{"title":"Tracing the institutional barriers to the integration of the social protection and fragile states agendas within the World Bank","authors":"Sophie Mackinder","doi":"10.1017/ics.2020.17","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/ics.2020.17","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The share of the extreme poor living in fragile and conflict-affected situations is projected to rise above 50 per cent by 2030. There is consequently an acute need for poverty-reduction mechanisms such as social protection within these contexts, which requires the integration of the discourse and policies on fragility with those on social protection. This paper traces the development of the two agendas in the World Bank, through documentary analysis and 43 interviews with Bank staff. It explores the extent to which social protection is considered within the fragility agenda (and vice versa), to establish whether the building of social protection systems is included within the broader ambition of “state-building” and considers the barriers to further integration of these agendas. The paper concludes that interaction between them has been limited to date and highlights the Bank’s own institutional architecture as a barrier to a more integrated approach.","PeriodicalId":38249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy","volume":"36 1","pages":"111 - 124"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1017/ics.2020.17","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47549140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Can Latin America learn from India’s efforts at fighting poverty? The case of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act","authors":"A. De Venanzi","doi":"10.1017/ics.2020.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/ics.2020.3","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract A decade of high economic growth (2003–2013) in Latin America accompanied with high social spending, produced a significant improvement in the living conditions of the region’s population. Household incomes grew, poverty and inequality rates fell, and job opportunities increased. However, beginning in 2013 the economic situation of Latin America experienced a downwards trend. The effects have been felt in reduced income due to the fewer labour opportunities afforded by a decrease in demand and investment, particularly in infrastructure. Moreover, investment in infrastructure has remained stagnant since the late 1990s. The present article is intended as a preliminary study regarding the feasibility of transferring the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to the Latin American region. The paper contends that such a policy transfer could greatly improve the adverse employment conditions affecting large segments of the Latin American rural workforce and contribute to bridge the area’s rural-urban infrastructure gap.","PeriodicalId":38249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy","volume":"36 1","pages":"159 - 174"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1017/ics.2020.3","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46307402","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"ICS volume 36 issue 2 Cover and Back matter","authors":"","doi":"10.1017/ics.2020.20","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/ics.2020.20","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":38249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy","volume":" ","pages":"b1 - b4"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1017/ics.2020.20","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48791328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of active labour-market policies on welfare state finances","authors":"Hyejin Ko, Eunchong Bae","doi":"10.1017/ics.2020.11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/ics.2020.11","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This study seeks to determine the effectiveness of the active labour-market policies (ALMPs) of employment-oriented welfare states contribute to the financial soundness of welfare states. Even if they are insignificant, overall, the results show that ALMPs lead to higher employment rate and sounder public finances as could be expected by the central idea of employment-oriented welfare states. However, extending ALMPs does not always create a virtuous circle among government interventions, employment rate and fiscal soundness. That is, the results for employment and public finances depend on how the government intervenes in the labour market. We argue that the critical point goal should be to improve employability, not just to increase the employment rate.","PeriodicalId":38249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy","volume":"36 1","pages":"200 - 216"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1017/ics.2020.11","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43051616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"ICS volume 36 issue 2 Cover and Front matter","authors":"","doi":"10.1017/ics.2020.19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/ics.2020.19","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":38249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy","volume":" ","pages":"f1 - f2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1017/ics.2020.19","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48182967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ingo Stamm, Aila-Leena Matthies, Tuuli Hirvilammi, Kati Närhi
{"title":"Combining labour market and unemployment policies with environmental sustainability? A cross-national study on ecosocial innovations","authors":"Ingo Stamm, Aila-Leena Matthies, Tuuli Hirvilammi, Kati Närhi","doi":"10.1017/ics.2020.4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/ics.2020.4","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Labour market and unemployment policies in particular are rarely connected to issues of environmental sustainability. In the present article, the link is examined by focusing on ecosocial innovations in four European countries – Finland, Germany, Belgium and Italy. These innovations are small-scale associations, cooperatives or organizations that create new integrative practices combining both social and environmental goals. By asking how their social practices are linked with labour market and unemployment policies, we explore the scope for new ecosocial policies. The results of this cross-national case study lead to three lessons to be learnt for a future ecosocial welfare state: at the sectoral level, organizational level and individual level. In summary, many valuable ideas, instruments and programmes towards sustainability already exist in the field, but they are not yet integrated in the current labour market and unemployment policies.","PeriodicalId":38249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy","volume":"36 1","pages":"42 - 56"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1017/ics.2020.4","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44337023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Worlds of last-resort safety nets? A proposed typology of minimum income schemes in Europe","authors":"M. Natili","doi":"10.1080/21699763.2019.1641134","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21699763.2019.1641134","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Over the past twenty years, minimum income schemes (MIS) have undergone major transformations in their functions and role. From mainly residual instruments that aimed to guarantee minimum income support and to prevent extreme marginality, in most countries they now have an ambiguous function of providing income support and favouring social and labour market inclusion. Against this background, this article provides an analytical grid that allows describing the different features of last-resort safety nets across Europe, building on the definition of key main dimensions of variation of MISs in Europe – generosity, eligibility and conditionality requirements, institutional configuration, active inclusion profiles. Then, it introduces a new typology of MIS in Europe, building on a new dataset with data on expenditures and coverage collected from National Statistical Offices.","PeriodicalId":38249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy","volume":"36 1","pages":"57 - 75"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21699763.2019.1641134","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48340011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Surprisingly small: effects of “generous” social benefits on re-employment of (quasi-) jobless households","authors":"René Lehwess-Litzmann, I. Nicaise","doi":"10.1017/ics.2020.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/ics.2020.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This article analyses whether the extent of public welfare provision influences the speed at which (quasi-)jobless households get (back) into employment. (Quasi-)joblessness is one of the key criteria defining the risk of poverty and social exclusion in the EU. Moreover, the perceived tension between the main functions of social benefits (protecting households from poverty and incentivising job search) is most acute among these households. Based on EU-SILC data, we examine changes of household work intensity during one year after benefit receipt. We observe that “more-generous” social benefits have a slightly negative impact. This can potentially be due to a disincentive effect of social benefits, but it can also mean that the additional financial leeway is used by job seekers to wait for more adequate job offers or engage in further training. Even though statistically significant, the estimated negative effects are very small.","PeriodicalId":38249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy","volume":"36 1","pages":"76 - 91"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1017/ics.2020.1","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42191095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Left is right and right is left? Partisan difference on social welfare and particularistic benefits in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan","authors":"Jae-Mahn Shim","doi":"10.1017/ics.2020.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/ics.2020.2","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This paper investigates elite-level partisan differences along the socioeconomic dimension in three developed East Asian democracies – Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. On the one hand, the mainstream literature in welfare studies and party politics expects left- and right-leaning parties should vary significantly in utilizing social policy promises. On the other hand, the path dependency logic tells us that left–right difference should be found over particularistic benefits, such as agricultural subsidies or construction projects, considering that these were central means for right-leaning parties to maintain their power during the developmental state period in the three countries. Using an original bill-sponsorship data set between 1987 and 2012, we find that there has not been any substantial difference in the agenda setting of conventional social welfare bills between left- and right-wing government periods. However, a clear elective affinity can be observed between established right-wing parties and particularistic benefits. The paper shows that contextualizing key political actors' preferences can lead to a more systematic understanding of political dynamics behind the socioeconomic dimension in non-Anglo-European countries.","PeriodicalId":38249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy","volume":"36 1","pages":"25 - 41"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1017/ics.2020.2","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49527094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Happiness and the role of social protection: how types of social spending affected individuals’ life satisfaction in OECD countries, 1980–2012","authors":"O. Nordheim, Pål E. Martinussen","doi":"10.1080/21699763.2019.1601586","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21699763.2019.1601586","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The growing literature on individual determinants of subjective well-being has given little attention to political factors. This paper considers the welfare state, and how social expenditure affects individuals’ self-reported life satisfaction. The statistical analysis uses indicators of subjective well-being, reflecting individuals from OECD-countries between 1980 and 2012, with data gathered from the Eurobarometer and the World Values Survey - which are analysed in comparison. The results suggest that social spending should be studied in terms of underlying branches when addressing its implications. The results find social spending to be uncorrelated with levels of subjective well-being when considered in terms of total levels. When considered as types of spending however, a majority of the elements are found to have significant impacts. The findings show mixed results among the two data sets; however, important similarities are found in the way social spending related to health care and poverty are having positive impacts, and spending associated with unemployment and labour market programmes have negative impacts. As the correlations of the underlying elements affect life satisfaction in different directions, total social spending appears to be uncorrelated with subjective well-being, although the true impact depends on which socialpolicies are being promoted through such spending.","PeriodicalId":38249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy","volume":"36 1","pages":"1 - 24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21699763.2019.1601586","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48577687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}