This book presents a thematic selection of writings by eminent sociologist Robert Pinker on social policy and welfare pluralism, bringing together for the first time many articles that have either never before been published or are difficult to access today. Pinker began writing on social policy in the 1960s, undertaking research work on issues such as the development of health care within the poor law. He published books devoted to social policy, along with various articles on complementary topics. Pinker's main concern was to rethink the study of social policy. His ideas were primarily built ... More

This book presents a thematic selection of writings by eminent sociologist Robert Pinker on social policy and welfare pluralism, bringing together for the first time many articles that have either never before been published or are difficult to access today. Pinker began writing on social policy in the 1960s, undertaking research work on issues such as the development of health care within the poor law. He published books devoted to social policy, along with various articles on complementary topics. Pinker's main concern was to rethink the study of social policy. His ideas were primarily built around such themes as stigma, conditional altruism, access to land and property, giving and receiving, and migration and civil war. Organized by theme, the articles and chapters in this book cover such key topics as how families and communities act in defining and providing their own welfare, how attitudes to social services differ among users and nonusers, how social and political theories relate to actual policies, stigma and social welfare, the welfare state, and much more. In doing so, the volume brings to the fore the importance and continuing relevance of Pinker's work.