Foundations of Social Policy: Social Justice in Human Perspective

Front Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 2
Copyright......Page 3
Brief Contents......Page 5
Contents......Page 7
Preface......Page 17
PART I: Policy Analysis: Frameworks and Tools......Page 22
Social Justice Defined......Page 24
Social Justice: Themes for “Micro’’ Practice......Page 40
Social Workers and Social Justice......Page 43
2. The Government’s Role......Page 48
Philosophical Perspectives and Contemporary Politics......Page 49
Levels of Government......Page 52
Branches of Government......Page 54
Privatization: Ending the “Era of Big Government”?......Page 66
The U.S. Tax System: A Brief Introduction......Page 69
3. Policy Analysis and Policy Practice......Page 82
What Is Policy Practice?......Page 86
Assessment and Analysis: Research for Policy Practice......Page 87
Policy Analysis......Page 88
Advocacy Skills......Page 100
Preparing, Composing, and Delivering Arguments......Page 101
Use of Relationship......Page 106
Building and Maintaining Coalitions......Page 107
Empowerment in Policy Practice......Page 108
Ethical Issues in Policy Practice......Page 109
Characteristics of Ethical Persuasion......Page 112
Legal Considerations in Policy Practice......Page 114
PART II: Collective Responses to Social Problems......Page 122
Predicting Collective Action......Page 123
Social Problem Analysis......Page 124
About Part II......Page 126
4. The Social Security Act......Page 127
Social Insurance in Western Europe......Page 128
Social Security in the United States......Page 130
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance for Workers......Page 134
Unemployment Insurance......Page 142
Disability Insurance......Page 144
Medical Insurance......Page 145
Means-Tested Programs Under the Social Security Act......Page 148
Health and Social Services......Page 151
A Tool for Social Justice: The Philosophies of Social Security in the United States......Page 154
5. Poverty......Page 158
Defining Poverty......Page 161
Critiques of the Poverty Threshold......Page 163
Values and Beliefs About Poverty and the Poor......Page 164
Public Interventions to Prevent or Alleviate Poverty......Page 169
Programs for America’s Poor......Page 188
Summary of Attitudes and Interventions......Page 194
Realities of Poverty in the Contemporary United States......Page 195
6. Physical Illness......Page 207
History of Public Health Interventions in the United States......Page 208
Federal Health Agencies......Page 213
Federal Financing of Health Care......Page 217
Growth of the “Health Industry”......Page 226
Public Health Investments and Returns......Page 227
Vulnerable Groups in an Affluent Nation......Page 231
Modern Epidemics and Global Governance......Page 236
Fundamental Dilemmas in U.S. Health-Care Policy......Page 241
Health-Care Reform Proposals......Page 243
Social Work Roles in Health-Care Policy......Page 247
7. Mental Illness......Page 251
Defining Mental Illness......Page 252
Values and Beliefs About Mental Illness......Page 255
Historical Development of Interventions for Mental Illness......Page 257
Mental Illness in the United States Today......Page 268
8. Disability......Page 283
Defining Disability......Page 284
A Brief History of Policies Affecting People with Disabilities......Page 287
Current Realities Affecting People with Disabilities......Page 297
PART III: Vulnerable Populations: Discrimination and Oppression......Page 302
9. People of Color......Page 305
The Social Construction of Race and Ethnicity......Page 306
Theories About Racism......Page 309
The Role of Government: Racism and Public Policy......Page 312
People of Color in the United States: A Historical Overview......Page 313
Policies Affecting People of Color......Page 334
10. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Individuals......Page 341
Defining Homosexuality......Page 342
Legal Issues......Page 348
Discrimination by Organizations and Employers......Page 355
Antigay Violence and Hate Crime Legislation......Page 359
HIV/AIDS and Social Policy......Page 360
Transgendered Individuals......Page 361
Social Workers, Social Justice, and Gay Rights......Page 362
11. Children......Page 367
Changing Conceptions of Childhood: From “Little Men” to “Future Citizens”......Page 368
Children as Assets......Page 371
Children as Students......Page 375
Children as Victims......Page 385
Children as Villains......Page 393
Policy Practice in Child Welfare: The Role of Social Workers......Page 400
12. Women......Page 404
Women as Wives and Mothers......Page 407
Women in the Military......Page 420
Women as Citizens......Page 421
Women in the Social Work Profession......Page 426
13. The Elderly......Page 429
Defining Old Age......Page 430
Cultural Perspectives on Old Age in Colonial America......Page 433
Changing Perspectives on Old Age in American Society......Page 437
Early Programs and Policies for the Elderly......Page 438
Modern Attitudes Toward the Elderly......Page 441
Demographic, Social, and Economic Realities Affecting Older Adults......Page 443
Modern Programs and Policies for Elderly Americans......Page 449
Social Work with the Elderly......Page 461
Labor in America: A Brief History......Page 464
Contemporary Realities......Page 488
Vulnerable Groups in the Workforce......Page 493
Current U.S. Labor Policies......Page 500
Protective and Antidiscrimination Statutes......Page 502
Conclusion: Cycles of Liberation......Page 512
Globalization and Global Governance......Page 513
Contrasting Visions of Social Welfare......Page 518
Changing Politics......Page 520
A Closing Note......Page 521
References......Page 525
Name Index......Page 554
Subject Index......Page 562