Michael Lavalette – författare

The anti-capitalist movement is increasingly challenging the global hegemony of neo-liberalism. The arguments against the neo-liberal agenda are clearly articulated in Rethinking Welfare. The authors highlight the growing inequalities and decimation of state welfare, and use Marxist approaches to contemporary social policy to provide a defence of the welfare state.

Divided into three main sections, the first part of this volume looks at the growth of inequality, and social and environmental degradation.

Part Two centres on the authors' argument for the relevance of core Marxists concepts in aiding our understanding of social policy. This section includes Marxist approaches to a range of welfare issues, and their implications for studying welfare regimes and practices.

Issues covered include:

· Class and class struggle

· Opression

· Alienation and the family

The last part of the book explores the question of globalization and the consequences of international neo-liberalism on indebted countries as well as the neo-liberal agenda of the Conservative and New Labour governments in Britain. The authors conclude with the prospect of an alternative welfare future which may form part of the challenge against global neo-liberalism.

The anti-capitalist movement is increasingly challenging the global hegemony of neo-liberalism. The arguments against the neo-liberal agenda are clearly articulated in Rethinking Welfare. The authors highlight the growing inequalities and decimation of state welfare, and use Marxist approaches to contemporary social policy to provide a defence of the welfare state.

Divided into three main sections, the first part of this volume looks at the growth of inequality, and social and environmental degradation.

Part Two centres on the authors' argument for the relevance of core Marxists concepts in aiding our understanding of social policy. This section includes Marxist approaches to a range of welfare issues, and their implications for studying welfare regimes and practices.

Issues covered include:

· Class and class struggle

· Opression

· Alienation and the family

The last part of the book explores the question of globalization and the consequences of international neo-liberalism on indebted countries as well as the neo-liberal agenda of the Conservative and New Labour governments in Britain. The authors conclude with the prospect of an alternative welfare future which may form part of the challenge against global neo-liberalism.

`It is intelligent, lively, clear, and well written' - Professor Hugh Cunningham, University of Kent at Canterbury

`This is an excellent source book which is up-to-date and covers key debates on childhood in an accessible way' - Professor Andy Furlong, University of Glasgow

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the study of `children' and `childhood' within the social sciences. Children, Welfare and the State provides readers with a comprehensive critical introduction to modern childhood studies.

In addition to engaging with the broad theoretical debates within the `new' sociology of childhood and developmental psychology the book:

- Explores key questions in relation to researching childhood, children's agency and social constructionist perspectives;

- Traces historical and contemporary developments in social policy responses to children and childhood;

- Examines the primary sites of state intervention in regulating and shaping children's lives.

- Re-states the primary significance of social class and other structural divisions in understanding children's experiences of childhood;

- Systematically assesses the impact of inequality and poverty on children and childhood.

Children, Welfare and the State has been tailored to appeal to those studying children and childhood within social policy, sociology, psychology, criminology, history, social work and youth and community work courses.

`It is intelligent, lively, clear, and well written' - Professor Hugh Cunningham, University of Kent at Canterbury

`This is an excellent source book which is up-to-date and covers key debates on childhood in an accessible way' - Professor Andy Furlong, University of Glasgow

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the study of `children' and `childhood' within the social sciences. Children, Welfare and the State provides readers with a comprehensive critical introduction to modern childhood studies.

In addition to engaging with the broad theoretical debates within the `new' sociology of childhood and developmental psychology the book:

- Explores key questions in relation to researching childhood, children's agency and social constructionist perspectives;

- Traces historical and contemporary developments in social policy responses to children and childhood;

- Examines the primary sites of state intervention in regulating and shaping children's lives.

- Re-states the primary significance of social class and other structural divisions in understanding children's experiences of childhood;

- Systematically assesses the impact of inequality and poverty on children and childhood.

Children, Welfare and the State has been tailored to appeal to those studying children and childhood within social policy, sociology, psychology, criminology, history, social work and youth and community work courses.

Globalization has become a seemingly unstoppable force over recent decades and, in its wake, global notions of social justice have developed in response to its negative aspects. Neo-liberal economic policies have been a key element in the wider process of globalization, and these policies have had a profound impact on welfare provision and the shape of social work practice. Arising dissatisfaction among users of welfare and social work services is fuelling the search for a new, more radical social work that is firmly rooted in principles of social justice.

Globalisation, Global Justice and Social Work explores the global effects of neo-liberal policies on welfare services in different countries, with contributions from social work academics, practitioners and welfare activists around the world. The first section of the book presents case studies of impact of neo-liberalism on welfare systems, social service provision and the practice of social work. In the second section the chapters explore the relationship between social work practice and the struggle for social justice. Authors discuss the personal and political dilemmas they have had to address in seeking to link a personal commitment to social justice with their daily practice as workers and educators in social work. The final section assesses the prospects for social work practice based on notions of social justice, by looking at what can be learned from the experience of previous radical movements as well as from emergent global and local movements.

Globalization has become a seemingly unstoppable force over recent decades and, in its wake, global notions of social justice have developed in response to its negative aspects. Neo-liberal economic policies have been a key element in the wider process of globalization, and these policies have had a profound impact on welfare provision and the shape of social work practice. Arising dissatisfaction among users of welfare and social work services is fuelling the search for a new, more radical social work that is firmly rooted in principles of social justice.

Globalisation, Global Justice and Social Work explores the global effects of neo-liberal policies on welfare services in different countries, with contributions from social work academics, practitioners and welfare activists around the world. The first section of the book presents case studies of impact of neo-liberalism on welfare systems, social service provision and the practice of social work. In the second section the chapters explore the relationship between social work practice and the struggle for social justice. Authors discuss the personal and political dilemmas they have had to address in seeking to link a personal commitment to social justice with their daily practice as workers and educators in social work. The final section assesses the prospects for social work practice based on notions of social justice, by looking at what can be learned from the experience of previous radical movements as well as from emergent global and local movements.

For too long the collective struggles of the oppressed over welfare provision and welfare settlement have been ignored, yet such struggles punctuate recent British history. By presenting a series of case-studies of episodes of collective action from the field of social policy and social welfare, Class Struggle and Welfare aims to rediscover this ''hidden history''. Organised chronologically, the book covers some of the most important welfare struggles from the early nineteenth century, some of the issues covered are: *the growth of capitalism *the development of the poor laws and the anti-poor law movement *working class self-help welfare in the nineteenth century *rent strikes on the Clyde in 1920s *the squatters movement in the 1950s *the struggle for abortion rights *an analysis of the urban riots in the 1980s *the great poll tax rebellion.

For too long the collective struggles of the oppressed over welfare provision and welfare settlement have been ignored, yet such struggles punctuate recent British history. By presenting a series of case-studies of episodes of collective action from the field of social policy and social welfare, Class Struggle and Welfare aims to rediscover this ''hidden history''. Organised chronologically, the book covers some of the most important welfare struggles from the early nineteenth century, some of the issues covered are: *the growth of capitalism *the development of the poor laws and the anti-poor law movement *working class self-help welfare in the nineteenth century *rent strikes on the Clyde in 1920s *the squatters movement in the 1950s *the struggle for abortion rights *an analysis of the urban riots in the 1980s *the great poll tax rebellion.

The book is organized into three parts:

•Part One offers a detailed but accessible critique of major theoretical approaches such as neo-liberalism, Marxism, feminism and racism;

•Part Two explores conceptual debates such as distributive justice and postmodernism;

•PArt Three engages with contemporary social policy issues such as children, pensions and the role of New Labour.

It also features newly commissioned chapters to reflect recent developments and current debates within social policy. New areas of consideration include:

•Citizenship

•Post-structuralism

•The politics of food

•Globalization

Student exercises and reading lists feature throughout the text and practical examples are skilfully used to illustrate conceptual and theoretical material, making it the ideal core textbook for undergraduate social policy students, as well as those studying related welfare modules across the social sciences.

The book is organized into three parts:

•Part One offers a detailed but accessible critique of major theoretical approaches such as neo-liberalism, Marxism, feminism and racism;

•Part Two explores conceptual debates such as distributive justice and postmodernism;

•PArt Three engages with contemporary social policy issues such as children, pensions and the role of New Labour.

It also features newly commissioned chapters to reflect recent developments and current debates within social policy. New areas of consideration include:

•Citizenship

•Post-structuralism

•The politics of food

•Globalization

Student exercises and reading lists feature throughout the text and practical examples are skilfully used to illustrate conceptual and theoretical material, making it the ideal core textbook for undergraduate social policy students, as well as those studying related welfare modules across the social sciences.

`It is intelligent, lively, clear, and well written′ - Professor Hugh Cunningham, University of Kent at Canterbury

`This is an excellent source book which is up-to-date and covers key debates on childhood in an accessible way′ - Professor Andy Furlong, University of Glasgow

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the study of `children′ and `childhood′ within the social sciences. Children, Welfare and the State provides readers with a comprehensive critical introduction to modern childhood studies.

In addition to engaging with the broad theoretical debates within the `new′ sociology of childhood and developmental psychology the book:

- Explores key questions in relation to researching childhood, children′s agency and social constructionist perspectives;

- Traces historical and contemporary developments in social policy responses to children and childhood;

- Examines the primary sites of state intervention in regulating and shaping children′s lives.

- Re-states the primary significance of social class and other structural divisions in understanding children′s experiences of childhood;

- Systematically assesses the impact of inequality and poverty on children and childhood.

Children, Welfare and the State has been tailored to appeal to those studying children and childhood within social policy, sociology, psychology, criminology, history, social work and youth and community work courses.

The book is organized into three parts:

•Part One offers a detailed but accessible critique of major theoretical approaches such as neo-liberalism, Marxism, feminism and racism;

•Part Two explores conceptual debates such as distributive justice and postmodernism;

•PArt Three engages with contemporary social policy issues such as children, pensions and the role of New Labour.

It also features newly commissioned chapters to reflect recent developments and current debates within social policy. New areas of consideration include:

•Citizenship

•Post-structuralism

•The politics of food

•Globalization

Student exercises and reading lists feature throughout the text and practical examples are skilfully used to illustrate conceptual and theoretical material, making it the ideal core textbook for undergraduate social policy students, as well as those studying related welfare modules across the social sciences.

Without a doubt, structural and institutionalised racism is still present in Britain and Europe, a factor that social work education and training has been slow to acknowledge.

In this timely new book, Lavalette and Penketh reveal that racism towards Britain’s minority ethnic groups has undergone a process of change. They affirm the importance of social work to address issues of ‘race’ and racism in education and training by presenting a critical review of a this demanding aspect of social work practice.

Original in its approach, and with diverse perspectives from key practitioners in the field, the authors examine contemporary anti-racism, including racism towards Eastern European migrants, Roma people and asylum seekers. It also considers the implications of contemporary racism for current practice.

This is essential reading for anyone academically or professionally interested in social work, and the developments in this field of study post 9/11.

Without a doubt, structural and institutionalised racism is still present in Britain and Europe, a factor that social work education and training has been slow to acknowledge.

In this timely new book, Lavalette and Penketh reveal that racism towards Britain’s minority ethnic groups has undergone a process of change. They affirm the importance of social work to address issues of ‘race’ and racism in education and training by presenting a critical review of a this demanding aspect of social work practice.

Original in its approach, and with diverse perspectives from key practitioners in the field, the authors examine contemporary anti-racism, including racism towards Eastern European migrants, Roma people and asylum seekers. It also considers the implications of contemporary racism for current practice.

This is essential reading for anyone academically or professionally interested in social work, and the developments in this field of study post 9/11.