New Challenges in the Social Policy Domain

Abstract

The late Benjamin Barber has stated that politics starts in neighborhoods and towns. Many of the contemporary, pressing social issues and problems require action at the local level. The crucial importance of local action is increasingly recognized in the social policy domain. This trend manifests itself first of all on a general level. In many European welfare states, the financial crises has resulted in a reconsideration of responsibilities – both between the central and the local state and between state and society. Highly centralized welfare state systems, based on nation-wide, equal provision of state-funded, profesionalized social services to all citizens citizens irrespective of their place of residence are replaced by more diverse (unequal), decentralized locally provided services. At the same time we also witness that in providing social services, the balance shifts away from professional service provision (where citizens are acting as more or less passive recipients of services or as claimants of rights), to more horizontal arrangements based on notions like co-production, and the capacity (and responsibility) of individuals and communities for self-governance. This trend is also manifest if we consider newly emerging social challenges. As consequence of economic crises (or opportunities) and in reaction tot armed conflicts, persecution, and the violation of human rights millions of people worldwide are oftentimes forcibly displaced and many of them seek refuge in Europe. Throughout the continent, local governments, play a key role in hosting and integrating such new groups of residents in our societies; oftentimes in close co-operation with local citizens and the civil society. In this panel we discuss new developments in how, at the local level, municipalities and local communities deal with such new challenges in the social policy domain.