科研成果详情

This paper sets out to encapsulate current developments in general comparative welfare state theory, focusing on the nexus between politics, culture and social policy outcomes, while putting forward the importance of comparative social welfare and policy studies for the development of theory and practice in social welfare policy. Before introducing major categories in general and comparative welfare state theory, the meaning of comparative analysis for the future of social welfare will be pointed out briefly. The main part of the paper then addresses new developments in comparative welfare state theory. First, it takes on the importance of using ideal-typical models, and then the issue of the influence of cultural and political determinants on social welfare politics, distinguishing first order and second order determinants. The last part of the paper will sum up the current and future role of comparative social policy analysis for the advance the understanding of and solutions to social problems that today increasingly cut across national boundaries and are increasingly found to impede people's welfare on a world's scale.