Synopses & Reviews
This book is an interesting mix of established and new thinking on the development of race-related law, policy and practice in Britain ... It makes a particularly compelling argument for greater attention to the interaction between service providers and service users ... The authors offer important theoretical insights and valuable research evidence to social workers and related professionals
British Journal of Social Work
Government Ministers and advisers tell us that the 'race' agenda is finished. Williams and Johnson, in this closely argued, wide-ranging and excellent book, remind us how far that statement is from the truth... This book must be read by all concerned with advancing racial equality.
Gary Craig, Professor of Community Development and Social Justice, University of Durham, UK
Williams and Johnson have presented a brilliant and comprehensive critique of the welfare state's failure to respond to cultural diversity and make full use of its creative potential. Their analysis is equipped with considerable theoretical acumen and command of empirical data, and it goes on to lay the foundation of an egalitarian and multi-culturally orientated welfare society. This new text is a most welcome contribution to this complex area, and provides a suitable 10-year follow-up to the Runnymede Trust Commission on multicultural Britain, which I had the honour to Chair.
Professor Lord Bhikhu Parekh
I very much welcome this excellently timed book which drops right into the current debates. The double whammy of financial hardship and cuts to public services and benefits, threaten a brutal impact on poor and Black and Minority Ethnic communities. Race Equality campaigners and activists are increasingly concerned to highlight the importance of an approach to welfare that is caring, fair and where the recognition of 'race' is integral. To provide equality, differentials of race, gender and class in particular must be considered. Those considerations are central to this book and it should be used as the underpinning narrative and rationale for making the case for 'race' sensitive welfare.
Karen Chouhan, Director, Equanomics UK
The arguments in this book are compelling and provide a powerful case for race equality in the light of the Coalition government plans in reducing the size of the public sector and the welfare state in a clear ideological and fiduciary battle with public expenditure.
Patrick Vernon, Chief Executive of The Afiya Trust
Contemporary multiculturalism poses a number of challenges for the design and delivery of welfare services in Britain. This thought-provoking book explores the needs and well-being of ethnic minorities within the context of the changing framework for delivering welfare services. The book: Considers major transformations in the delivery and practices of welfare related services and their implications for the engagement, access and participation of ethnic minorities Reflects on issues of race and ethnicity within a variety of welfare policy arenas Suggests ways that welfare practices could be transformed to incorporate the notion of a welfare society
Race and Ethnicity in a Welfare Society will appeal to students of social work, social policy and sociology and to practitioners with an interest in welfare policy and practice.
Synopsis
Contemporary multiculturalism poses a number of challenges for the design and delivery of welfare services in Britain. This thought-provoking book explores the needs and well-being of ethnic minorities within the context of the changing framework for delivering welfare services. The book:
- Considers major transformations in the delivery and practices of welfare related services and their implications for the engagement, access and participation of ethnic minorities
- Reflects on issues of race and ethnicity within a variety of welfare policy arenas
- Suggests ways that welfare practices could be transformed to incorporate the notion of a welfare society
Race and Ethnicity in a Welfare Society will appeal to students of social work, social policy and sociology and to practitioners with an interest in welfare policy and practice.
Synopsis
The book aims to:
-Review debates, issues and concepts associated with the notion of a multicultural-welfare state in the context of contemporary Britain
-Draw on examples from across 'need' groups (children, mental health, older people, women etc) explore the ways in which black and ethnic minorities engage in the production of welfare
-Consider major transformations in the delivery and practices of welfare their implications for the engagement, access and participation of ethnic minorities
-Consider issues of race and ethnicity within the context of a variety of welfare policy arenas.
-Suggest ways that welfare practices could be transformed to incorporate the ideas such as 'cosmopolitan citizenship' within a welfare society.
The book will appeal to undergradute and postgraduate students of social work, social policy and sociology taking modules in Race and Ethnicity, Social Care and Welfare, Community Studies, Social Exclusion and Citizenship. It will also appeal to practitioners with an interest in welfare policy and practice generally and those with a specific interest in welfare delivery issues and racial and ethnic diversity.
About the Author
Charlotte Williams is a Senior Lecturer in Social Policy & Social Work at Keele University. Her longstanding research interests are in the field of race and ethnicity in social welfare and she has researched and published widely in this field particularly in relation to Wales and Welsh social policy.
Mark R D Johnson is Professor of Diversity in Health & Social Care and Director of the Mary Seacole Research Centre at De Montfort University, Leicester. He is Clinical Lead of NHS Evidence - ethnicity and health, a service provided by the UK Centre for Evidence in Ethnicity Health and Diversity at De Montfort University and Warwick University Medical School to help staff in the NHS and social care to access 'best available' evidence affecting the provision of care to a multi-ethnic population. He is also editor of the international journal Diversity in Health & Car,, and has over thirty years experience of research into inequalities in health and the provision of services for a diverse, multi-ethnic society.