7 Social workers’ collective policy practice in times of austerity: Italy and Spain compared
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Riccardo Guidi
Abstract
Although political responsibility lays at the core of social professions, until recently it has only been weakly exerted. Effectively acting for social justice in a context shaped by neomanagerialism, economic crisis and (permanent) austerity has become crucial for the profession, the users and democracy but is particularly difficult. Based on a critical policy theoretical framework, this chapter illustrates and interprets the features of social workers’ policy practice in Italy and Spain in the austerity age. Against deactivation hypotheses, social workers’ potential in affecting welfare politics is enriched in both countries through the action of collective bodies from within the profession. Beyond flat visions of social workers’ policy practice, the analysis also shows that different mobilisation paths exist. The peculiar interactions between the political opportunities’ structure and the characteristics of professional bodies (political culture, resources, skills) in the medium term can account for the divergence. These interactions seem to be pushing social workers’ policy practice towards particularistic/professional or universal/political achievements.
Abstract
Although political responsibility lays at the core of social professions, until recently it has only been weakly exerted. Effectively acting for social justice in a context shaped by neomanagerialism, economic crisis and (permanent) austerity has become crucial for the profession, the users and democracy but is particularly difficult. Based on a critical policy theoretical framework, this chapter illustrates and interprets the features of social workers’ policy practice in Italy and Spain in the austerity age. Against deactivation hypotheses, social workers’ potential in affecting welfare politics is enriched in both countries through the action of collective bodies from within the profession. Beyond flat visions of social workers’ policy practice, the analysis also shows that different mobilisation paths exist. The peculiar interactions between the political opportunities’ structure and the characteristics of professional bodies (political culture, resources, skills) in the medium term can account for the divergence. These interactions seem to be pushing social workers’ policy practice towards particularistic/professional or universal/political achievements.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of figures and tables vii
- Notes on contributors ix
- Acknowledgements xvii
- Introduction: social work and the making of social policy 1
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Social work, problem definition and agenda setting
- Social work as policy innovator: challenges and possibilities in the UK 21
- Social work, problem definition and policy change in the US: the case of sex-trafficked youth 37
- The voices of Italian social workers: from a pilot anti-poverty intervention to a national policy 53
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Social work interests in policy formulation and decision making
- Social reform in the US: lessons from the Progressive Era 71
- Social work academia and social policy in Israel: on the role of social work academics in the policy process 89
- Social workers’ collective policy practice in times of austerity: Italy and Spain compared 105
- Social policy and welfare movements ‘from below’: the Social Work Action Network (SWAN) in the UK 121
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Social work and implementation
- Policy work and the ethics of obedience and resistance: perspectives from Britain and beyond 139
- Systemic barriers to effective implementation of child protection reform in Israel 155
- Social workers implementing social assistance in Spain: reshaping poverty in a familialistic welfare state 169
- Layering, social risks and manufactured uncertainties in social work in Poland 185
- ‘A little more humanity’: placement officers in Germany between social work and social policy 201
- Conclusion: social work and the making of social policy – lessons learned 217
- Index 229
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of figures and tables vii
- Notes on contributors ix
- Acknowledgements xvii
- Introduction: social work and the making of social policy 1
-
Social work, problem definition and agenda setting
- Social work as policy innovator: challenges and possibilities in the UK 21
- Social work, problem definition and policy change in the US: the case of sex-trafficked youth 37
- The voices of Italian social workers: from a pilot anti-poverty intervention to a national policy 53
-
Social work interests in policy formulation and decision making
- Social reform in the US: lessons from the Progressive Era 71
- Social work academia and social policy in Israel: on the role of social work academics in the policy process 89
- Social workers’ collective policy practice in times of austerity: Italy and Spain compared 105
- Social policy and welfare movements ‘from below’: the Social Work Action Network (SWAN) in the UK 121
-
Social work and implementation
- Policy work and the ethics of obedience and resistance: perspectives from Britain and beyond 139
- Systemic barriers to effective implementation of child protection reform in Israel 155
- Social workers implementing social assistance in Spain: reshaping poverty in a familialistic welfare state 169
- Layering, social risks and manufactured uncertainties in social work in Poland 185
- ‘A little more humanity’: placement officers in Germany between social work and social policy 201
- Conclusion: social work and the making of social policy – lessons learned 217
- Index 229
