The Oxford Handbook of U.S. Social Policy (Oxford Handbooks)

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. --provided By Publisher. Introduction -- The Fragmented American Welfare State : Putting The Pieces Together -- Historical Development -- Social Provision Before The Twentieth Century -- The Progressive Era -- The Great Depression And World War Ii -- From The Fair Deal To The Great Society -- The U.s. Welfare State Since 1970 -- A Cross-national Perspective On The American Welfare State -- Theories -- Cultural Influences On Social Policy Development -- Political Institutions And U.s. Social Policy -- Political Parties And Social Policy -- Interest Groups -- Constituencies And Public Opinion -- Race And Ethnicity In U.s. Social Policy -- Gender -- Programs For The Elderly -- Social Security -- Private Pensions -- Medicare -- Long Term Care For The Elderly -- Programs For The Poor And Near-poor -- Medicaid -- Temporary Assistance For Needy Families -- The Politics Of Supporting Low-wage Workers And Families -- Food Assistance Programs And Food Security -- Public Housing And Vouchers -- Programs For The Disabled -- Social Security Disability Insurance And Supplemental Security Income -- Workers' Compensation -- Programs For Workers And Families -- Unemployment Insurance -- Care And Work-family Policies -- Home Ownership Policy -- Private Health Insurance : Tax Breaks, Regulation, And Politics -- Pension And He -- Social Programs For Soldiers And Veterans -- Policy Outcomes -- Poverty -- Inequality -- Citizenship. Edited By Daniel Beland, Christopher Howard And Kimberly J. Morgan. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. 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 a 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 for understanding and explaining the development of social policy in the United States. The four 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 inherent in U.S. policy-making 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 disciplines. This handbook provides a survey of the American welfare state. It offers an historical overview of U.S. social policy from the colonial era to the present, a discussion of available theoretical perspectives on it, an analysis of social programmes, and on overview of the U.S. welfare state's consequences for poverty, inequality, and citizenship