Economic Transition,Class Formation,and the Superintendent State in the Midwest: 1850‐1900

This article outlines and clarifies the complex relationship between economic development, the formation of classes, political movement responses to these changes, and state institutional capacity building in response to these movements in the Midwestern US. It seeks to remedy views of the transition to capitalism in America that focus too narrowly on a moment of transition, positing instead a long, politically contested process of class formation by elucidating the specific interactions between agrarian and union movements and state‐building processes. Our research reveals the substantial role of the state in forcing through acceptance of economic changes and shifting class locations through a co‐developmental process of political resistance movements and state‐building.     

The Autonomy of the State,Radical Left and Karatani's Capital‐Nation‐State: The Turkish Left of 1960‐1971

The purpose of this paper is to provide an account of how leading radical left movements of Turkey in 1960–71 conceptualized the state. The analytical framework draws on the mode of exchange framework developed by Kojin Karatani. The Turkish Left was unable to theorize the autonomy of the state, the construction of the nation as an imagined community, and the importance of popular resistance against the state's destruction of traditional communities. Right‐wing political parties filled this vacuum with the populist discourse of nation. The Turkish Left conceded its social base to right‐wing parties and hence lost the opportunity of winning political efficacy. Our critical assessment of the Left of Turkey in 1960–71 is pertinent to discussions about present‐day left‐wing strategies that leave the nation and ravaged communities to right parties to exploit or utilise as part of their program.     

National Information Infrastructure Policy and the Future of the American Welfare State: Implications for the Social Welfare Policy Curriculum

The development of the information society will have important future ramifications for the U.S. economy and for the social welfare system. The nature of work, work organizations, government, and other institutions will be changed by the growth of the information sector. An important part of this sector will be the National Information Infrastructure, or “Information Superhighway.” This network will help to determine the winners and losers in the new economy and will have major consequences for the evolution of social policy. These ramifications are explored and implications for social work education are discussed. The article argues that social service programs need to deal realistically with the oncoming changes, and that social work education will have to prepare students to function within this new social welfare system.     

The Rise of China: Implications for Latin American Development

This article analyses the implications of the rapid economic rise of China for the development prospects of Latin America. Based on an analysis of the changing trade relations between China and 15 Latin American countries over the period 2000–6, it argues that these relations have significantly exacerbated the subcontinent's dilemma of being caught in the middle‐income trap. At the same time, some of the key drivers behind China's economic success point to a possible solution, first and foremost the lessons provided by its proactive development strategy which has focused on developing domestic technological capabilities and diversifying the productive structure with a move up the value chain.     

Income Inequality,Globalization, and the Welfare State: Evidence from 23 Industrial Countries, 1990–2009

The debate regarding the welfare state–weakening effect and the income inequality‐increasing effect of globalization remains a contentious issue among stratification scholars. For some, globalization increases income inequality, while for others, globalization has no, or a negligible, effect on income inequality. This study brings new evidence to bear on this debate by separately investigating effects of multiple indicators of globalization (international trade, foreign direct investment [FDI] and immigration), and of welfare state generosity (government social‐protection spending) on (1) income inequality before taxes and transfers and (2) income inequality after taxes and transfers, using data from 23 Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) countries over 1990–2009. First, results show a positive effect of international trade, a negative effect of immigration, but no effect of FDI and government social‐protection spending on income inequality before taxes and transfers. Second, results show no effect of the globalization indicators but a negative effect of government social‐protection spending on income inequality after taxes and transfers. These findings suggest that (1) globalization has inequality‐increasing effects depending on measures of income inequality; (2) the welfare state, in many OECD countries, continues to shape income distribution; and (3) in contrast with the popular narrative, immigration may decrease income inequality.     

Financial Globalisation,State Autonomy and Modern Financial Instruments: The Case of Brazil

This article examines the impact of innovative financial instruments on the relationship between states and financial markets. Using the example of Brazil in the period after 2000, this paper argues that growth in credits default swaps and inflation-linked bond markets have had a tangible impact on this relationship. Growth in these markets has afforded the Brazilian state more autonomy and lessened the normative power of financial markets. This paper shows that developments in global financial markets do not always result in a diminution of state power.

Este artículo examina el impacto de los instrumentos financieros innovadores en la relación entre los estados y los mercados financieros. Tomando el ejemplo del Brasil en el período después del 2000, este artículo sostiene que el crecimiento en los swaps en el incumplimiento crediticio y el mercado de bonos estructurados vinculados a la inflación, han tenido un impacto tangible en esta relación. La habilidad de pasar el riesgo de impago a mercados financieros más amplios, ha significado que más instituciones estén dispuestas a prestarle al Brasil y como consecuencia, la relación del país con la comunidad financiera ha cambiado. El crecimiento en estos mercados ha provisto al estado brasileño de más autonomía y reducido el poder normativo de los mercados financieros. Este artículo indica que los desarrollos en los mercados financieros globales, no siempre resultan en una disminución del poder estatal.

     

The Rise of the Information State: the Development of Central State Surveillance of the Citizen in England, 1500–2000

This essay examines existing sociological explanations of the development of the central surveillance of citizens in the light of the English experience, and finds them wanting. Sociologists see the state using surveillance for the benefit of capitalist elites, to reimpose social control over the society of strangers created by industrialisation. But surveillance pre-dated industrialisation, and the development of information gathering by state elites had more to do with their own need to preserve their position both within the English polity, and international geo-politics.     

‘Our Diagnoses,Our Selves’: The Rise of the Technoscientific Illness Identity

Biomedicine situates the definitions, practices, and controls of the medical system within the field of technoscience, which relies on new knowledge, high technology, and biomedical health and risk surveillance. Since the middle of the 20th century technoscientific efforts to understand human phenomena at the microbiological level have secured the place of the biomedical model of disease and the technology used to understand and manage human bodies, selves, and socialities. Specifically, high technology has provoked a paradigm shift from controlling disease and finding cures (medicalization) to transforming bodies and managing risk through technoscientific means (biomedicalization). Though there has been a major shift in the role of the medical consumer since the 1970s and a general recognition of patients’ rights to meaningful information about their health and illness conditions, biomedicine holds significant authority over peoples’ lives to the degree that biomedicalization now involves the production of individual and collective identities that are constructed through technoscientific means. The technoscientific identity has even become a type of illness identity that involves applying biomedical information and characteristics to a person’s sense of self in the face of illness.     

“Recycling”: The Economic Implications of Obtaining Additional Post‐secondary Credentials at Lower or Equivalent Levels*

Cet article explore les revenus des diplômés des collèges communautaires et des programmes universitaires de premier cycle. Le premier but de cette étude est de déterminer si les programmes des collèges communautaires en formation technique et appliquée procurent à leurs finissants de meilleurs revenus que ceux des arts libéraux, soi‐disant « plus mous ». Le second but est d'examiner les répercussions économiques de L'obtention d'un nouveau titre scolaire de niveau postsecondaire qui n'a pas été conçu dans le but d'être une continuation du premier titre, une pratique connue sous le nom de « recyclage ». Des comparaisons par champ d'étude sont aussi étudiées. This paper explores the earnings of graduates of community college and university undergraduate programs of different fields of study. There are two goals of this study. The first goal is to determine whether technical and applied community college programs provide their graduates with better earnings outcomes than do the so‐called “softer” liberal arts programs. The second goal is to examine the economic implications of obtaining an additional post‐secondary credential that is not designed to be a continuation of the first credential, a practice known as “recycling.” Comparisons by field of study are also investigated.     

Trends in the Economic Status of the Aged and the Implications for State Policy

This paper examines recent trends in the economic status of the elderly. Particular attention is given to shifts in the income composition of older households and why these shifts have taken place. It is shown that most of these shifts are attributable, either directly or indirectly, to Social Security and private pension policies. The data also reveal that the income mix of poor older households differs greatly from that of more affluent older households. This has implications for the formulation of policies to improve the economic status of the elderly in poverty. Unfortunately, the current policy environment, characterized by large federal deficits, places severe constraints on developing federal programs to aid poor older persons. Thus, it is likely that state governments will need to take increasing responsibility for programs targeted to the aged poor. The paper concludes by considering the potential effectiveness of such programs.