Where Academia and Policy Meet : A Cross-National Perspective on the Involvement of Social Work Academics in Social Policy

Based on data from 12 diverse societies, this is the first cross-national comparative study on academic engagement in social policy formulation. The chapters present survey data on the policy involvement of social work academics in different countries and an analysis of this data by country experts. The findings relate to the levels and types of policy engagement of the social work academics, their perceptions regarding this type of activity and the factors associated with this. This unique perspective on the academia-society nexus is essential reading for academics and students interested in the ongoing debate on the role of academia in policy, particularly those policies dealing with issues of social justice and social change. WHERE ACADEMIA AND POLICY MEET Contents List of tables and figures Notes on the Editors and Contributors Contributors Acknowledgements 1. Where academia and policy meet: an introduction Academia and the policy process Social work academics as policy actors The Policy Practice Engagement Framework (PPE) Exploring the policy role of social work academics Method 2. Social work academia and policy in Australia The Australian welfare state Major characteristics of the welfare state The neo-liberal transformation The Australian social work profession Professional social work discourse on social policy Method Findings Further survey data Discussion and conclusion 3. Social work academia and policy in China Social work and social policy in China Method Findings Discussion Conclusion 4. Social work academia and policy in Finland Social policy, social work and social work education in Finland Method Findings Discussion 5. Social work academia and policy in Germany Social policy and social work in Germany Method Findings Discussion and conclusion 6. Social work academics and policy in Israel The Israeli welfare state Social work in Israel Social work education in Israel Method Findings Discussion Conclusion 7. Social work academia and policy in Portugal Development of the Portuguese welfare state Social work education The social work profession in Portugal Method Findings Discussion Conclusion 8. Social work academia and policy in Puerto Rico Method Findings Discussion Conclusion 9. Social work academia and policy in South Africa Social welfare policy in South Africa Social work and social work education Method Findings Discussion Conclusion 10. Social work academics and policy in Spain The context: Social work education and the profession in Spain Method Findings Discussion Conclusion 11. Social work academia and policy in Sweden Swedish social policy Social work and social work education in Sweden Method Findings Discussion 12. Social work academia and policy in the United Kingdom The context Method Findings Discussion and conclusion 13. Social work academia and policy in the United States The US welfare system as the context for social work and social work education Method Findings Discussion Conclusion and implications 14. Where academia and policy meet: a cross-national perspective The national cohorts Policy engagement; Levels, activities, stages and perceived impact Policy engagement and opportunity Perceived social role of academia, personal roles and policy resources Institutional support for policy engagement Factors associated with policy engagement Conclusion Appendix: Questionnaire on social work faculty engagement in the social welfare policy process Index Hough academia has the reputation of being removed from the world, in reality the worlds of the academy and politics meet frequently, and in a variety of ways--productive and unproductive. This book presents the results of the first major crossnational comparative study of academic engagement in the creation of social policy. It offers new empirical data from twelve countries across Europe, North America, and the Middle East, with each chapter providing a brief overview of social work and social work education in the country under consideration, then presenting new data on the interactions between scholars and policy makers there. -- Provided by publisher This unique perspective on the academia-society nexus is the first cross-national comparative study on academic engagement in social policy formulation.