1st Edition

The Routledge International Handbook to Welfare State Systems

Edited By Christian Aspalter Copyright 2017
    530 Pages 87 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    530 Pages 87 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Developing countries may not have full-fledged welfare states like those we find in Europe, but certainly they have welfare state systems. For comparative social policy research the term "welfare state systems" has many advantages, as there are numerous different types/models of welfare state systems around the world. This path-breaking book, edited by Christian Aspalter, brings together leading experts to discuss social policy in 25 countries/regions around the world. From the most advanced welfare state systems in Scandinavia and Western Central Europe to the developing powers of Brazil, China, India, Russia, Mexico and Indonesia, each country-specific chapter provides a historical overview, discusses major characteristics of the welfare state system, analyzes country-specific problems, as well as critical current and future trends for further discussions, while also providing one additional major focal point/issue for greater in-depth analysis.

    This book breaks new ground in ideal-typical welfare regime theory, identifying now in total 10 worlds of welfare capitalism. It provides broad perspectives on critical challenges which welfare state systems in the developing and developed world alike must address now and in the future. It will be of great interest to all scholars and students of social policy, social development, development and health economists, public policy, health policy, sociology, social work and social policy makers and administrators. This book is a reference book for researchers and social policy administrators; it can also serve as a textbook for courses on comparative social policy, international social policy and international social development.

    1. Introduction, (Christian Aspalter)
    2. Ten Worlds of Welfare Capitalism: An Ideal-Typical Perspective, (Christian Aspalter)
    3. Future Welfare: An Uneven Race to the Top and/or a Polarized World?, (Peter Abrahamson)
    4. The Australian Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Welfare Conditionality―The Case of the Income Management System, (Philip Mendes)
    5. The American Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Asset- and Means-Tested Social Assistance Programs, (Peter Abrahamson)
    6. The Cuban Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Universalism, (Carmelo Mesa-Lago)
    7. The Mexican Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Conditional Cash Transfer Systems, (Gabriel Martínez) 
    8. The Chilean Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Social Security Privatization, (Silvia Borzutzky and Mark Hyde)
    9. The Brazilian Welfare State System: With Special Reference to the Outcomes and Performance of the Welfare State System, (Christian Aspalter)
    10. The Nigerian Welfare State System: With Special Reference to the Challenges of Developing a Social Security System, (Bruce Josephson)
    11. The UK Welfare State System: With Special Reference to the Mental Health Care System, (Paul Taylor and Jason L. Powell)
    12. The Swedish Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Inequality and the Redistribution Paradox, (Joakim Palme)
    13. The French Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Youth Unemployment, (Tom Chevalier and Bruno Palier)
    14. The Belgian Welfare State System: With Special Reference to "Targeting Within Universalism", (Bea Cantillon, Diana De Graeve and Natascha Van Mechelen)
    15. The German Welfare State System: With Special Reference to the Old Age Pension System, (Karl Hinrichs)
    16. The Austrian Welfare State System: With Special Reference to the Long-Term Care System, (Kai Leichsenring
    17. The Swiss Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Education Policy, (Jean-Michel Bonvin and Stephan Dahmen)
    18. The Russian Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Regional Inequality, (Markus Kainu, Meri Kulmala, Jouko Nikula and Markku Kivinen)
    19. The Turkish Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Human Capital Development, (Adem Yavuz Elveren and Tuba I. Agartan)
    20. The Israeli Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Social Inclusion, (John Gal)
    21. The Indian Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Social Policy and the Burden of Disease, (Christian Aspalter)
    22. The Indonesian Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Social Security Extension in the Development Context, (Jörg Michael Dostal and Gemati Ekacita Naskoshi)
    23. The Singaporean Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Public Housing and the CPF, (Youyenn Teo)
    24. The Chinese Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Aging of Society and Social Policy, (Carmel Kar-Mut Lee)
    25. The Hong Kong Welfare State System: With Special Reference to New Initiatives in Social Assistance Provision, (Christian Aspalter)
    26. The Taiwanese Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Its Universal Health Insurance System, (Yih-Jiunn Lee and Yeun-Wen Ku)
    27. The South Korean Welfare State System: With Special Reference to the Future of Social Insurance Systems, (Jinsoo Kim and Christina Hiessl)
    28. The Japanese Welfare State System: With Special Reference to Financing Health Care, Pensions and Long-Term Care in a Super-Aged Society, (Christian Aspalter and Hubert Liu)
    29. Lessons from Around the World: By Way of Conclusion, (Christian Aspalter)

    Biography

    Christian Aspalter is Professor and Former Founding Head of the Social Work and Social Administration Programme at Beijing Normal University–Hong Kong Baptist University, United International College, Zhuhai, China. He is the author of more than 20 books on social policy and has published numerous articles in international journals. He is editor of the book series Routledge Studies in Social Welfare in Asia.

    'This book contains an impressive overview of welfare state systems – and not only in the countries already depicted as welfare states, but with a very strong focus on covering all regions in the world. By this, the book will become an invaluable resource for those interested in different types of welfare states.' - Bent Greve, University of Roskilde, Denmark

    'Edited books on welfare systems are not few in number, but the present one by Christian Aspalter is the only one which is really global and provides readers a true understanding of the divergent social welfare systems which countries and regions around the world have developed in securing for their people better lives.' - Nelson Chow, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong    

    'The Routledge International Handbook to Welfare State Systems is a book that will prove an invaluable resource for students, faculty, and researchers with an interest in international social policy. This comprehensive collection offers readers an up-to-date account of the complex ways each of the 24 nations covered wrestles with challenges of economic globalization and rapid technological change and how each provides social welfare policies for the care of their most vulnerable citizens is contained in this book.' - Katherine van Wormer, University of Northern Iowa, USA