Policy Change, Public Attitudes and Social Citizenship : Does Neoliberalism Matter?

This unique book traces public views on social citizenship across three decades through attitudinal data from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia. It will be valuable for academics and students in sociology, social policy, and political science. Neoliberal reforms have seen a radical shift in government thinking about social citizenship rights around the world. But have they had a similarly significant impact on public support for these rights? This unique book traces public views on social citizenship across three decades through attitudinal data from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia. It argues that support for some aspects of social citizenship diminished more significantly under some political regimes than others, and that limited public resistance following the financial crisis of 2008-2009 further suggests the public ‘rolled over’ and accepted these neoliberal values. Yet attitudinal variances across different policy areas challenge the idea of an omnipotent neoliberalism, providing food for thought for academics, students and advocates wishing to galvanise support for social citizenship in the 21st century. Neoliberal reforms have seen a radical shift in government thinking about social citizenship rights around the world. But have they had a similarly significant impact on public support for these rights? This book traces public views on social citizenship across three decades through attitudinal data from New Zealand, the UK, and Australia. It argues that support for some aspects of social citizenship slipped more significantly under some political regimes than others, and that limited public resistance following the financial crisis of 2008-2009 further suggests the public accepted these neoliberal values This ... book traces public views on social citizenship across three decades through attitudinal data from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia.--Provided by publisher