Eleven The schlock and the new: risk, reflexivity and retirement
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Kirk Mann
Abstract
This chapter addresses some questions of agency and social structure, in relation to pensions policy and retirement. It contrasts some sociological accounts of risk, reflexivity, consumption, ‘lifestyle’, and identity with the structural features of contemporary capitalist societies. It claims that there are tensions between the ‘new’ sociological approaches and the ‘older’ ideas and traditions within social policy.
Abstract
This chapter addresses some questions of agency and social structure, in relation to pensions policy and retirement. It contrasts some sociological accounts of risk, reflexivity, consumption, ‘lifestyle’, and identity with the structural features of contemporary capitalist societies. It claims that there are tensions between the ‘new’ sociological approaches and the ‘older’ ideas and traditions within social policy.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables and figures iv
- Notes on contributors vi
- Introduction: the year in social policy 1
-
UK social policy
- Thinking historically about integration 15
- Invest and reform: spending review 2002 and its control regime 31
- Who choosing what? The evolution of the use of ‘choice’ in the NHS, and its importance for New Labour 49
-
International issues
- Globalisation/welfare: what’s the preposition? And, or, versus, with? 71
- Convergence in social welfare systems: what does it mean? 91
- Analysing the health transition: what the Greek case tells us about the social determinants of health 111
- Welfare reform in the United States: the first five years of TANF 123
- Social policy in the East Asian tiger economies: past, present and future 155
-
In focus: Pensions and old age
- Adapting pension systems to labour market changes in western Europe 175
- Pensions choices for the 21st century: meeting the challenges of an ageing society 197
- The schlock and the new: risk, reflexivity and retirement 217
- Pension sharing on divorce: the future for women 239
- Index 263
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables and figures iv
- Notes on contributors vi
- Introduction: the year in social policy 1
-
UK social policy
- Thinking historically about integration 15
- Invest and reform: spending review 2002 and its control regime 31
- Who choosing what? The evolution of the use of ‘choice’ in the NHS, and its importance for New Labour 49
-
International issues
- Globalisation/welfare: what’s the preposition? And, or, versus, with? 71
- Convergence in social welfare systems: what does it mean? 91
- Analysing the health transition: what the Greek case tells us about the social determinants of health 111
- Welfare reform in the United States: the first five years of TANF 123
- Social policy in the East Asian tiger economies: past, present and future 155
-
In focus: Pensions and old age
- Adapting pension systems to labour market changes in western Europe 175
- Pensions choices for the 21st century: meeting the challenges of an ageing society 197
- The schlock and the new: risk, reflexivity and retirement 217
- Pension sharing on divorce: the future for women 239
- Index 263
