Transcript ANALYZING SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES

ANALYZING SOCIAL WELFARE
POLICIES
Chapter 6
What is policy analysis?

Investigation and inquiry into the causes and
consequences of public policies (Dye, 1998)

The study of public policies, which reflect the
social and political consensus of policymakers and voters
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education
The development of social welfare
policy – underlying dynamics

Rationalism – form of public policy
development that stresses knowledge of all
values, possible policy alternatives, and
consequences of those alternatives when
making policy

How realistic is this approach?
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education
Incrementalism

Public policy is developed through small
changes to existing policies
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education
Window of Opportunity

The time period in which political or social
events or changes in personnel open the
way for a policy to be adopted
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education
Magnitude in policy making

Dramatic events create openings for the
development and passage of public policies
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education
Critical analysis of social welfare
policy

Social welfare policy is created in the context
of power struggles

Critical analysis takes into account who has
power, who does not, who makes decisions,
and for whom those decisions are made

Based on Critical Theory
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education
Implementation of Policies

What develops as policy and what actually
gets implemented as a program or service
goes through a process, and that process
shapes the outcome of the policy
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education
Street-level Bureaucrats

After policy is implemented, it goes through
the delivery process

The influence and impact on the delivery of
social welfare services by those who are
directly responsible for its delivery is known
as street-level bureaucracy (Lipsky, 1980)
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education
Models of Social Welfare Policy
Analysis

Sequential Model – follows a logical pathway

Critical Theory Model – follows pathway and
includes analysis of power and impact of
forces of discrimination
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education
Sequential Model





Identify a social issue or social problem
Identify the agreed upon goal
What policy or legislation was developed in response
to this issue?
How was the policy implemented?
What were:
–
–
–
The public’s expectations?
The actual impact? The Intended impact?
The affected population?
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education
Critical Theory Model






Identify a social issue or social problem
Identify the balance or imbalance of power
What is the public reaction to the issue?
What policy or legislation was developed in response
to this issue?
How was the policy implemented?
What were:
–
–
–
The public’s expectations?
The actual impact? The Intended impact?
The affected population?
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

Policy making does not follow a rational
course, rather is greatly influenced by values
and beliefs

How do we create social welfare policies that
promote social justice and respond to the
wide array of values and beliefs?
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education