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Principles of social welfare: an introduction to thinking about the welfare state. (2017)
Book
SPICKER, P. 2017. Principles of social welfare: an introduction to thinking about the welfare state. Translated to Arabic by H.M.I. Matter. Berlin: Democratic Arabic Centre [online]. Available from: http://democraticac.de/?p=46477

This book is about social policy and administration, which is a field of study mainly concerned with 'social welfare' and the 'social services'. Social policy is not a self-contained academic discipline. The book attempts to draw material together an... Read More about Principles of social welfare: an introduction to thinking about the welfare state..

The future of social security in Scotland: views from inside the system. (2017)
Report
PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES UNION and SPICKER, P. 2017. The future of social security in Scotland: views from inside the system. Glasgow: PCS [online]. Available from: https://www.pcs.org.uk/sites/default/files/site_assets/regional_websites/scotland/2017/FSS_Scotland_FINAL.pdf

The report is based on group interviews and questionnaires done earlier this year with 228 DWP officers. This is not the first report ever to ask social security officers what they think, but it's a rare and rather special event. The officers general... Read More about The future of social security in Scotland: views from inside the system..

The takeup of benefits: lessons from the UK. (2017)
Book Chapter
SPICKER, P. 2017. The takeup of benefits: lessons from the UK. In Van Hootegem, H (ed.) Poverty and ineffectiveness of rights. Bruges: Die Keure [online]. Available from: https://www.diekeure.be/nl-be/professional/8167/armoede-en-ineffectiviteit-van-rechten-pauvrete-et-ineffectivite-des-droits

The issue of take-up has had a prominent role in the consideration of benefits in the UK, and there is a considerable amount of information available about the issues and problems. As time has gone on, however, the comfortable certainties about why p... Read More about The takeup of benefits: lessons from the UK..

Arguments for welfare: the welfare state and social policy. (2017)
Book
SPICKER, P. 2017. Arguments for welfare: the welfare state and social policy. London: Rowman and Littlefield International Ltd [online]. Available from: http://www.rowmaninternational.com/book/arguments_for_welfare/3-156-b8676521-173c-4557-9489-01d73d466f67

This book makes the case for the welfare state. Nearly every government in the developed world offers some form of social protection, and measures to improve the social and economic well-being of its citizens. However, the provision of welfare is und... Read More about Arguments for welfare: the welfare state and social policy..

The real dependent variable problem: the limitations qualitative analysis in comparative policy studies. (2017)
Journal Article
SPICKER, P. 2017. The real dependent variable problem: the limitations qualitative analysis in comparative policy studies. Social policy and administration [online], 52(1), pages 216-228. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/spol.12308

Comparative public policy relies heavily on processing quantitative data, typically done by looking for the relationship between variables or by grouping empirical data into categories. In methodological terms, comparative data commonly deal with nat... Read More about The real dependent variable problem: the limitations qualitative analysis in comparative policy studies..

What's wrong with social security benefits? (2017)
Book
SPICKER, P. 2017. What's wrong with social security benefits? Bristol: Policy Press [online]. Available from: https://policypress.co.uk/whats-wrong-with-social-security-benefits

In this thought-provoking book, Paul Spicker challenges readers to rethink social security benefits in Britain. Putting a case for reform of the system, Spicker argues that most of the criticisms made of social security benefits – that spending is ou... Read More about What's wrong with social security benefits?.

Poverty as a wicked problem. (2016)
Report
SPICKER, P. 2016. Poverty as a wicked problem. CROP poverty brief, no. 35. Bergen, Norway: CROP Secretariat [online]. Available from: http://www.crop.org/viewfile.aspx?id=1062

This brief argues for a pragmatic approach to poverty, rather than an analytical one: 1. Poverty is a wicked issue - complex, multidimensional, unclear and changeable. There is not one problem to be addressed. If we are not dealing with a set, specif... Read More about Poverty as a wicked problem..

A new future for social security: response to the consultation document. (2016)
Report
SPICKER, P. 2016. A new future for social security: response to the consultation document. In Scottish Government. Consultation on social security in Scotland. Edinburgh: Scottish Government [online], response ID 500312666. Available from: https://consult.gov.scot/social-security/social-security-in-scotland/consultation/view_respondent?_b_index=420&uuId=500312666

This submission covers genearl issues related to the statement of principles, broader issues of policy and general administrative arrangements. The main points are these: 1) The aims of benefit systems are complex. Oversimplification threatens to com... Read More about A new future for social security: response to the consultation document..

Economics as practical wisdom. (2016)
Journal Article
SPICKER, P. 2016. Economics as practical wisdom. Real-world economics review [online], 75, pages 113-125. Available from: http://www.paecon.net/PAEReview/issue75/Spicker75.pdf

The discipline of economics has been represented as deductive and theoretical, deductive and empirical, and inductive and empirical. All of these approaches have been subject to withering criticism in other social sciences: their weaknesses are theor... Read More about Economics as practical wisdom..

The fiscal framework and the delivery of welfare benefits. (2016)
Report
SPICKER, P. 2016. The fiscal framework and the delivery of welfare benefits. Written submission presented at the 10th Meeting of the Devolution (Further Powers) Committee (Scottish Parliament, session 4), 3 March 2016, Edinburgh, UK. Edinburgh: Scottish Parliament [online], pages 19-23. Available from: http://www.parliament.scot/Papers_20160303_updated_3.3.16.pdf

The author author was approached by the Clerks of the committee to comment on the Scotland Bill and Fiscal Framework, since the publication of the Committee's Interim Report published in May 2015. This is his written submission.

What can the Scottish Parliament do with new social security powers? (2016)
Report
SPICKER, P. 2016. What can the Scottish Parliament do with new social security powers? Glasgow: Comon Weal [online]. Available from: http://allofusfirst.org/tasks/render/file/?fileID=5F353C60-ECE3-72D9-CAD3D044ACBB03D0

Professor Paul Spicker analyses the planned devolution of social security powers to the Scottish Parliament in the Scotland Bill and argues: The reforms have been represented as giving Scotland 'one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the wo... Read More about What can the Scottish Parliament do with new social security powers?.

New benefit powers for Scotland. (2016)
Report
SPICKER, P. 2016. New benefit powers for Scotland. Poverty Alliance briefing, 23. Glasgow: The Poverty Alliance [online]. Available from: http://www.povertyalliance.org/article/new_welfare_powers

Pending agreement between the Scottish and UK Governments, and the completion of the relevant Parliamentary processes, Scotland is set to gain significant new powers over aspects of the social security system. In order to help Poverty Alliance member... Read More about New benefit powers for Scotland..

The devolution of social security benefits in Scotland: the Smith Commission. (2015)
Journal Article
SPICKER, P. 2015. The devolution of social security benefits in Scotland: the Smith Commission. Journal of poverty and social justice [online], 23(1), pages 17-28. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1332/175982715X14226074788880

The United Kingdom is a unitary state, and social security benefits are some of the most centralised services in it. The powers of the Scottish Parliament in relation to benefits have been heavily restricted, to the point where they have fewer formal... Read More about The devolution of social security benefits in Scotland: the Smith Commission..

Policy translation: a reply. (2015)
Journal Article
SPICKER, P. 2016. Policy translation: a reply. Global discourse: an interdisciplinary journal of current affairs and applied contemporary thought [online], 6(1-2), pages 116-118. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/23269995.2015.1004251

The purpose of this paper is explained as being to enhance the analysis of processes of movement of ideas between multiple actors and in the process of implementation of social policies. The core argument made by Latour is, as I read it, that network... Read More about Policy translation: a reply..

Cohesion, exclusion and social quality. (2014)
Journal Article
SPICKER, P. 2014. Cohesion, exclusion and social quality. International journal of social quality [online], 4(1), pages 95-107. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3167/IJSQ.2014.040107

The concept of social quality has been operationalized in terms of four component dimensions: social inclustion, social cohesion, socio-economic security and social empowerment. This article argues that inclusion and cohesion are aspects of the same... Read More about Cohesion, exclusion and social quality..

Introducing Universal Credit. (2013)
Book Chapter
SPICKER, P. 2013. Introducing Universal Credit. In Ramia, G., Farnsworth, K. and Irving, Z. Social policy review 25: analysis and debate in social policy. Bristol: Policy Press [online], pages 1-16. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1332/policypress/9781447312741.003.0001

In this chapter, author Paul Spicker interrogates the government's introduction of Universal Credit, a controversial scheme designed to unify various means-tested benefits for people of working age. The scheme brings together six existing benefits: i... Read More about Introducing Universal Credit..

Principles of social welfare: an introduction to thinking about the welfare state. (2013)
Book
SPICKER, P. 2013. Principles of social welfare: an introduction to thinking about the welfare state. [Self-published]

Author's note, 2013 Principles of social welfare was my second book. First published 1988 by Routledge, ISBN 0-415-00630-9 and 0-415-00631-7. The rights to publish have reverted to me,and I am making it freely available on the internet. The book was... Read More about Principles of social welfare: an introduction to thinking about the welfare state..

Seven principles of public life: time to rethink. (2013)
Journal Article
SPICKER, P. 2014. Seven principles of public life: time to rethink. Public money and management [online], 34(1), pages 11-18. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2014.865927

The Seven Principles of Public Life, developed by the Nolan Committee, claim to be concerned with the development of an ethical culture, but they have been imposed by central authority. The principles are muddled and unclear, but beyond that they hav... Read More about Seven principles of public life: time to rethink..

Personalisation falls short. (2012)
Journal Article
SPICKER, P. 2013. Personalisation falls short. British journal of social work [online], 43(7), pages 1259-1275. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcs063

Personalisation offers individualised treatment in circumstances where markets do not operate. Personalisation is described variously as a process involving an individualised assessment and response, the expression of individual preferences and choic... Read More about Personalisation falls short..