein order Centre to forassess Analysis the results. of Social Drawing Exclusion, on research and on external from Paperback £19.99 the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, and on external Hardback £55.00 evaluations, the book asks how children, older people, poor 408Hardback pages £55.00January 2005 neighbourhoods,evaluations, the book ethnic asks minorities how children, and other older vulnerable people, poor 408 pages January 2005 neighbourhoods, ethnic minorities and other vulnerable CASE Studies on Poverty, groups have fared under New Labour. PlaceCASE andStudies Policy on seriesPoverty, groups have fared under New Labour. Place and Policy series

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UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTANDING WORK-LIFE BALANCE IMMIGRATION AND CHILD WELFARE REFUGEE POLICY INTERVENTIONS

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