The Changing Governance of Welfare: Recent Trends in its Primary Functions, Scale, and Modes of Coordination

This paper discusses four dimensions of the capitalist state's role in economic and social reproduction: its economic and social policy roles, the scales on which these roles are performed, and the modes of governance with which they are associated. It describes the typical postwar welfare regime on these dimensions, analyses the crisis in the governance of welfare that began to emerge in the late 1970s and 1980s, and characterizes the new regime that is tendentially replacing the postwar welfare state.     

The politics of love in three recent U.S. and U.K. films of young gay romance: a symptomatic reading of Beautiful Thing, Get Real, and Edge of Seventeen

A symptomatic representation, from a Marxist critical vantage point, of three prototypical recent U.S. and U.K. films of young gay romance-Beautiful Thing, Get Real, and Edge of Seventeen-shows these films (as well as the larger, insurgent cinematic subgenre of which they serve as particularly exemplary instances) do significant ideological work, contrary to what might appear to be the case from a superficial (and uncritical) reading that dismisses them as pure escapism. These films confront contradictions central to contemporary U.S. and U.K. gay politics and culture-contradictions involving the unity and struggle of tendencies toward gay assimilation versus gay separation, gay normalization versus gay differentiation, and gay integration versus gay dissidence. While these films do not provide formal resolutions to these real social contradictions as much as they engage in processes of formal dissolution and irresolution (i.e., suspension) of these contradictions, they cannot fully elide the existence of these contradictions because to do so would effectively undermine the empathetic appeal of the romantic tales they tell. We can observe this ideological tension most clearly by examining (1) the fraught ways in which the films represent their protagonists' struggle to substitute individual acquisition of a seemingly secure private place for engagement in social struggle to extend collective control over public space, as well as (2) the abstractly utopian manner in which these films celebrate the power of love.     

Empowering Children Left Behind in China

In the last two decades in rural China, increasing numbers of children of economic migrants have been left behind with kin, which is of growing concern for social work and welfare policy. The genesis of this rural to urban migration has been China's rapid economic development and greater opportunities for work in better paying jobs in cities. However, there is growing evidence of the negative impact upon these children. This paper reports the views of caregivers (n = 23) and school personnel (n = 5) from a small town in Northeast China. Interviews sought adults opinions on these children's needs, with the major outcome being children's need to be empowered – to be respected, to express themselves, to have influence, and to be supported to be able to more fully participate in education and their communities. We argue that caregiver strategies to empower children left behind provide insight into culturally appropriate processes and practices that underpin social inclusion. However, some discrepancies between the views of caregivers and school personnel alert us to the potential for tension between family and broader community and institutional views. Implications for social work practice include responding to the cultural values embedded in child rearing practices and local ideas about children's entitlements.     

What's in a Name? The Implications of Diagnosis for People with Learning Difficulties and their Family Carers

Diagnosis plays a significant role in the shaping of individual identities and the quality of life for people with learning difficulties and their family carers. Diagnostic labels are constitutive of peoples' lives, in that they bring forth pathology, create problemsaturated stories and construct careers as patients and cases. Disabled identities of people with learning difficulties remain largely 'embodied' and within the definitional control of professionals. Whilst the acquisition of a learning difficulty label can open doors to resources, it can also lead to disrespectful and dehumanising treatment, and the severe restriction of opportunities. This paper argues that a social constructionist perspective can offer a way of thinking about diagnosis that challenges the so called 'facts' and 'truths' that underpin and support it. Working in partnership with people with learning difficulties in relation to diagnosis requires professionals to relinquish power by resisting the 'temptations of certainty' associated with diagnostic practices.     

Modelling locational access to markets for pluriactivity: a study in the Grampian region of Scotland

This paper investigates the role of location in determining the presence of on- and off-farm pluriactivity. Gravity models are developed to define degrees of access to markets from farm locations, and farm household survey data from the Grampian Region of Scotland are used to test the ability of the models to explain the observed location of pluriactivity. Proximity to markets is shown to be an important factor for both tourist and non-tourist on-farm diversification, and is reflected in the location of farms with on-farm non-agricultural activities. However, there is no evidence of a relationship between access to labour market opportunities and the presence of off-farm employment at the sub-regional scale. Personal preferences concerning work location and household responsibilities may be more important in determining the presence of off-farm work than proximity to labour market opportunities. Possible refinements to the technique and policy implications are discussed.     

Social capital and business giving to charity following a natural disaster: An empirical assessment

This study examines the participation of local businesses in disaster relief efforts in their own communities. We utilize a unique survey of 463 businesses in Pitt County, North Carolina, collected shortly after devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Floyd. Our results indicate that managerial social capital especially through religious participation is positively related to provision of assistance to employees as well as making cash contributions and the value of cash donations. Manager ties to civic organizations positively predict in-kind donations including temporarily loaning vehicles and equipment to relief efforts. Local branches of national chains were less likely than locally owned franchises to provide assistance to employees and less likely than independent local businesses to provide in-kind contributions. We do not find evidence that business charitable giving is affected by the number of years the business operated in the community or the number of years the owner or manager has lived in the area.     

Forecasting the Population of Census Tracts by Age and Sex: An Example of the Hamilton–Perry Method in Action

Small area population projections are useful in a range of business applications. This paper uses a case study to show how this type of task can be accomplished by using the Hamilton–Perry method, which is a variant of the cohort-component projection technique. We provide the documentation on the methods, data, and assumptions used to develop two sets of population projections for census tracts in Clark County, Nevada, and discuss specific factors needed to accomplish this task, including the need to bring expert judgment to bear on the task. Our experience suggests that the Hamilton–Perry Method is an important tool and we advise considering it for small forecasting needs in the private sector.     

Animals,Agency and Resistance

In this paper we develop a relational approach to the question of animal agency. We distinguish between agency and action and, using three examples of non‐human animal behaviour, explore how human‐other animal interactions might be understood in terms of action, agency and resistance. In order to do this we draw on the distinction between primary and corporate agency found in the work of Margaret Archer, arguing that, while non‐human animals are able to act and to exercise primary agency, they are unable to exercise corporate agency. Animals are therefore agents; they act and their actions have consequences, they also resist conditions which they do not like and, in some circumstances, are able to change the conditions of their agency. We discuss the place of animals in the social world and the political implications of this way of viewing animal agency.