The authors are members of the Social Policy Association.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The subject of social policy / Pete Alcock -- Methods and approaches in social policy research / Saul Becker -- History and social policy / David Gladstone -- Social needs, social problems, social welfare and w ell-being / Nick Manning -- Equality, rights and social justice / Peter Taylor-Gooby -- Efficiency, equity and choice / Carol Propper -- Altru ism, reciprocity and obligation / Hilary Land -- Neo-liberalism / Nick Ellison -- The conservative tradition / Robert Pinker -- Social democra cy / Robert M. Page -- The socialist perspective / Hartley Dean -- Thir d way perspectives / Martin Powell -- Feminist perspectives / Jane Lewi s -- Green perspectives / Michael Cahill -- Postmodernist perspectives / Tony Fitzpatrick -- Divisions and difference / Sharon Wright -- Pover ty and social exclusion / Pete Alcock -- The distribution of welfare / John Hills -- Social policy and economic policy / Colin Hay -- Culture and nationhood / Fiona Williams -- Social policy and family policy / Ja ne Millar -- The political process / John Hudson -- Evidence and evalua tion / Stephen Harrison and Ruth McDonald -- State welfare / Catherine Bochel -- Commercial welfare / Christopher Holden -- Occupational welfa re / Margaret May -- Voluntary welfare / Jeremy Kendall -- Informal car e / Caroline Glendinning and Hilary Arksey -- Paying for welfare / Howa rd Glennerster -- Citizenship and access to welfare / Ruth Lister -- Ma naging and delivering welfare / John Clarke -- Accountability for welfa re / Janet Newman -- Welfare users and social policy / Peter Beresford -- Local and regional government and governance and social policy / Guy Daly and Howard Davis -- Social policy and devolution / Richard Parry -- Social policy and the European Union / Linda Hantrais -- Social poli cy and supranational governance / Nicola Yeates -- Income maintenance a nd social security / Stephen McKay and Karen Rowlingson -- Employment / Alan Deacon -- Healthcare / Rob Baggott -- Education in schools / Anne West -- Lifelong learning and training / Claire Callender -- Housing / Alan Murie -- Social care / Jon Glasby -- Criminal justice / Tim Newbu rn -- 'Race' and social welfare / Lucinda Platt -- Children / Tess Ridg e -- Young people / Bob Coles -- Older people / Alan Walker and Tony Ma ltby -- Disability / Mark Priestley -- Migrants and asylum-seekers / Al ice Bloch -- The role of comparative study in social policy / Margaret May -- Globalization and social policy / Rob Sykes -- Social policy in Europe / Jochen Clasen -- Social policy in liberal market societies / M ichael Hill -- Social policy in East Asian societies / Michael Hill -- Social policy in developing societies / Patricia Kennett.