Western Welfare in Decline

Globalization and Women's Poverty

By Catherine Kingfisher | Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc.

About the book

The feminization of poverty is increasingly recognized as a global phenomenon, affecting women not only in third world countries but also in the West. Taking globalization as its starting point, Western Welfare in Decline explores the plight of poor single mothers in five English-speaking nations that have implemented welfare restructuring: the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, and Aotearoa/New Zealand. This restructuring is analyzed in relation to the emergence of neoliberalism, which valorizes the free market, individualism, and a circumscribed role for the state.

Contributors to Western Welfare in Decline creatively combine theoretical and empirical analysis, emphasizing the economic and social goals of welfare reforms and the discourses of labor, gendered subjectivity, and the separation of public and private spheres. They document how the neoliberal project of welfare reform interacts with local cultures to create both similar and divergent new cultural formations and identify opportunities for asserting the social rights of poor single mothers who are being denied these rights at the level of the nation-state.

Editions of Western Welfare in Decline

EBook
ISBN 9780812202472

Read an Excerpt

The feminization of poverty is increasingly recognized as a global phenomenon, affecting women not only in third world countries but also in the West. Taking globalization as its starting point, Western Welfare in Decline explores the plight of poor single mothers in five English-speaking nations that have implemented welfare restructuring: the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, and Aotearoa/New Zealand. This restructuring is analyzed in relation to the emergence of neoliberalism, which valorizes the free market, individualism, and a circumscribed role for the state.

Contributors to Western Welfare in Decline creatively combine theoretical and empirical analysis, emphasizing the economic and social goals of welfare reforms and the discourses of labor, gendered subjectivity, and the separation of public and private spheres. They document how the neoliberal project of welfare reform interacts with local cultures to create both similar and divergent new cultural formations and identify opportunities for asserting the social rights of poor single mothers who are being denied these rights at the level of the nation-state.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Western Welfare in Decline about?

The feminization of poverty is increasingly recognized as a global phenomenon, affecting women not only in third world countries but also in the West. Taking globalization as its starting point, Western Welfare in Decline explores the plight of poor single mothers in five English-speaking nations that have implemented welfare restructuring: the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, and Aotearoa/New Zealand. This restructuring is analyzed in relation to the emergence of neoliberalism, which valorizes the free market, individualism, and a circumscribed role for the state.

Contributors to Western Welfare in Decline creatively combine theoretical and empirical analysis, emphasizing the economic and social goals of welfare reforms and the discourses of labor, gendered subjectivity, and the separation of public and private spheres. They document how the neoliberal project of welfare reform interacts with local cultures to create both similar and divergent new cultural formations and identify opportunities for asserting the social rights of poor single mothers who are being denied these rights at the level of the nation-state.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Western Welfare in Decline?

Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Social and ethical issues > Poverty and precarity

Where can I read a sample of Western Welfare in Decline?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780812202472

How long is Western Welfare in Decline and how many pages does it have?

Western Welfare in Decline has 232 page(s)

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Western Welfare in Decline?

Catherine Kingfisher

Who is the Publisher of the book Western Welfare in Decline?

University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc.

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Western Welfare in Decline is available as ebook(ISBN 9780812202472)

Where can I buy Western Welfare in Decline online or support local independent bookshops?

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Where can I buy Western Welfare in Decline?