Introduction to Social Policy

Author: Yang Weimin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: In China, social security as a discipline has a history of over ten years of development. Some may ask about the relationship between social policy and social security. Simply put, social security research also falls under the umbrella of social policy research. However, in terms of the current state of social security research in China, many researchers are more concerned with describing the policies themselves, as well as issues related to policy implementation, organization, and financial operations, which is more akin to the predecessor of British social policy research—social administration. The fundamental characteristic of social policy research is to analyze and interpret social policy within the broader context of social research. This involves focusing on the policy itself and its changes, while also giving necessary attention to the relationship between social policy and its changes, and the social, political, economic background, as well as the cultural and historical traditions of the relevant society, and the societal value orientations and theoretical foundations.
Since in China, government policies and research related to social policy are not conducted under the name of "social policy," people still lack understanding of what social policy is, the relationship between social policy and public policy, the content of social policy, and the issues addressed in social policy research. The content of this book aims to answer these questions. Of course, even in European countries with a longer history of social policy research, there is no consensus on these issues. This book primarily introduces different viewpoints and proposes its own perspectives based on these introductions.
This book is a textbook that systematically elaborates on the basic concepts and theoretical issues in the field of social policy research. It introduces and analyzes the development process of social policy research in Europe and America, as well as the definitions and interpretations of social policy by different researchers. It also compares the connections and distinctions between social policy and public policy. Based on the fundamental characteristics of social policy research, the book introduces the formation, development, and reform of social policies in Europe and America, along with the relevant theoretical and social backgrounds.
The most prominent feature of this book is that it helps students develop an open mindset, seeking theoretical explanations and empirical analysis when thinking about social policy issues.