What does the prevalence of stress and burnout in community-based work reveal about the impacts of welfare state withdrawal? Drawing on the experiences of frontline community organizers in Toronto, this research argues that welfare state withdrawal is subsidized by a ‘Currency of Caring’ whereby frontline community organizers are expected to fill gaps in the social safety net, working to a point of burnout if necessary, because they care. This research investigates how funders operating within this context can promote health and wellness in community-based work. Broadly, research findings provide insights into how neoliberalism and welfare state withdrawal shape frontline community work in ways that exacerbate stress and burnout, and impede systemic change efforts. In addition, research findings describe the limitations and possibilities for funders to be allies in collective change efforts by being invested in the health and wellness of frontline community organizers.

Diss. Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2008.

Thesis (doctoral)--Uppsala University, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [210]-228).

The aim of this study was to identify discourses in the construction of the phenomenon social enterprises in the local context of Växjö, to illustrate the conditions of organized social work. The discourse analysis was done through interviews with different key persons of the local field, who earlier had participated in a medial debate about social enterprises. In accordance to the theoretical perspective of Foucaults approach on discourses, we analyzed the use of language to pursue power. We found that the way of speaking about social enterprises was positive in general when the focus was on the main purpose of their work. When the focus was put on how this purpose would be pursued and accomplished, it was discovered that there were different opinions about that, and two main discourses could be separated. One discourse had the focus on the entrepreneurial aspect of social entrepreneurship and the other had focus on the social aspect. Through the study it became clear that the understanding of the phenomenon is different from various point of views. And since it is unclear what the phenomenon really are, there is an ongoing struggle about the power to define it. We discovered that there is a connection between discourse and power when it comes to social enterprises in relation to welfare state organization.

This dissertation explores the diverging social spending patterns in labour-abundant regimes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It is motivated by two main research questions: 1. Why have social spending levels and social policy trajectories writ large diverged so drastically across labour-abundant MENA regimes? 2. How can we explain the market persistence of spending levels after divergence? To answer the first question, this study develops a theory about the emergence of authoritarian welfare states. It argues that autocratic leaders need both the incentives and the abilities to distribute welfare for authoritarian welfare states to emerge. The former are shaped by coalition building dynamics at the onset of regime formation while the latter are conditioned by the external environment. At the level of incentives, broad coalitions emerge in the presence of intra-elite conflict and the absence of salient communal cleavages and, if present jointly, provide a strong incentive for welfare provision. Conversely, a cohesive elite or salient communal division entail small coalitions with few incentives to distribute welfare broadly. At the level of abilities, a strong external threat to regime survival is expected to undermine the ability to provide social welfare in broad coalitions. Facing a 'butter or guns' trade-off, elites shift priority to security expenditures and the population accepts that because no alternative regime could credibly commit to neglecting external defence in the presence of external threats. Only an abundant resource endowment can provide the necessary resources to avert this trade-off. To answer the second question, I rely on two important mechanisms in the welfare state literature to explain path dependance. The first one can broadly be summarised as 'constituency politics' in that beneficiaries of social policies succesfully avert deviations from the spending path in the form of systemic reforms or large-scale spending cuts. Mobilisation of these constituencies should be particularly vigourous if initial advantages conferred to these groups habe been reinforced over time, for instance, because these groups grew in size or got entrenched in the state administration. The second mechanisms are spill-over effects to unintended beneficiaries who can over time become important gatekeepers against path divergence. Methodologically, the study is characterised by a mixed-methods approach which combines quantitative tests with the analysis of qualitative evidence in the form of arhcival material, newspapers, and field interviews. Moreover, the study also follows a multi-level approach in that the viability of the argument is tested comparatively at the cross-country level and process-traced at the micro-level in two in-depth case studies of Tunisia and Egypt.

The postpartum period is an exciting still stressful time for mothers. Although their experiences may be different, all of them appreciate support in the course of this time. In Sweden, there has been a shift from traditional to more individualistic values. It is considered to be one of the most individualistic countries in the world, which makes Sweden an interesting case to study. The aim of the thesis was to explore mothers’ experiences of their social support network including their contact preferences, the part of the child’s father, and the role of the Swedish welfare state/social work. Data was collected conducting semi-structured interviews and using easyNWK, a software for recording and analysing social networks. An evaluation of the social network cards was supported by easyNWK. Thematic analysis was applied to the transcripts. Findings indicate that mothers experience five different types of support which are named instrumental, emotional, informational, and appraisal support as well as social companionship in previous literature. These are provided by family, and friends followed by colleagues as well as professionals. Maternal support and paternal support are identified as individual preferences. The child’s father is either suggested as supportive or absent/lack of backup. Available resources of professionals and individualised support offers provided by the Swedish welfare state are appreciated. Social work plays a role in the provision of emotional and informational support.

O presente estudo tenta compreender as causas das trajetórias divergentes de três diferentes modelos de Welfare State: o liberal, o conservador/corporativista e o social-democrata. Para tanto são selecionados três países que representam tipos ideais destes modelos: Reino Unido, França e Suécia, respectivamente. São utilizadas as ferramentas do institucionalismo com o objetivo de estabelecer uma relação entre o enraizamento dos valores em cada sociedade selecionada e suas instituições formais. As trajetórias são analisadas no contexto de uma crescente integração econômica e da pressão da União Europeia para a convergência dos modelos de proteção social. Pode-se perceber a partir da pesquisa que alguns modelos de Welfare State são mais resilientes que outros e que as trajetórias são dependentes das trajetórias passadas (path dependency). Os modelos e suas transformações refletem os valores socio-culturais dos países selecionados, e essa relação não determinística faz a convergência das políticas sociais, obejetivo da União Europeia, difícil e improvável de ser realizada no curto/médio prazo. Para a análise dos valores culturais são usadas as respostas dos questionários da World Values Survey. A partir destes dados, é estabelecida a relação entre a cultura/valores e os indicadores socioeconômicos relacionados com o Welfare State. O trabalho busca demonstrar que o Welfare State é um reflexo de um processo cumulativo e que o objetivo das instituições supranacionais de convergência dos modelos vai enfrentar restrições institucionais. / The present study tries to understand the causes of the divergent trajectories of three different models of Welfare State: the liberal, the conservative/corporatist and the social-democratic. To reach this goal it is selected three countries that are ideal types of these models: United Kingdom, France and Sweden respectively. Using the tools of the institutionalism is established a relationship of the embeddedness of the values in each selected society and its formal institutions. The trajectories are analyzed in the context of an increasing economic integration and pressure from the European Union to converge the models of social protection. It can be perceived from the research that some models of Welfare State are more resilient than others and that the trajectories are path dependents. The models and its transformations reflect the cultural embeddedness in the selected countries, and this non deterministic relationship makes the convergence of the social policies aimed by the European Union difficult and improbable in the short/medium term. To analyze the cultural values it is used as proxies the answers from questionnaires in the World Values Survey. From these data is established the relationship between the culture/values and the socioeconomic indicators related to the Welfare State. The work found out that the Welfare State is a reflection of a cumulative process and that the aim of the supranational institutions to converge the models will face institutional constraints.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / O objetivo do presente estudo foi desenvolver uma discussão teórica acerca do projeto varguista que pôde ser percebido como uma tentativa de criação de um "Estado de bem-estar" no Brasil. Uma ampla base teórica traz elementos de análise sobre Estado de bem-estar, como contribuições sobre o processo de engajamento do Estado na constituição de estratégias para lidar com a "questão social", os motores desse engajamento, os atores envolvidos e o peso de seus papéis, os objetivos dos projetos de Estado de bem-estar e as consequências na instituição dos welfare states. A partir da proposta de Esping-Andersen de compreensão de diferentes regimes de welfare state - conservador, liberal e social-democrata - análise do projeto varguista resultou como enquadrado no modelo conservador. A saída corporativa, com a construção de políticas sociais - marcadamente trabalhistas -, apresentou-se como novo marco de coesão social, pelo qual poderia ser permitida a participação da classe trabalhadora. Assim como no modelo conservador sistematizado por Esping-Andersen, os direitos sociais brasileiros tiveram um reduzido potencial desmercantilizador se verificados na relação com a ideia de "cidadania regulada", pois indica uma cidadania orientada apenas para grupos ocupantes de categorias profissionais reconhecidas legalmente e pela qual a relação salarial foi traduzida em direitos e garantida constitucionalmente. As políticas sociais apresentam-se como verdadeiras políticas de formação de classe: a cidadania regulada transformava-se em promessa de inclusão, moldando as perspectivas e aspiração da classe trabalhadora e assim, legitimando a luta pela sua própria efetivação. / The aim of this study was to develop a theoritical discussion on the Vargas Project that could be perceived as an attempt to create a welfare state in Brazil. A broad theoretical basis brings elements of walfare analysius, such as academic contributions on the process of engagement of the state in setting up strategies to deal with the social question, the engines of engagement, the players involved and the weight of their roles, the goals of the welfare state projects, and the impact of their implementation. From the Esping-Andersons understanding of different welfare state regimes conservative, liberal and social democratic the analysis of the Vargas project resulted as framed in the conservative model. A corporatist option, with the building of social policies specifically labor ones , rose as the new landmark of social cohesion, allowing workers participation. As in the conservative model systematized by Esping-Anderson, Brazilian social rights had a reduced decommodification potential. That is a result of the regulated citizenship, that indicates a citizenchip which was available only to holders of legally recognized occupational posts and that constitutionally guaranteed wage relation and converted it into rights. Social policies are presented as true policies of class formation: a regulated citizenship would become a promise of inclusion, shaping the views and aspirations of the working class and thus legitimizing the struggle for theis implementation.

O presente estudo tenta compreender as causas das trajetórias divergentes de três diferentes modelos de Welfare State: o liberal, o conservador/corporativista e o social-democrata. Para tanto são selecionados três países que representam tipos ideais destes modelos: Reino Unido, França e Suécia, respectivamente. São utilizadas as ferramentas do institucionalismo com o objetivo de estabelecer uma relação entre o enraizamento dos valores em cada sociedade selecionada e suas instituições formais. As trajetórias são analisadas no contexto de uma crescente integração econômica e da pressão da União Europeia para a convergência dos modelos de proteção social. Pode-se perceber a partir da pesquisa que alguns modelos de Welfare State são mais resilientes que outros e que as trajetórias são dependentes das trajetórias passadas (path dependency). Os modelos e suas transformações refletem os valores socio-culturais dos países selecionados, e essa relação não determinística faz a convergência das políticas sociais, obejetivo da União Europeia, difícil e improvável de ser realizada no curto/médio prazo. Para a análise dos valores culturais são usadas as respostas dos questionários da World Values Survey. A partir destes dados, é estabelecida a relação entre a cultura/valores e os indicadores socioeconômicos relacionados com o Welfare State. O trabalho busca demonstrar que o Welfare State é um reflexo de um processo cumulativo e que o objetivo das instituições supranacionais de convergência dos modelos vai enfrentar restrições institucionais. / The present study tries to understand the causes of the divergent trajectories of three different models of Welfare State: the liberal, the conservative/corporatist and the social-democratic. To reach this goal it is selected three countries that are ideal types of these models: United Kingdom, France and Sweden respectively. Using the tools of the institutionalism is established a relationship of the embeddedness of the values in each selected society and its formal institutions. The trajectories are analyzed in the context of an increasing economic integration and pressure from the European Union to converge the models of social protection. It can be perceived from the research that some models of Welfare State are more resilient than others and that the trajectories are path dependents. The models and its transformations reflect the cultural embeddedness in the selected countries, and this non deterministic relationship makes the convergence of the social policies aimed by the European Union difficult and improbable in the short/medium term. To analyze the cultural values it is used as proxies the answers from questionnaires in the World Values Survey. From these data is established the relationship between the culture/values and the socioeconomic indicators related to the Welfare State. The work found out that the Welfare State is a reflection of a cumulative process and that the aim of the supranational institutions to converge the models will face institutional constraints.

The author makes an inquiry into the evolution of the State as a product of what is known as the Modern State. The study focuses on the historical and legal aspects of the concept of the Rule of Law as a product of the Modern State, in order to analyze the construction and institutionalization of a system of asset liability of the State. / El autor realiza una indagación de la evolución del Estado como un producto de lo que se conoce como Estado Moderno. El estudio se centra en los ámbitos histórico y jurídico del concepto de Estado de Derecho como producto del Estado Moderno, para analizar la construcción e institucionalización de un sistema de responsabilidad patrimonial del Estado