ABSTRACT
Current debates around participation and marginalization dominate the agenda of many European political forums. There is an increasing concern about the stability of social cohesion and a growing number of particular groups of people who are regarded as being at risk of being socially excluded or marginalized. This volume goes beyond the surface of public discussions to look at the central role played by welfare services in European societies in either strengthening or hindering participatory citizenship and democracy. In current discussions welfare services - understood in a broad sense - are centrally positioned: there are high expectations that welfare services can hinder marginalization and enable participation. Yet marginalization is, in most cases, rooted in the deeper structures of society, with economy, participation and involvement dependent on political or highly personal factors, which are beyond the scope of welfare services. This groundbreaking volume posits that participation and marginalization are ’twin’ concepts, expressing opposing sides of one and the same processes faced by individuals and communities. It will be essential reading for social workers, sociologists and policy-makers throughout Europe.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part |25 pages
Introduction
part I|50 pages
Concepts
chapter 4|16 pages
Clients' Participation and Social Work Practices
chapter 5|14 pages
From Definition to Action
part II|122 pages
Policy Analysis
chapter 6|16 pages
The Age of Austerity in Welfare Services
chapter 8|18 pages
Service User Involvement in the Swedish Welfare Services
chapter 11|16 pages
Collective Action and Social Movement of Poor People
chapter 12|16 pages
Participatory Alternatives for Charity Food Delivery?
part III|76 pages
Practice Analysis
chapter 13|18 pages
The Powerful Meeting between Social Workers and Service Users
chapter 15|16 pages
Social Rights within the Frame of Personal Assistance in a Swedish Context
part |20 pages
Conclusion