ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on different theories and conceptualisations of deservingness identified in the previous research literature. These include introducing the main features of existing literature, such as the Control, Attitude, Reciprocity, Identity and Need (CARIN) criteria, the conflicting arguments related to welfare state-dependent differences on deservingness judgements and deservingness heuristics that are applied across cultural and political contexts. In addition, the chapter clarifies the conceptual difference between entitlement and deservingness. The chapter also introduces relevant previous literature related to three core themes of previous deservingness literature: deservingness vis-à-vis unemployment, migration and health. The overall aim of this chapter is to introduce the reader to existing deservingness literature by reviewing previous studies conducted in a variety of contexts (e.g. humanitarian crises, refugee centres, welfare offices, hospitals and charity work), countries (e.g. the US, Italy, the UK, Turkey, Denmark, Netherlands and Costa Rica) and disciplines (e.g. social policy, law, political science, psychology, sociology, nursing and social work).
