Social Policy in Britain

Description

In this fifth edition of the best-selling core introductory textbook, Pete Alcock and Lee Gregory provide a comprehensive and engaging introduction to social policy. Continuing with the unbeaten narrative style and accessible approach of the previous editions, the authors explore the major topics of social policy in a clear and digestible way. By breaking down the complexities behind policy developments and their outcomes, the book demonstrates the relationship between core areas of policy and the society we live in. The fifth edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to cover the impact of Brexit and contains reflections on the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic for social policy. Each chapter contains comprehension activities to aid understanding, as well as helpful summary points and suggestions for further reading.

Lee Gregory is an Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham, UK. He has been teaching social policy for almost 15 years and is the author of Exploring Welfare Debates: Key Concepts and Questions. His research interests include poverty and inequality as well as theoretical and conceptual debates about welfare provision.

This updated edition of Social Policy in Britain introduces contemporary and relevant issues in the field and skilfully locates them in historical, structural, and theoretical contexts. This reinvigorated textbook remains essential reading for social policy students at all levels of study. -- Professor Anya Ahmed, Professor of Wellbeing and Communities * Manchester Metropolitan University, UK * This newly-revised edition combines examination of core issues and contemporary developments with a deep appreciation of the foundations of the subject. Alcock and Gregory provide a comprehensive introduction to social policy in Britain. -- Dr. Rod Hick, Reader at the School of Public Policy * University of Cardiff, UK * The fifth edition of Social Policy in Britain is a timely and essential update on the radically shifting social policy landscape. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students will benefit from the clear approach outlining the structures, context, mechanisms and 'mixed economy' of welfare provision in Britain. -- Dr. Vikki McCall, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy and Housing * University of Stirling, UK * The expansive nature of social policy presents a serious challenge for those seeking to do justice to foundational debates within the discipline as well as the latest conceptual and substantive developments. Social Policy Britain provides an accessible orientation to key questions, themes and issues underpinning welfare policy and politics in the UK today. It will be a valuable resource for educators and students at all levels. -- Dr. Daniel Edmiston, Lecturer in Sociology and Social Policy * University of Leeds, UK *