forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch Swedish Social Policy within a European phrame What? Why? How? PhD Assistant Prof in Soc work Jonas Christensen Malmö University Faculty of Health and Society Dept. of Social work University of Genua 26th of March 2013 Very much welcome to

My background Malmö University since 2001 PhD in Ed Science – ”A Profession in change – A Development Ecology Perspective” MSc in Economics Assistant Prof in Social work focusing Organisation Field of Research focusing Organisation and Education, Comparative aspects forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

Malmö – A part of he Öresund Region… forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch The Öresund region is comprised of Skåne and Själland, 3.7 million inhabitants, 1.2 million on the Swedish side and 2.5 million on the Danish side The Öresund Region currently accounts for 26 percent of the GDP (gross domestic products) of Sweden and Denmark persons commute every day between the two countries

Malmö? Malmö is the region's growth centre 300,000 inhabitants Increased population for the twenty-sixth consecutive year 40% of the city's inhabitants were born abroad Malmö residents from 175 different countries Young population: 48% are younger than 35 forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

Social policy primarily refers to guidelines, principles, legislation and activities that affect the living conditions conducive to human welfare. Thus, social policy is that part of public policy that has to do with social issues…. …and Social Policy should be seen as a key part of how welfare is provided which means that social policy is also welfare policy…

…governed by: Political Economical Social Legal factors forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

….and Social Policy can be studied into a varirity of parts of a society: Welfare organization and structure Social exklusion in general (Social marginalization) Education Health policy Housing, living and homelessnes Social assistance Handicap policy Minority issues and Integration policy Social expenditure Employment – Unemployement Poverty in general (Child poverty) Demography and Social development Income distribution and redistribution Social expenditure Social insurance Ageing Drug policy Family policy forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

Two key issues when studying Social Policy: What do we mean by development? What do we mean by welfare provision? forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

The Comparative Aspect Most studies of Social Policies in Europe focus either explicitly or implicitly on the Member States of the EU (Syskes 1998) But it is clear that Europe and the European Union (EU) are not co-terminus Even in the case of Western Europe, nations such as Norway and Switzerland have chosen to remain outside the EU. More fundamentally, the ongoing accession of a large number of Central and Eastern European countries has emphasised the shifting nature of the EU´s boundaries. forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

Two contrasting models for social planning and economic planning can be seen…: The low wage/low welfare model Growth through the reduction of welfare commitments Acceptance of low wages and insecure work to the price of relatively high flexibility and employment Reduction of collective welfare costs through low taxation and social insurance payments Welfare support towards the poor and welfare support is reduced to a residual role Protection and participation provided mainly by the the labour market The USA has become the paradigm example for this model even though some European countries is moving steadily towards this direction, the UK for example? forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

The high wage/high welfare model Growth through the maintenace of public support and the promotion of social integration and solidarity Requirement of political commitment to developing a high skill/high reward labour market through generous social insurance systems Extensive collective provision for education, training and health Social inequalities are reduced, in parts through transferation systems and relatively high level of taxation (not necessarily high income taxes but a high overall tax-pressure through other taxes) Universality as a basic principle of services In general a political consensus on the basic principles, here Sweden and the Scandinavian and Nordic countries (and to a high extent Germany) can be seen as examples An interesting example where generous social systems, when getting unemployed is combined with a relatively high degree of dynamic on the labour market is Denmark, through its so called Fexicurity-system. forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

Main driving forces behind the development of Social Policies: Political driving forces through: Ideology in general View on the role of the state Political traditions; liberal, socialistic, conservative Feminist politics View on how much governance the politicians should have through the public sector Economical driving forces through: Relation between equity and efficiency Globalization Industrialization Needs of labour and capital forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

and…: Demographic driving forces: Proportion of elderly Birth rate Immigration Mobility Life – time cycles in relation to living, working etc Family definition Ideology as a driving force: Over time due to expecations among citizens Differences lead to differences in development Differences in how welfare is defined and met The understanding of welfare forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

…and finally: Cultural driving forces: Consequence of political and ideological factors but also more in depth related to multi-culturalism,entrepreneurialism, central-state influence, role of the individual and the family in the provision of welfare forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

Sweden Strong belief in universality Tradition of consensus and political compromise A role model? Risk that the model will be seen uncritically… Strong growth of private market provision through, for example ”free to choose-systems” The core of the model can be seen out from three policy areas: Social security Focusing benefits, support, compensation and free access Public service Focusing service, free access, and open access to documents due to legislation (”The principle of Public”) Labour market poilicy Focusing support, insurance, education and training forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

According to Esping Andersen´s Welfare Typologie… Sweden as a good example on the so called Social- democratic welfare model, highly characterised by: –Universalism and equality –Redistribution of wealth –High benefits and basic social security –State organized childcare –Encourage women to work –….even though Sweden is undergoing changes facing new demands…. forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

Challenges facing us…. Balance between Indivudalism and Collectivism Demand for freedom of choice and customer influence Market and Politics Regional difference Labour market policy Globalism forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

Social rights Social benefits forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch

Thank you for your attention! Jonas Christensen of-Health-and- Society/Research/The-Research-Platform-Social- Vulnerability-and-Social-Work-/ forskning.mah.se/en/id/hsjoch