The American welfare state has long been a source of political contention and academic debate.
This Oxford Handbook pulls together much of our current knowledge about the origins, development, functions, and challenges of American social policy.
After the Introduction, the first substantive part of the handbook offers an historical overview of U.S. social policy from the colonial era to the present. This is followed by a set of chapters on different theoretical perspectives available for understanding and explaining the development of U.S. social policy. The three following parts of the volume focus on concrete social programs for the elderly, the poor and near-poor, the disabled, and workers and families. Policy areas covered include health care, pensions, food assistance, housing, unemployment benefits, disability benefits, workers' compensation, family support, and programs for soldiers and veterans. The final part of the book focuses on some of the consequences of the U.S. welfare state for poverty, inequality, and citizenship. Many of the chapters comprising this handbook emphasize the disjointed patterns of policy making inherent to U.S. policymaking and the public-private mix of social provision in which the government helps certain groups of citizens directly (e.g., social insurance) or indirectly (e.g., tax expenditures, regulations). The contributing authors are experts from political science, sociology, history, economics, and other social sciences.
PART I INTRODUCTION The Fragmented American Welfare State: Putting the Pieces Together DANIEL BÉLAND, CHRISTOPHER HOWARD, AND KIMBERLY J. MORGAN PART II HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT Social Provision before the Twentieth Century LAURA S. JENSEN The Progressive Era DAVID BRIAN ROBERTSON The Great Depression and World War II ANDREW MORRIS From the Fair Deal to the Great Society JENNIFER KLEIN The U.S. Welfare State Since 1970 ALEX WADDAN A Cross-National Perspective on the American Welfare State JULIA LYNCH PART III THEORIES Cultural Influences on Social Policy Development J. TAYLOR DANIELSON AND ROBIN STRYKER Political Institutions and U.S. Social Policy EDWIN AMENTA AND AMBER CELINA TIERNEY Political Parties and Social Policy JEFFREY M. STONECASH Interest Groups TRACY ROOF Constituencies and Public Opinion ANDREA LOUISE CAMPBELL AND MICHAEL W. SANCES Race and Ethnicity in U.S. Social Policy ROBERT C. LIEBERMAN Gender ELLEN REESE, STEPHANIE D'AURIA, AND SANDRA LOUGHRIN PART IV PROGRAMS FOR THE ELDERLY Social Security EDWARD BERKOWITZ AND LARRY DEWITT Private Pensions TERESA GHILARDUCCI Medicare JONATHAN OBERLANDER Long Term Care for the Elderly MADONNA HARRINGTON MEYER AND JESSICA HAUSAUER PART V PROGRAMS FOR THE POOR AND NEAR-POOR Medicaid COLLEEN M. GROGAN AND CHRISTINA M. ANDREWS Temporary Assistance for Needy Families R. KENT WEAVER The Politics of Supporting Low-Wage Workers and Families DANIEL P. GITTERMAN Food Assistance Programs and Food Security CRAIG GUNDERSEN Public Housing and Vouchers ALEX SCHWARTZ PART VI PROGRAMS FOR THE DISABLED Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income JENNIFER L. ERKULWATER Workers' Compensation LESLIE I. BODEN AND EMILY A. SPIELER PART VII PROGRAMS FOR WORKERS AND FAMILIES Unemployment Insurance STEPHEN A. WOODBURY Care and Work-Family Policies SONYA MICHEL Home Ownership Policy PETER DREIER AND ALEX SCHWARTZ Private Health Insurance: Tax Breaks, Regulation, and Politics JAMES A. MORONE Pension and Health Benefits for Public Sector Workers LEE A. CRAIG Social Programs for Soldiers and Veterans MEREDITH KLEYKAMP AND CROSBY HIPES PART VIII POLICY OUTCOMES Poverty DAVID BRADY AND LANE DESTRO Inequality STEPHANIE MOLLER AND JOYA MISRA Citizenship SUZANNE METTLER AND ALEXIS WALKER
Daniel Béland is Professor and Canada Research Chair in Public Policy (Tier 1) at the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (University of Saskatchewan campus). A student of comparative social policy, he has published more than 10 books and 85 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Four of his previous books are exclusively devoted to U.S. social policy. Christopher Howard is the Harriman Professor of Government and Public Policy at the College of William & Mary. His research focuses on U.S. social policy and tax policy in historical perspective. He is the author of two books and several journal articles and chapters in edited volumes. Kimberly J. Morgan is Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University. Her research focuses is on comparative public policy with a focus on social welfare, family policy, health care, and immigration. She is the author of two books and numerous journal articles.
Reviews for Oxford Handbook of U.S. Social Policy
This volume offers a trenchant, sweeping understanding of the history and current pulse of American social welfare policy. Bringing together some of the most creative and respected experts in the field, the collection is impressive...Highly Recommended * Choice Reviews, D.R Imig, University of Memphis *
