Colloque

Labour's Record on Social Exclusion in England

Wendy Thomson

Membre a labase

Wendy Thomson

Résumé de la communication

The Labour government elected in 1997 is developing a new approach to social exclusion, departing from an exclusive focus on poverty understood to be about inadequate income, to one that is about inequalities of power and opportunity that arise from discrimination of all kinds. This new thinking is inspiring a host of reforms to the welfare and tax system, and public services as a whole. This presentation will examine the Labour government’s record on social exclusion against the propositions framing these debates as well as the politics and practical execution of these policies, assess the UK’s record in its own terms and reflect possible implications for social policy in Quebec. Does ‘New’ Labour’s record resemble other western neo-liberalist’s assault on the state and residualisation of collective social provision? Do Labour’s programs represent a shift to market allocation, supporting business interests and individual responsibility, or is there a distinct social project somewhere between the market and the state? Are its welfare reforms indistinguishable from US-style ‘welfare to work’ programmes, or a new collectivist welfare project based on rights and responsibilities? Is social exclusion just a more electorally acceptable term to poverty, or a more accurate depiction of the complexity of social relations in a globalising world? In what ways is Labour transforming state institutions and capacities in line with its new social policy approaches?

Résumé du colloque

Nous procéderons au lancement du livre collectif Problèmes sociaux tome III Théories et Méthodologies de la recherche,PUQ,Collection PSIS,552p écrits par une trentaine d'auteurs.Nous présenterons à l'assistance les conférenciers internationaux ainsi que les experts québécois d'envergure internationale