Social Welfare for a Global Era: International Perspectives on Policy and Practice

by James O. Midgley

Overview

Written by internationally renowned author and scholar James Midgley, Social Welfare for a Global Era provides a comprehensive framework for examining social welfare from a global perspective. Drawing on a large body of literature and his own extensive knowledge of the field, Dr. Midgley offers students, scholars, and practitioners an up-to-date account of the complex ways social well-being is enhanced in the global era, including the major welfare institutions that provide a cultural context for social welfare policy and practice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781483314167
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	02/03/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	264
File size:	1000 KB

About the Author

James Midgley is the Harry and Riva Specht Professor of Public Social Services and Dean Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. Originally from South Africa, he studied at the University of Cape Town and the London School of Economics and held academic appointments at both universities before moving to the United States 1985 where he served as as Dean of the School of Social Work and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research at Louisiana State University. He accepted the appointment as Specht Professor and Dean of the School of Social Welfare Berkeley in 1997.

He has published widely on issues of social development, social policy, social work and international social welfare. His major books include Professional Imperialism: Social Work in the Third World. Heinemann, 1981; Social Security, Inequality and the Third World, Wiley, 1984; Comparative Social Policy and the Third World, Harvester, 1987 (with Stewart MacPherson); The Social Dimensions of Development: Social Policy and Planning in the Third World, Gower, 1989 (with Margaret Hardiman); Social Development: The Developmental Perspective in Social Welfare, Sage, 1995; Social Welfare in Global Context, Sage, 1997; Social Policy for Development, Sage, 2004 (with Anthony Hall) and Social Development: Theory and Practice, Sage, 2014.

In addition, he has edited or co-edited many books on international social welfare and social development. Among the most recent are Social Work and Social Development: Theories and Skills for Developmental Social Work, Oxford University Press, 2010 (with Amy Conley); Social Policy and Poverty in East Asia: The Role of Social Security, Routledge, 2010 (with K. L. Tang); Grassroots Social Security in Asia, Routledge, 2011 (with Mitsuhiko Hosaka); Colonialism and Welfare: Social Policy and the British Imperial Legacy. Edward Elgar, 2011 (with David Piachaud); Planning and Community Development: Case Studies. Madrid: Technical University of Madrid, GrupoGESPLAN-UPM, 2012 (with Adolfo Carzola); Social Protection, Economic Growth and Social Change: Goals, Issues and Trajectories in China, India, Brazil and Africa. Edward Elgar, 2013 (with David Piachaud); Social Protection in Southern Africa: New Opportunities for Social Development. Routledge, 2014 (with Leila Patel and Marian Ulricksen) and Social Policy and Social Change in East Asia. Lexington Books, 2014 (with James Lee and Yapeng Zhu).

He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and holds Honorary Professorial appointments at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, Nihon Fukushi University in Japan, Sun Yat-sen University in China and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

 

Table of Contents

Part I: The Global Context
Chapter 1: The Field of International Social Welfare
Practical Aspects of International Social Welfare
Academic Aspects of International Social Welfare
International Social Welfare: Benefits and Challenges
Chapter 2: Understanding the Modern World: From Nation State to Global Era
Nation States and the Emergence of the Global Era
Nation States and the Modern World
Social Conditions in the Modern World
Chapter 3: Globalization and the Global Era
Globalization: Historical and Academic Perspectives
Unraveling Globalization: Definition and Dimensions
The Impact of Globalization
Responding to Globalization
Part II: Promoting Social Welfare in the Global Era
Chapter 4: Families, Communities and Nonformal Welfare
The Nature of Nonformal Welfare
Challenges to Nonformal Welfare
Formalization, Integration and Opportunities
Chapter 5: Nonprofits and Faith-based Services: International Dimensions
Defining Nonprofits and Faith-based Organizations
Nonprofits and Faith-based Organizations in International Context
The Role of the Voluntary Sector
Chapter 6: Professional Social Work in the International Context
The Nature of Social Work
Social Work Around the World
International Social Work: Challenges and Issues
Chapter 7: Welfare, Markets and Commercial Provision
Understanding Markets and Commercial Providers
Varieties of Market-based Welfare
The Limitations of Markets and Commercial Provision
Chapter 8: Government Welfare in the Modern World
Defining the State and State Welfare
The Historical Evolution of State Welfare
State Welfare Around the World
Chapter 9: Governments, Welfare and Social Change
Analyzing Social Change
Changing State Welfare: From Golden Age to Crisis and Beyond
The Future of State Welfare: Shaping the New Pluralism
Chapter 10: Social Welfare and International Social Development
Features of Social Development
Social Development: Theory and Practice
Social Development: Limitations and Prospects
Part III: Social Welfare for a Global Era
Chapter 11: International Collaboration in Social Welfare
History of International Social Welfare Cooperation
Promoting International Social Welfare Cooperation
Issues and Challenges in Social Welfare Cooperation
Chapter 12: Epilogue: Towards a Global Perspective in Social Welfare
Roots of the One World Perspective
Elements of a One World Perspective
Challenges to a One World Perspective: Values and Power

Editorial Reviews

In this most timely and apposite volume, Professor James Midgley provides the first comprehensive overview of policies and action to promote social wellbeing within an international context at both national and cross-national levels. In addressing social welfare within a truly global era, he analyses not just mainstream government and market-based provision, but also the less frequently discussed areas of non-formal welfare, non-profits and faith-based initiatives, professional social work and international social development. Thanks to this valuable publication, a far more complete picture is now emerging of the true scope and implications of international social welfare policy in a worldwide context.

Anthony Hall

"By providing a comprehensive, critical and in-depth analysis of how informal and formal welfare institutions, policies and programs operate in international contexts, this book fills a significant gap in the global social welfare literature. It brilliantly and objectively exposes controversial issues with supporting and opposing arguments that makes us think about the prospects of global welfare and wellbeing in diverse contexts. Policymakers, educators and students will find this book highly engaging and useful in their practice."

Manohar Pawar

In his new book, James Midgley provides an excellent and up-to-date account of the way different social welfare institutions are promoting people’s well-being around the world. This informative and readable book shows how international social policy and practice can foster their welfare. It fills an important gap in our knowledge of international social welfare in a changing global environment. It should be widely consulted by scholars, practitioners, policymakers and students.

Leila Patel

"A comprehensive reading to follow the current social welfare theories, issues, debates, policies and practical challenges in today’s globalized societies."

Qingwen Xu

Jim Midgley has a scope of vision that is unmatched by other social welfare scholars in the United States. We have benefitted for many years from his astonishing grasp of history and range of international comparisons. In his new book, Social Welfare for a Global Era, Midgley asks us to consider the fundamental question: What is purposeful social action for? The book is well organized and clearly written. Engaging examples enliven the text. Thoughtful readings at the end of each chapter enrich the educational value. In the final chapter, a “one world” perspective distills promising pathways forward. Social Welfare for a Global Era can serve as a basic text in social welfare, or in international social welfare. It provides a strong foundation for more specific social welfare topics, whether local, national, or international.

Michael Sherraden

This text should become a ‘must read’ for students and scholars interested in global social welfare, humanitarian aid, and inter-governmental organizations. Midgley once again has presented an eloquent historical and theoretical analysis of the evolution of the current global systems of welfare.

Megan B. Morris

This book provides a reflection of international social welfare development over centuries, culminating in a global view of the state of the world today—the world social situation, with an attached map which indicates various possible routes to take in order to arrive at one world view of enhancing global social welfare.

Corlie Van Der Berg

Jim Midgley brings together a world of experience and a vast breadth of knowledge in presenting this new and incisive analysis of the concepts, history and current challenges relating to social welfare around the world. At once an introductory text and also an analysis which expands the boundaries of current thinking in global social welfare, this volume has a great deal to offer both the beginning student and the established scholar in the field.

Doreen Elliott

Social Welfare for a Global Era makes a truly important contribution to the field of international/comparative social welfare. It raises new kinds of questions, illuminates neglected themes, and prompts a reassessment of familiar topics. The prose is sparkling and the insights are manifold. It will be an essential read for undergraduate and postgraduate students in social work and social administration.

James Lee

This book provides a reflection of international social welfare development over centuries, culminating in a global view of the state of the world today—the world social situation, with an attached map which indicates various possible routes to take in order to arrive at one world view of enhancing global social welfare.

Corlie VanDerBerg