Social policy: theory and practice.

Spicker, Paul

Abstract

Social Policy: Theory and practice is a fully revised, updated and extended edition of a bestselling social policy textbook, extensively reworked and adapted to meet the needs of its international readership. The book lays out the architecture of social policy as a field of study, binding the discussion of theory to the understanding of social policy in practice. It aims to provide students and practitioners with a sense of the scope, range and purpose of the subject while developing critical awareness of problems, issues and common fallacies. Written in an accessible and engaging style, it explains what social policy is and why it matters; looks at social policy in its social context; considers policy, the role of the state and the social services; explores issues in social administration and service delivery; and focuses on the methods and approaches of the subject. For practitioners, there are discussions of the techniques and approaches used to apply social policy in practice. For students, there are boxes raising issues and reviewing case studies, questions for discussion and a detailed glossary. The book's distinctive, path–breaking approach makes it invaluable for students studying social policy at a range levels, professionals and practitioners in the field of social policy.

Citation

SPICKER, P. 2014. Social policy: theory and practice. 3rd edition. Bristol: Policy Press [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447316138

• Book Type: Authored Book
• Online Publication Date: Mar 20, 2014
• Publication Date: Mar 20, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jan 31, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 7, 2025
• Publisher: Policy Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Edition: 3rd edition
• ISBN: 9781447316091; 9781447316107
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447316138
• Keywords: Social policy; Social theory; Social policy practice; Social administration; Service delivery
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2675606
• Publisher URL: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/social-policy-2
• Additional Information: This is a post-peer-review, pre-copy edited version of an example chapter published in "Social Policy: Theory and Practice". The definitive publisher-authenticated version SPICKER, P. 2014. Social policy: theory and practice. 3rd edition. Bristol: Policy Press is available online at: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/social-policy-2