Paul Spicker
States and Welfare States
Government for the People
Most governments in the world have taken responsibility for social policy and elected to develop services in health, education and social security. This book explores the role of government and the state in the contemporary world and discusses views about government responsibility for social welfare services.
How to Fix the Welfare State
Some Ideas for Better Social Services
Paul Spicker offers an original take on the British welfare state. He outlines the structure of services, the impact of false narratives, the real problems that need to be addressed and how we can do things better.
The Poverty of Nations
A Relational Perspective
This book examines poverty in the context of the economy, society and the political community, considering how states can respond to issues of inequality, exclusion and powerlessness. Drawing on examples in both rich and poor countries, this is an accessible contribution to the debate about the nature of poverty and responses to it.
Thinking Collectively
Social Policy, Collective Action and the Common Good
In this book, well-respected author Paul Spicker lends a complementary voice to his Reclaiming individualism, reviewing collectivism as a dimension of political discourse. Taking a dispassionate and methodical approach, the author explores what collectivism means in social policy and what value it offers to the field.
What’s Wrong with Social Security Benefits?
This provocative short book is a valuable introduction to social security in Britain and the potential for its reform.
Social Policy
Theory and Practice
This fully revised, updated and extended edition of a bestselling social policy textbook is extensively reworked and adapted to meet the needs of its international readership. Laying out the architecture of social policy as a field of study, it provides a sense of the scope, range and purpose of the subject.
Reclaiming Individualism
Perspectives on Public Policy
Reclaiming individualism reviews the scope of individualist approaches, and considers how they apply to issues of policy. It argues for a concept of individualism based on rights, human dignity, shared interests and social protection.
How social security works
An introduction to benefits in Britain
A broad, accessible introduction to the benefit system in Britain which can help readers to make sense of the system in practice.
The idea of poverty
Making a committed argument for a participative, inclusive understanding of the term, Paul Spicker examines views about what poverty is and what should be done about it.
Liberty, equality, fraternity
Paul Spicker's new book takes the three founding principles of the French Revolution - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity - and examines how they relate to social policy today. The book considers the political and moral dimensions of a wide range of social policies, and offers a different way of thinking about each subject.
Policy analysis for practice
Applying social policy
This book introduces students and practitioners to the concepts and methods required to undertake the analysis and review of policy and its implementation. Focusing on understanding and skills for a growing area of practice, it combines material from public and social administration with examples and application to social policy and services.