Claire Wallace – författare

The search for ‘the Decent Society’ – a fit place in which to live – has informed policy at both governmental and international level. This book analyses its nature and devises a consistent way of measuring the concept world-wide on the basis of a coherent theory of agency within social structure. Influenced by classical sociology and by the economist Amartya Sen, the book posits that societies need to create (a) economic security, (b) social cohesion, (c) social inclusion, and (d) the conditions for empowerment. The model is interactive and recursive; each component provides the requirements for each of the others.

This book outlines the sociopolitical framework underlying ’the Decent Society'' and summarises a decade of research, some of which has had a formative impact on governments’ policies. The first half contains studies of social quality based on surveys in the former Soviet Union and sub-Saharan Africa, while the second half describes the construction of a Decent Society Index for comparing very different countries across the world.

This book and the index it develops will be of interest both to academics and researchers in sociology, politics, economics, psychology, social policy and development studies and to policy-makers in government, local government and the NGOs.

The search for ‘the Decent Society’ – a fit place in which to live – has informed policy at both governmental and international level. This book analyses its nature and devises a consistent way of measuring the concept world-wide on the basis of a coherent theory of agency within social structure. Influenced by classical sociology and by the economist Amartya Sen, the book posits that societies need to create (a) economic security, (b) social cohesion, (c) social inclusion, and (d) the conditions for empowerment. The model is interactive and recursive; each component provides the requirements for each of the others.

This book outlines the sociopolitical framework underlying ’the Decent Society'' and summarises a decade of research, some of which has had a formative impact on governments’ policies. The first half contains studies of social quality based on surveys in the former Soviet Union and sub-Saharan Africa, while the second half describes the construction of a Decent Society Index for comparing very different countries across the world.

This book and the index it develops will be of interest both to academics and researchers in sociology, politics, economics, psychology, social policy and development studies and to policy-makers in government, local government and the NGOs.

Originally published in 1990, Youth in Transition addresses the issue of large-scale policy intervention, related to problems of employment in Britain’s youth. The book reflects the changes within sociology from studying youth as self-contained instigators of change, to examining the role they have come to play as the target of official, rather than popular or media attention. Changes in youth experience are affecting family relations and dependence or creating homelessness, regional economic disparities, demographic changes and training and employment opportunities, present a new model of youth and re-define its status. The book brings together original work in the field of youth and youth policy in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Originally published in 1990, Youth in Transition addresses the issue of large-scale policy intervention, related to problems of employment in Britain’s youth. The book reflects the changes within sociology from studying youth as self-contained instigators of change, to examining the role they have come to play as the target of official, rather than popular or media attention. Changes in youth experience are affecting family relations and dependence or creating homelessness, regional economic disparities, demographic changes and training and employment opportunities, present a new model of youth and re-define its status. The book brings together original work in the field of youth and youth policy in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

This title was first published in 2001. This book brings together a range of perspectives about citizenship and empowerment from around the globe. It thus approaches these important topics from a wide variety of directions, including different geo-political contexts, empirical studies, theoretical approaches and examples of actual projects to empower youth and how they have worked. The book addresses issues of importance for contemporary young people as well as for social policy and will be of relevance to practitioners, youth leaders and academics.