American Social Welfare Policy: A Pluralist Approach, 8th edition

Published by Pearson (July 24, 2018) © 2018

  • Howard Karger
  • David Stoesz
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Additional text features and benefits include:

  • REVISED! Stronger emphasis on international social welfare policy in recognition of our increasingly interconnected global environment.

  • NEW! Coverage of current events and issues and their impact on social welfare policy. Topics include:

    • The election of Donald Trump to the U.S. Presidency.

    • Terrorist acts in Orlando, San Bernardino, Ankara, Paris, and other locations.

    • The impact of the Islamic State (ISIL), the Arab Spring, and much more.

  • NEW! An examination of the influence of global capitalism that includes a discussion of the relationship between developed nations and undeveloped nations and shifts in capital and jobs in unprecedented numbers.

  • A political economy perspective that examines how the interaction of politics and the economy shapes the American welfare state.

  • Coverage of major institutional actors helps students sort out the actors within social welfare policy and provides a clear explanation of how these different actors make up the American social welfare system.

  • A streamlined narrative. Full-color charts and graphs make the material easy to comprehend. 

  • NEW! An added chapter on social welfare history, with a focus on American social welfare history (Chapter 2). 

  • Updated content on international systems. 

  • NEW! Added content on guns as a health policy issue. 

  • NEW! Added content on Black Lives Matter and police shootings. 

  • UPDATED! Comprehensive and updated data throughout the book. 

Invigorate learning with the Enhanced Pearson eText

The Enhanced Pearson eText provides a rich, interactive learning environment designed to improve student mastery of content with the following multimedia features:

  • NEW! Embedded videos in each chapter illustrate key concepts and strategies.

Students can experience the advantages of the Enhanced Pearson eText along with all the benefits of print for 40% to 50% less than a print bound book! Instructors, visit pearsonhighered.com/etextbooks/ted to register for your digital examination copy.

  

Key content changes include:

  • Stronger emphasis on international social welfare policy in recognition of our increasingly interconnected global environment.

  • NEW! Coverage of current events and issues and their impact on social welfare policy. Topics include:

    • The election of Donald Trump to the U.S. Presidency.

    • Terrorist acts in Orlando, San Bernardino, Ankara, Paris, and other locations.

    • The impact of the Islamic State (ISIL), the Arab Spring, and much more.

  • NEW! An examination of the influence of global capitalism that includes a discussion of the relationship between developed nations and undeveloped nations and shifts in capital and jobs in unprecedented numbers.

  • NEW! An examination of the influence of global capitalism that includes a discussion of the relationship between developed nations and undeveloped nations and shifts in capital and jobs in unprecedented numbers.

  • NEW! An added chapter on social welfare history, with a focus on American social welfare history (Chapter 2). 

  • Updated content on international systems. 

  • NEW! Added content on guns as a health policy issue. 

  • NEW! Added content on “black lives matter” and police shootings.  

  • UPDATED! Comprehensive and updated data throughout the book. 

Brief TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I. AMERICAN SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY

  1. Social Policy and the American Welfare State
  2. A Brief History of the American Social Welfare State
  3. Social Welfare Policy Research
  4. Discrimination in American Society
  5. Poverty in America

PART II. THE VOLUNTARY AND FOR-PROFIT SECTORS

  1. The Voluntary Sector Today
  2. Privatization and Human Service Corporations

PART III. THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR

  1. The Making of Governmental Policy
  2. Tax Policy and Income Distribution
  3. Social Insurance Programs
  4. Public Assistance Programs
  5. The American Health Care System
  6. Mental Health and Substance Abuse Policy
  7. Criminal Justice
  8. Child Welfare Policy
  9. Housing Policies
  10. The Politics of Food Policy and Rural Life

PART IV. THE AMERICAN WELFARE STATE IN PERSPECTIVE

  1. The American Welfare State in International Perspective

DETAILED TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I. AMERICAN SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY

  1. Social Policy and the American Welfare State
    • Definitions of Social Welfare Policy
    • Social Problems and Social Welfare Policy
    • Social Work and Social Policy
    • Values, Ideology, and Social Welfare Policy
    • The Political Economy of American Social Welfare
    • The U.S. Economic Continuum
      • Keynesian Economics
      • Conservative or Free Market Economics
      • The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) • Democratic Socialism
    • The U.S. Political Continuum
      • Liberalism and Left-of-Center Movements
      • Classical Conservatives and the Far Right
    • The Welfare Philosophers and the Neoconservative Think Tanks
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  2. A Brief History of the American Social Welfare State
    • Early Antecedents of Welfare Statism
      • Judeo-Christian Doctrine and Social Welfare
    • The English Poor Laws
    • The Poor in Colonial America
    • Social Welfare in the Civil War Era
    • Industrialization and the Voluntary Sector
      • Social Darwinism
      • Religion and Social Welfare
      • Charity Organization Societies
      • Settlement Houses
      • African American Associations
      • The Social Casework Agency
      • The Progressive Movement
    • The Great Depression and the Modern Welfare State
    • The Post-World War II Welfare State
    • The Languishing Social Welfare State
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  3. Social Welfare Policy Research
    • A Proposed Model for Policy Analysis
      • Historical Background of the Policy
      • Problems That Necessitate the Policy
      • Policy Description
      • Policy Analysis
    • Researching and Analyzing a Social Policy Assignment
      • Social Policy Research and the Internet
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  4. Discrimination in American Society
    • Discrimination
    • Racism
    • The Minority Middle Class
    • African Americans
      • The Demography of African Americans
      • African Americans in Poverty
      • The “Diswelfare” of African Americans
    • Hispanic Americans
      • Hispanic Poverty and Income
      • Diversity in the Hispanic Population
    • American Indians
    • Asian Americans
    • Immigrants and Immigration
      • Immigration-Based Discrimination in Europe
    • Women and Society
      • Violence and Sexism
      • The Feminization of Poverty
      • Myths around Women and Work
      • Income and Job Disparities between Men and Women
      • Day Care: A Barrier to Female Employment
      • Other Obstacles Faced by Working Women
      • Abortion and Women’s Rights
      • Gender Discrimination and Violence in an International Context
    • Gays and Lesbians: Two Populations at Risk
      • Gay Rights
      • Gays and Lesbians in the Military
      • Gay and Lesbian Family Life
      • AIDS and the Gay Community
    • Ageism
      • Elderly Poverty and Social Programs
      • Health Care and the Elderly
    • People with Disabilities
    • Legal Attempts to Remedy Discrimination
      • Desegregation and the Civil Rights Movement
      • Affirmative Action
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  5. Poverty in America
    • Theories on Poverty
      • Culture of Poverty
      • Eugenics and Poverty
      • The Progressive Understanding of Poverty
    • Who Makes Up the Poor?
    • Measuring Poverty
      • Measuring the Depth of Poverty
    • Families and Poverty
      • Child Support Enforcement
      • Children in Poverty
      • Poverty and the Elderly
    • The Rural Poor
    • Work and Poverty
      • A Profile of the Working Poor
      • Why Are There Working Poor?
      • Underemployment and Unemployment
      • Dual Labor Markets
      • Wages and Poverty
    • Strategies Developed to Combat Poverty
      • IDAs
      • Three Approaches to Combat Poverty
    • America’s Fringe Economy
      • The Unbanked and the Functionally Poor
      • Credit and the Poor
      • Transportation in the Fringe Economy
    • World Poverty
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes

PART II. THE VOLUNTARY AND FOR-PROFIT SECTORS

  1. The Voluntary Sector Today
    • Traditional Providers
    • The Independent Sector
    • Advancing Social Justice
      • The United Way
      • Elite Philanthropy
    • The Future of the Voluntary Sector
      • Commercialization
      • Faith-Based Social Services
      • Social Entrepreneurship
      • Issues Facing the Voluntary Sector
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  2. Privatization and Human Service Corporations
    • Privatization Issues
      • Commercialization
      • Preferential Selection
      • Dual Levels of Care
      • Cost-Effectiveness
      • Oligopolization
    • The Challenge of Privatization
    • Unions and the Private Sector
    • Social Contributions of Business
    • Corporate Influence on Social Welfare Policy
    • The Future of Corporate Involvement in Social Welfare
    • Human Service Corporations
    • Consolidation and Growth in New Human
    • Service Markets
      • Nursing Homes
      • Hospital Management
      • Health Maintenance Organizations
      • Child Care 159
      • Home Health Care
      • Corrections
      • Public Welfare
    • Private Practice
      • The Future of Private Practice
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes

PART III. THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR

  1. The Making of Governmental Policy
    • Technical Aspects of the Policy Process
    • A Critical Analysis of the Policy Process
    • The Policy Process
      • Social Stratification
      • Formulation
      • Legislation
      • The Fiscal Cliff and Sequestration
      • Implementation
      • Evaluation
      • Marginalization
    • Social Work and Advocacy Organizations
      • Advocacy Organizations and the New Policy Institutes
    • Political Practice
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  2. Tax Policy and Income Distribution
    • History of U.S. Tax Policy
    • Federal Taxes
    • Taxes, Spending, and the Debt
    • Tax Policy and Special Interests
    • Income Distribution
    • State Tax Policy and the Poor
    • The Efficiency of Tax Policy in Reducing Poverty
      • Tax Expenditures as AntiPoverty Policy
    • The Anti-Tax Movement
    • The Debate over Economic Inequality
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  3. Social Insurance Programs
    • Definition of Social Insurance
    • The Background of Social Insurance
    • The Financial Organization of Social Insurance
    • Key Social Insurance Programs
      • OASDI
      • Unemployment Compensation
      • Workers’ Compensation
    • The Social Security Dilemma
      • Arguments against the Current Social Security System
      • Arguments for the Current Social Security System
      • Social Security in Trouble
      • The Long-Term Prospects for Social Security
    • Medicare (Hospital Insurance and Supplementary Medical Insurance)
    • Lingering Problems in the Social Security System
    • Reforming Social Security
      • Privatizing Social Security
    • Pension Systems in Selected Industrialized Countries
      • Canada’s Retirement Income System
      • Retirement in the United Kingdom
      • The Chilean Experiment in Privatizing Social Security
      • Germany’s Social Security System
      • The Greek Pension System
      • The Australian Retirement System
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  4. Public Assistance Programs
    • Assumptions and Myths about Public Assistance
    • Aid to Families with Dependent Children
      • The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996
      • Has the PRWORA Worked • Teenage Pregnancy
    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
      • Problems in SSI
    • General Assistance
    • Trends and Issues in Public Assistance
      • The Transformation of Welfare Policy into Labor Policy
      • Welfare to Work (Workfare)
      • Welfare Behaviorism
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  5. The American Health Care System
    • The Uninsured
    • The Organization of Medical Services
    • Major Public Health Programs: Medicare, Medicaid, and S-CHIP 250
      • Medicare
      • Medicaid
      • The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
    • The Health Care Crisis
      • Overview of U.S. Health Care Expenditures
    • Explaining the High Cost of U.S. Health Care
      • Hospital Costs
      • Physicians’ Salaries
      • The Pharmaceutical Industry
    • Cutting Health Care Costs
      • Managed Care
      • The Underinsured
    • Gun Violence and Health Care Policy
      • The Debate around Gun Control
      • What Can Be Done
    • U.S. Health Care in International Perspective
      • Comparative Analysis: Health Care in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia
    • Reforming U.S. Health Care
      • National Health Service
      • National Health Insurance
      • Incremental Reform
      • The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148)
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  6. Mental Health and Substance Abuse Policy
    • Mental Health Reform
    • The Community Mental Health Centers Acts
    • Deinstitutionalization
    • The Advent of Psychotropic Medication
    • The Psychopharmacological Scandal
    • Children’s Mental Health
    • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Funding
    • Parity for Mental Health Care
    • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    • Substance Abuse
      • Alcohol Abuse
      • Drug Abuse
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  7. Criminal Justice
    • History of U.S. Criminal Justice
    • The Criminal Justice System
    • Juvenile Justice
    • The New Jim Crow
    • The War on Drugs
    • The Underclass and “Moral Poverty”
    • The Prison Industrial Complex
    • Legalization of Drugs
    • Police Violence
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  8. Child Welfare Policy
    • History of U.S. Child Welfare Policy
    • Protective Services for Children
    • Foster Care for Children
    • Adoption
    • Head Start
    • Emerging Issues in Child Welfare
      • Day Care
      • Maternal and Child Health
      • Teen Pregnancy
    • Conclusion
    • Discussion Questions
    • Notes
  9. Housing Policies
    • Overview of Housing Legislation
    • The Federal Government and Low-Income Housing Programs
    • Issues in Housing Policy
      • Trends in U.S. Housing
      • Problems in Home Ownership
      • Homeownership and the Subprime Mortgage Crisis
      • The Downside of Homeownership
      • Problems in Finding Affordable Rental Housing
      • Gentrification
      • Overcrowded and Deficient Housing
      • Other Factors Affecting Housing
    • Homelessness
      • Characteristics of the Homeless Population

Howard Karger is professor, Hawai’i Pacific University, School of Social Work.

David Stoesz is professor, Flinders University/Carnegie Mellon University—Australia.

Howard and David have been friends and colleagues for more than three decades. In addition to eight editions of American Social Welfare Policy, they have coauthored three other books.

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