Western welfare states are in a period of significant transition. Changes in the nature of work and the family, the growing elderly population, and other developments over the past fifty years have rendered existing welfare policies largely out-of-step with economic and social conditions. While welfare state reform clearly raises important questions about justice and social policy, political philosophers have been slow to address it.
Justice, Care, and the Welfare State takes up the important task of developing a theory of justice to guide contemporary welfare state reform. Applying normative political philosophy to public policy issues,
it addresses questions such as: What role, if any, should states play in supporting families? Should the state support national health care and, if so, why and in what form? What does society owe to the elderly? What role should welfare states play in supporting disabled people? What obligations does the state have toward the poor?As distinct from many works of political philosophy, Justice, Care, and the Welfare State draws on empirical data about the
populations and circumstances of existing Western societies and offers concrete policy advice for reforming welfare policies. Noting that many of the challenges confronting people in post-industrial societies involve
issues of care, Engster draws on a public ethics of care to develop his theory of welfare state justice, outlining specific policy proposals in the areas of the family, education, health care, old age pensions and long-term care, disability, and poverty and unemployment. The book offers important insights into how Western welfare states can be reformed in light of recent economic and social changes in order better to promote justice. It should be of interest to political
philosophers, welfare state scholars, public policy analysts, and others interested in thinking about contemporary policy reform and justice.
Western welfare states are in a period of significant transition. Changes in the nature of work and the family, the growing elderly population, and other developments over the past fifty years have rendered existing welfare policies largely out-of-step with economic and social conditions. While welfare state reform clearly raises important questions about justice and social policy, political philosophers have been slow to address it.
Justice, Care, and the Welfare State takes up the important task of developing a theory of justice to guide contemporary welfare state reform. Applying normative political philosophy to public policy issues,
it addresses questions such as: What role, if any, should states play in supporting families? Should the state support national health care and, if so, why and in what form? What does society owe to the elderly? What role should welfare states play in supporting disabled people? What obligations does the state have toward the poor?As distinct from many works of political philosophy, Justice, Care, and the Welfare State draws on empirical data about the
populations and circumstances of existing Western societies and offers concrete policy advice for reforming welfare policies. Noting that many of the challenges confronting people in post-industrial societies involve
issues of care, Engster draws on a public ethics of care to develop his theory of welfare state justice, outlining specific policy proposals in the areas of the family, education, health care, old age pensions and long-term care, disability, and poverty and unemployment. The book offers important insights into how Western welfare states can be reformed in light of recent economic and social changes in order better to promote justice. It should be of interest to political
philosophers, welfare state scholars, public policy analysts, and others interested in thinking about contemporary policy reform and justice.
1: Introduction
2: Justice, Care, and Children
Appendix 1: Health Care Systems
4: Justice, Care, and the Elderly
5: Justice, Care, and Disabled People
Appendix 2: Disability Policies
6: Justice, Care, and the Poor
Conclusion
Daniel Engster is an Associate Professor of Political Science at
the University of Texas at San Antonio. His books include The Heart
of Justice: Care Ethics and Political Theory (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2007); Justice, Politics, and the Family,
co-edited with Tamara Metz, (Boulder: Paradigm Publishing, 2014);
and Care Ethics and Political Theory co-edited with Maurice
Hamington (Oxford University Press, forthcoming 2015). He
has published articles on care ethics and animal welfare, public
policy and parenting, and other issues relating to care ethics, the
family, and justice.
Daniel Engster provides a vigorous defense of the welfare state in
this thoughtful, carefully researched book.
*Perspectives on Politics*
It is an engaging read and provides a firm foundation for
discussion
*Jackie Gulland, European Journal of Social Security*
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