When analysing the legitimacy of the welfare state, perceptions of the overuse and underuse of welfare are of great importance. Previous literature suggests that many people perceive overuse (misuse or fraud), and there is evidence that people also perceive underuse (non-take-up) of welfare benefits. Perceptions of overuse have therefore been called ‘the Achilles’ heel of welfare state legitimacy'. We analyse data from the European Social Survey for 25 countries and investigate the occurrence and the individual and contextual determinants of overuse and underuse perceptions. We find that both overuse and underuse perceptions are prevalent in all European countries. However, whereas overuse perceptions are more related to ideology, collective images of welfare recipients and selective welfare regimes, underuse perceptions are more shaped by self-interest and the levels of unemployment and social spending in a country. Instead of one Achilles' heel, welfare state legitimacy seems to have two weak spots.Key words: Benefit abuse, European Social Survey, non-take-up, welfare attitudes, welfare states
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This article addresses the resource dependencies of voluntary sports club in two Rhineland welfare states with differences in their organizational arrangements of sports (e.g. the centralization of the Sport for All policy). On the basis of the VOCASPORT typology of sports policy systems and the resource dependence theory the composition of the revenues of non-profit sports clubs in Flanders (Belgium) and Germany is analysed and related to organizational contingency factors as well as similarities and differences in the sports policy systems. Data are used from the Flemish and the German panel survey of non-profit sports clubs. The results show that Flemish and German sports clubs differ regarding size, year of foundation and offered sports, but are very similar with regard to their financial structure. Both Flemish and German sports clubs strongly depend on third sector income, regardless of organizational factors. No remarkable differences were found with regard to the dependency on state income. The results suggest that sports clubs in the selected Rhineland welfare states, regardless of the organizational arrangement of the sports system they operate in, depend on third sector resources and have considerable decision-making autonomy.
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This paper considers the partnership model, which is in the author’s view the best answer in the social policy creation in contemporary conditions. The author refers to changes and reforms in the development of welfare state in the world from 1980s onwards. He describes various approaches and models, paying particular attention to the welfare society model, and partnership as its central concept. Furthermore, he analyses the functioning of the partnership model based on the experience of the European Union, Great Britain and Hungary
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A comparison between arrangements for income and care in old age in Britain and the Netherlands before and after the welfare state.
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This thesis is about dilemmas, discretionary space and ethics in public welfare. In my position as a lecturer of ethics in socio-legal practices I am concerned with the way in which these practices open up to an ethical development of their professionals. Thus, this thesis is a search for the most fundamental themes and issues in understanding and judging public welfare as a, perhaps, ethical socio-legal practice. In the field of public services professionals function as the intermediary between government and citizen. In their daily work public welfare professionals take care of the important societal task and goal of poverty alleviation. During the last decades, public welfare has developed into a civil right that involves many obligations on the part of the client in return. The requirement to see to it that the client fulfils these obligations has complicated the public welfare professional’s task of helping citizens in need.
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Control methods are applied worldwide to reduce predation on livestock by European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Lethal methods can inflict suffering; however, moral debate about their use is lacking. Non-lethal methods can also inflict suffering and can unintentionally lead to death, and yet both the welfare consequences and ethical perspectives regarding their use are rarely discussed. The aim of this study was to investigate the animal welfare consequences, the level of humaneness, the ethical considerations and the moral implications of the global use of fox control methods according to Tom Regan’s animal rights view and Peter Singer’s utilitarian view. According to Regan, foxes ought not to be controlled by either lethal or potentially harmful non-lethal methods because this violates the right of foxes not to be harmed or killed. According to Singer, if an action maximises happiness or the satisfaction of preferences over unhappiness or suffering, then the action is justified. Therefore, if and only if the use of fox control methods can prevent suffering and death in livestock in a manner that outweighs comparable suffering and death in foxes is one morally obligated t
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The broad field of environmental ethics, animal welfare, animal liberation, and animal rights literature indicate that all encounters between humans and animals are ethically charged. In this article, I shall examine how environmental ethics or animal welfare/rights/liberation literature translate into public media. The case study will delve into the representation of animals in the Dutch newspapers, using content analysis to provide an empirical basis for monitoring public opinion. Assuming that attitudes to animals are influenced by media coverage, the results of this case study will be brought to bear upon the discussion of the representation of animals beyond a specific national context. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkopnina/
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This article explores how concern about animal welfare and animal rights relates to ecological citizenship by discussing student assignments written about the Dutch Party for Animals or PvdD. ‘Animal welfare’, ‘animal rights’, and ‘ecological citizenship’ perspectives offer insights into strategic choices of eco-representatives and animal rights/welfare advocates as well as educators. The assignments balance animal issues with socio-economic ones, explore the relationship between sustainability and ethics, and attribute responsibility for unsustainable or unethical practices. Analysis of student assignments reveals nuanced positions on the anthropocentrism-ecocentrism continuum, showing students’ ability to critically rethink their place within larger environmental systems. Some students demonstrated compassion for nonhumans, indicating that biophilia is evenly distributed among different groups of students. This article finds that fostering pro-environmentalism and animal welfare or rights requires the deepening of the debate contesting but also connecting key issues in sustainability and ethics. This analysis can be valuable for political parties representing nonhumans, or for education practitioners in getting students to think about the challenges in human-environment relationships and for advancing support for ecodemocracy. https://ro.uow.edu.au/asj/vol8/iss1/10/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkopnina/
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6th European Conference for Social Work Research In this paper, qualitative data are presented and analyzed to comprehend how social workers, volunteers, and users participate and construct change within hybrid practices. In the Nordic countries, there is an increasing concern about the stability of the social cohesion and the welfare states’ ability to secure inclusion and participation of people in marginalized positions.
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Background Parenting a child with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities has great implications. Parents generally rely heavily on healthcare and social welfare services in caring for the child at home. Previous studies indicated mismatch between what parents need to preserve family and personal wellbeing and what is typically provided by services. This study focused on the role of healthcare and social welfare services in childcare and aims to contribute to understanding how parents perceive their interactions with service providers. Methods We interviewed 25 Dutch parents who cared for their child at home. Data were analysed using Framework Method. Findings Two overarching themes were found: “Being the lifeline” addressed that parents had central roles in fragmented services, and “Losing ownership” highlighted that parents were constrained in living life according to own beliefs and values while interacting with providers. Conclusions Findings illuminated that many parents became overburdened and compromised heavily on agency over family thriving due to functioning of healthcare and social welfare services. Findings supported working with integrated family case managers, creating effective and proactive access to equipment and services, and enacting high quality facilities for help with childcare and respite. These are important conditions to enable parents to construct family life more autonomously and make their further contribution to society. This may also lead to improved connotations of dependence on healthcare and social welfare services.
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