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All Outputs (28)

What is the welfare state for? (2025)
Book
SPICKER, P. [2025]. What is the welfare state for? Bristol: Bristol University Press [online], (forthcoming). Available from: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/trade/what-is-the-welfare-state-for

Most states in the world make some provision for the welfare of their citizens. Every state engages with health care provision, almost all provide education services, and, after an explosion of interest in recent years, a substantial majority now hav... Read More about What is the welfare state for?.

Folklore, people, and places: international perspectives on tourism and tradition in storied places. (2023)
Book
HUNTER, J. and IRONSIDE, R. (eds.) 2023. Folklore, people and places: international perspectives on tourism and tradition in storied places. Abingdon: Routledge [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003374138

Folklore, People and Place is a contribution towards better understanding the complex interconnectivity of folklore, people and place, across a range of different cultural and geographical contexts. The book showcases a range of international case st... Read More about Folklore, people, and places: international perspectives on tourism and tradition in storied places..

Decarbonisation pathways for African cities. (2022)
Book
AZUBUIKE, S.I., ASEKOMEH, A. and GERSHON, O. (eds.) 2022. Decarbonisation pathways for African cities. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14006-8

This book examines the pathways to decarbonising African cities, structured around strategies and applications in renewable energy, waste management, healthcare, telecommunication, education and governance reconfigurations for Petro-cities. Throughou... Read More about Decarbonisation pathways for African cities..

States and welfare states: government for the people. (2022)
Book
SPICKER, P. 2022. States and welfare states: government for the people. Bristol: Policy Press [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.56687/9781447367383

Most governments in the world – including many that are autocratic or authoritarian – 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... Read More about States and welfare states: government for the people..

How to fix the welfare state: some ideas for better social services. (2022)
Book
SPICKER, P. 2022. How to fix the welfare state: some ideas for better social services. Bristol: Policy Press [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447364627

The British welfare state is traditionally understood to be comprised of five main services: health, housing, social security, education and the 'personal social services', such as social care and child protection. This book offers an original take o... Read More about How to fix the welfare state: some ideas for better social services..

Developments in virtual learning environments and the global workplace. (2021)
Book
SWARTZ, S., BARBOSA, B., CRAWFORD, I. and LUCK, S. (eds.) 2021. Developments in virtual learning environments and the global workplace. Hershey, PA: IGI Global [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7331-0

Although institutions of higher education have recognized the need for preparing their graduates for a digitalized, global workplace, these efforts have been sporadic, individualized, and varied from discipline to discipline. Nevertheless, over the p... Read More about Developments in virtual learning environments and the global workplace..

Making sense of the paranormal: the interactional construction of unexplained experiences. (2021)
Book
IRONSIDE, R. and WOOFFITT, R. 2021. Making sense of the paranormal: the interactional construction of unexplained experiences. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88407-9

This book is a study of how people collaboratively interpret events or experiences as having paranormal features, or as evidence of spiritual agency. The authors study recordings of paranormal research groups as they conduct real life investigations... Read More about Making sense of the paranormal: the interactional construction of unexplained experiences..

Just energy transitions and coal bed methane: the case of Indonesia. (2021)
Book
SUMARNO, T.B. 2021. Just energy transitions and coal bed methane: the case of Indonesia. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85490-4

This book discusses how Coal Bed Methane (CBM) could help the acceleration of the energy transition in a ‘just’ way in Indonesia, due to the country's potential CBM reserves (and current dependence on climate damaging coal). Developing countries face... Read More about Just energy transitions and coal bed methane: the case of Indonesia..

The poverty of nations: a relational perspective. (2020)
Book
SPICKER, P. 2020. The poverty of nations: a relational perspective. Bristol: Policy Press [online]. Available from: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-poverty-of-nations

In this persuasive study, social welfare and policy expert Paul Spicker makes a case for a relational view of poverty. Poverty is much more than a lack of resources. It involves a complex set of social relationships, such as economic disadvantage, in... Read More about The poverty of nations: a relational perspective..

Thinking collectively: social policy, collective action and the common good. (2019)
Book
SPICKER, P. 2019. Thinking collectively: social policy, collective action and the common good. Bristol: Policy press [online]. Available from: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/thinking-collectively

In this book, well-respected author Paul Spicker lends a complementary voice to his Reclaiming Individualism, reviewing collectivism as a dimension of political discourse. Breaking down his analysis to examine collectivism through substantive, moral... Read More about Thinking collectively: social policy, collective action and the common good..

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..

Interest representation in the European Union. (2017)
Book
GREENWOOD, J. Interest representation in the European Union. 4th ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan [online]. Available from: https://www.macmillanihe.com/page/detail/Interest-Representation-in-the-European-Union/?K=9781137491312

Why is the EU so reliant upon exchanges with interest organisations? What safeguards have been developed to prevent capture by special interests, and how effective are these? How does the EU system of interest representation compare with those of oth... Read More about Interest representation in the European Union..

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..

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?.

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

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 soc... Read More about Social policy: theory and practice..

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..

Reclaiming individualism: perspectives on public policy. (2013)
Book
SPICKER, P., 2013. Reclaiming individualism: perspectives on public policy. Bristol: Policy Press [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447309093

This book is about individualist ideas, and how they shape contemporary approaches to public policy. If we were to believe the existing literature, we might think that only markets can satisfy people's needs, and that any collective concept of welfar... Read More about Reclaiming individualism: perspectives on public policy..

Stigma and social welfare. (2011)
Book
SPICKER, P. 2011. Stigma and social welfare. [Self-published]

This book looks at the concept of stigma in the context of social welfare. The idea of 'social welfare' is commonly identified with the 'social services'. Both terms are regrettably unclear. 'Welfare' can be taken to mean 'relief'; a 'welfare recipie... Read More about Stigma and social welfare..

The origins of modern welfare: city of Ypres, the government of poor relief. (2011)
Book
SPICKER, P. (eds.) 2020. The origins of modern welfare: city of Ypres, the government of poor relief. 2020 edition. Oxford: Peter Lang. Hosted on Paul Spicker's blog [online], 2. Available from: https://tinyurl.com/wzm8vhdc

The two books included in The Origins of Modern Welfare are probably the earliest studies ever written in the field of Social Policy, and among the earliest written about public administration. Social Policy is the study of welfare, policy and admini... Read More about The origins of modern welfare: city of Ypres, the government of poor relief..