28 - 31 August 2013
Torino, Italy

RN26 – Sociology of Social Policy

Coordinator:
Ingo Bode ibode@uni-kassel.de University of Kassel, Germany

The aim of the RN26 (Sociology of Social Policy and Social Welfare network) is to provide a broad arena for the discussion, dissemination and development of research on all aspects of social policy and social welfare in Europe. Importantly, the network wants to make a difference by placing the emphasis on a sociological perspective on this topic. Its research agenda includes the theorizing, empirical analysis and evaluation welfare institutions, organisations and policies and how they connect with the living conditions of citizens. This embraces welfare provision in a broad sense, including fields such as social work or health care. For the 11th conference of the ESA, RN 26 suggests three thematic streams for its proceedings. For all streams, we welcome papers from scholars at various career stages (including doctoral students); however, papers should not be early stage sketches of research or PhD projects. One month prior to the conference (August 1), each presenter is required to send in at least a short version of his or her paper to the chairs of the RN. Each session will be accorded a moderator who, having read through the contributions, gives a short input covering all papers presented, in order to stimulate general discussion centering on common perspectives or distinctive differences displayed by these papers.

Sessions

  • a01RN26 Sociological Approaches to European Welfare States: Welfare Provision and Social Forces (1)
    “Chair” BODE Ingo

    Introductory session: Social policy and social welfare provision are addressed by various disciplines, and often by interdisciplinary approaches and research communities. However, from the perspective of sociologists, it appears crucial to understand the added-value provided by their own discipline if it comes to the analysis of problems and phenomena in the welfare state, particularly regarding recent developments across different societal spheres and social policy arenas. The two opening sessions of the proceedings of RN 26 during the 11th ESA conference shall provide theoretical and conceptual contributions that discuss the distinctiveness of sociological approaches to these problems and phenomena by clarifying the role of social theory and academic critique. The opening sessions should cover perspectives from various parts of Europe, also with regard to national traditions in sociological thinking about social policy and welfare provision.

  • b01RN26 Sociological Approaches to European Welfare States: Principles and Agency in Contemporary Welfare Provision (2)
    “Chair” SANDVIN Johans Tveit
  • c01RN26 Sociological Approaches to European Welfare States: The evolving quality of welfare systems (3)
    “Chair” TONKENS Eveline

    Social policy and social welfare provision are addressed by various disciplines, and often by interdisciplinary approaches and research communities. However, from the perspective of sociologists, it appears crucial to understand the added-value provided by their own discipline if it comes to the analysis of problems and phenomena in the welfare state, particularly regarding recent developments across different societal spheres and social policy arenas. The two opening sessions of the proceedings of RN 26 during the 11th ESA conference shall provide theoretical and conceptual contributions that discuss the distinctiveness of sociological approaches to these problems and phenomena by clarifying the role of social theory and academic critique. The opening sessions should cover perspectives from various parts of Europe, also with regard to national traditions in sociological thinking about social policy and welfare provision.

  • 02RN26 Crisis and Downscaling in Social Welfare Provision: Impact and Implications
    “Chair” SYLTEVIK Liv

    The recent financial and/or economic crisis has affected European welfare states in various ways and at various degrees. In some parts of Europe, it seems to entail a ‘historic turn’ regarding the expansion of health and social welfare provision, materializing in a notable downscaling of social programs and ‘lean’ designs for welfare provision. Elsewhere, downscaling proceeds more implicitly, as the ‘supply side’ does not, or only partially, respond to rising demands (from the unemployed, marginalized groups, the frail elderly etc.). In the light of this, the challenge to the sociology of social policy is twofold: studying the impact of this development (concerning e.g. the discursive set-up underlying social policies or material outcomes in terms of social inequality) on the one hand, and wider implications regarding e.g. the cultural or socio-structural foundations of welfare states on the other. Papers contributed to these sessions should elucidate the afore-mentioned issues in order to enrich the capacity of the social sciences for the analysis of social welfare provision.

  • a03RN26 Understanding Vulnerabilities in Post-Industrial European Welfare States: Social Deprivation and Public Attitudes (1)
    “Chair” MORO Giuseppe

    During the last decades we have seen a gradual shift in how sociologists think about and deal with social deprivation, from focusing on the living conditions and relative despair of specific groups or categories of individuals to emphasizing instead the dynamic forces or vulnerabilities producing social deprivation. The focus is gradually less on the ‘end product’ so to speak, and more on how social positions are produced. We invite papers that identify, explore and analyze vulnerabilities in the contemporary postindustrial European welfare states, and how such vulnerabilities are affected and shaped by different social processes, including the current financial crises. We also welcome analyses of how such vulnerabilities intersect and interplay in the production of social positions, in particular with respect to inequalities, deprivation and exclusion of various populations.

  • b03RN26 Understanding Vulnerabilities in Post-Industrial European Welfare States: Migration and Social Welfare (2)
    “Chair” MORO Giuseppe
  • c03RN26 Understanding Vulnerabilities in Post-Industrial European Welfare States: Social Exclusion and Social Divisions (3)
    “Chair” SACHWEH Patrick
  • a04RN26 Social Policy and Social Welfare: Working for Social Welfare (1)
    “Chair” HALVORSEN Rune
  • b04RN26 Social Policy and Social Welfare: Third Sector and Social Welfare (2)
    “Chair” SANDVIN Johans Tveit
  • c04RN26 Social Policy and Social Welfare: Activation and Basic Income (3)
    “Chair” SANDVIN Johans Tveit

Thank you very much to all participants for making esa torino an outstanding conference.