...9 chapter current controversies and issues Introduction The Clash of Values in Social Policies Welfare Euthanasia Government: How Much Support for the Needy? Target Populations: The Struggle for Support The AIDS Epidemic The Homeless Welfare Recipients Professionalism in the Human Services The Role of Human Services Workers Whom Do Human Services Workers Serve? A Basic Reading and Thinking Skill Ranking American Values References 324 Human Services in Contemporary America - © Cengage Learning c u r r e n t c o n t r ov e r s i e s a n d i s s u e s 325 INTRODUCTION You may have gathered by now that the human services field is quite complex. Complete agreement regarding philosophies, methods, goals, services, funding, or anything else just does not exist nor, from our point of view, should it. There are times when controversies and differences are stimulating, healthy, and valid and lead to creative solutions. At other times, they are repetitious, meaningless, and destructive. Too frequently they consume time, energy, and resources that might better be used providing needed services. To this end, we highly recommend that students become familiar with the books in the Opposing Viewpoints series, published by the Greenhaven Press, that deal with issues of concern to human services workers. The purpose of this chapter is to present a sampling of basic controversies and issues in the field of human services that have not yet been resolved and may never be resolved...
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...DEVELOPMENT STUDIES FACULTY OF PLANNING AND LAND MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING Social policy primarily refers to guidelines, principles, legislation and activities that affect the living conditions conducive to human welfare. Social policy often deals with wicked problems. Social Policy is defined as actions that affect the well-being of members of a society through shaping the distribution of and access to goods and resources in that society It is sometimes referred as "public policy and practice in the areas of health care, human services, criminal justice, inequality, education, and labor. The term 'social policy' can also refer to policies which govern human behavior. In the United States, the term 'social policy' may be used to refer to abortion and the regulation of its practice, euthanasia, homosexuality, the rules surrounding issues of marriage, divorce, adoption, the legal status of recreational drugs, and the legal status of prostitution. Social policy aims to improve human welfare and to meet human needs for education, health, housing and social security. After Nkrumah’s era, successive governments, including military regimes tried to improve upon the social well-being of citizens in the nation. After 1996 the various governments instituted some social policies. The elaborations below highlight on the various social policies formulated by the various governments from 1969 to date. 1. Dr. K.A Busia (The Progress Party 1969-1972) The...
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...THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG Department of Social Work and Social Administration COURSE OUTLINE template Academic Year: 2014 /2015 1. Basic Course Information: Course Code: SOWK 1009 Course Title: Existing New Course: to be implemented in Semester 1 / 2 / S Reflective Practitioner 2. Course Instructor / Course Co-ordinator: Name Office Debbie Lam C0549 Kurtee Chu C0550 Grace Leung Chan Ki CO553 C0553 phone 3917-2082 3917-1153 3917-2090 3917-7145 email debbie@hku.hk kurteec@hku.hk gsmleung@hku.hk kichan@socwork.hku.hk 3. Required Pre-requisites (if any): __________NIL________________________ 4. Course Description (should be the same as the syllabus; so please just copy from the syllabus of your program that is available at the Department Website) Social work practice is carried out through interactions between social workers and individuals, families, organizations and society. Social workers are inevitably shaped by their own experiences, beliefs, upbringing and culture, which might affect their interactions with these systems. This course encourages the students to start the reflective journey in visiting issues of self in relation to the perceived identity, intimacy, loss, family, and society. Through reflective exercises, discussions, and assigned readings, the students will develop a deeper understanding of their values, philosophy of life and behaviors, and how these in turn impact social work practice. The course adopts an active-learning and experiential approach...
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...In this world, cultural issues within the global organization have ethical and social responsibility in which every organization try to fixed those situations by forming policies, rules and regulation to the organization. Many global organizations prefer to work with multicultural group which people learn different cultures and the way they interact with people. Different cultures have many ways of behavioring and the norm of living. In the US, different cultures are sub-cultures and foreign cultures within the U.S community. This paper will talk about the cultural issues within a global organization which comes from issues arise when groups of people believe another group is wrong in their behavior, ethical and social responsibility issues and also analysis the issues in the global organization. Cross-Cultural Perspective Culture is about the way we human beings definite ourselves for the purpose of uniting with one another, forming a group, determining an individuality and distinctive ourselves as unique. Cultural perspective is sensual in humans, in which we create activities, practices, and symbols that can be easily consumed by our sense. In this entire good example, we still have cultural issues in our global organizations and society. The global organization, have choosing to talk about is “Cross-Cultural solution”. Cultural Issues within Global Organization Cultural issues are define as the dispute in government and society based on differences of culture...
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...VERONICA ANULIKA OGBOO SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES KPT/CASS/10/2073 COURSE: SOCIAL POLICY ASSIGNMENT ON ORIGIN OF SOCIAL POLICY An Introduction to Social Policy Social Policy Social policy is the study of social services and the welfare state. In general terms, it looks at the idea of the social welfare. And its relationship to politics and society. More specifically, it also considers detailed issues in Modem government is based on a social contact between citizens and the state in which rights and duties are agreed to by all to further the common intrest . citizens lend their support to a government through taxes and efforts to a country’s good. In return, government acquire legitimacy by protecting the people’s rights and through public policies that benefit all. However, policy making is often captured by powerful groups and elites. Making government policies based and accountable to the majority and citizens. With half the world’s population living below the two dollar a day poverty line. Ineffective social policies can be the spark for state breakdown. Lack of opportunity, authoritarian rule, gross inequity, exclusion and deprivation-all increase the likelihood of a state’s de-legitimization and withdrawal of its citizens support. Leading to social disintegration. Conflict and violence Social policy is an instrument applied by governments to regulate and supplement market institutions and social structures. Social policy is often defined as social services such as education...
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...08-11-2013 Formative essay 2. “With the increase in global interconnectedness, the scope of strategic policy choices available to individual governments and the effectiveness of many traditional policy instruments tend to decline”. Discuss. Throughout the last decades, the world has experienced a number of developments in for example the spatial, technological, economic, organizational and political areas (Scholte, 2005:91-101). These developments have given growth to an intense academic debate concerning whether or not contemporary society is being fundamentally restructured. The debate is dominated by different strands of scholars either believing in or rejecting this fundamental restructuring (Scholte, 2005:17-19). Central to the debate is states’ ability to decide for and implement policies independently. The object of this paper is to discuss if the scope and effectiveness of states’ strategic policy choices have declined due to the increase in global interconnectedness (Held and McGrew, 2003: 13). The discussion will focus on whether states different positions towards this issue. Also, the implications of economic interconnectedness on the welfare state will be considered. Bearing this in mind, the paper will begin by conceptualizing the term “state”. Also, an outline of the recent development leading to the so-called ‘globalization debate’ will be made in section II. This section will function as a preface to the discussion centered around the positions of sceptics and...
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...current issues such as social and environmental accountability, the ethical and global dimensions of accounting and the political context within which accounting policy decisions are made. The unit will take a research focus in that the work of researchers in accounting will be discussed. Accounting Theory is designed to provide students with an understanding of historical and contemporary issues that influence the development of accounting thought. As it has developed accounting theory has three main approaches, the descriptive or positive, the normative and the critical viewpoints. Based on these theoretical perspectives this unit will examine current issues such as social and environmental accountability, the ethical and global dimensions of accounting and the political context within which accounting policy decisions are made. The unit will take a research focus in that the work of researchers in accounting will be discussed. Accounting Theory is designed to provide students with an understanding of historical and contemporary issues that influence the development of accounting thought. As it has developed accounting theory has three main approaches, the descriptive or positive, the normative and the critical viewpoints. Based on these theoretical perspectives this unit will examine current issues such as social and environmental accountability, the ethical and global dimensions of accounting and the political context within which accounting policy decisions are made. The...
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...systems: a mapping of research in the social sciences Ramila Bisht1*, Emma Pitchforth2 and Susan F Murray3 Abstract National and transnational health care systems are rapidly evolving with current processes of globalisation. What is the contribution of the social sciences to an understanding of this field? A structured scoping exercise was conducted to identify relevant literature using the lens of India – a ‘rising power’ with a rapidly expanding healthcare economy. A five step search and analysis method was employed in order to capture as wide a range of material as possible. Documents published in English that met criteria for a social science contribution were included for review. Via electronic bibliographic databases, websites and hand searches conducted in India, 113 relevant articles, books and reports were identified. These were classified according to topic area, publication date, disciplinary perspective, genre, and theoretical and methodological approaches. Topic areas were identified initially through an inductive approach, then rationalised into seven broad themes. Transnational consumption of health services; the transnational healthcare workforce; the production, consumption and trade in specific health-related commodities, and transnational diffusion of ideas and knowledge have all received attention from social scientists in work related to India. Other themes with smaller volumes of work include new global health governance issues and structures;...
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...Globalization Over many centuries, human societies across the globe have established progressively closer contacts. Recently, the pace of global integration has dramatically increased. Unprecedented changes in communications, transportation, and computer technology have given the process new impetus and made the world more interdependent than ever. Multinational corporations manufacture products in many countries and sell to consumers around the world. Money, technology and raw materials move ever more swiftly across national borders. Along with products and finances, ideas and cultures circulate more freely. As a result, laws, economies, and social movements are forming at the international level. The globalized world sweeps away regulation and undermines local and national politics, just as the consolidation of the nation state swept away local economies, dialects, cultures and political forms. Globalization creates new markets and wealth, even as it causes widespread suffering, disorder, and unrest. It is both a source of repression and a catalyst for global movements of social justice and emancipation. The great financial crisis of 2008-09 has revealed the dangers of an unstable, deregulated, global economy but it has also given rise to important global initiatives for change. According to Wikipedia, globalization is the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture. To put in simple terms...
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...for a global economic structure has been developing. This modern structure is an evolved form of capitalism, driven by neoliberal ideologies, which has adapted to the economic and social conditions of the current day. The recent phenomenon of globalization is in essence a modern form of global hegemony and dominance that establishes control through financial domination and capital exploitation. This paper focuses on this process of domination by examining the effects of neoliberal policies and structural reforms using the nation of Brazil as the unit of analysis. As will be discussed later in this report the government of Brazil has undergone significant structural changes over the last few decades that have resulted in an economic shift towards neoliberal policies. Policies promoting free enterprise capitalism, privatization of national assets, deregulation, tax reforms, flexible interest rates, trade liberalization and reductions in public expenditure have resulted in devastating outcomes for poor and marginalized groups within Brazil. These economic reforms have reordered government priorities resulting in cuts in social spending, worsening of wage inequality, displacement of workers, intensification of national debt and the weakening of labor bargaining and the conditions for meaningful work. The argument that this paper seeks to prove is that neoliberal policies in Brazil have altered political and social structures resulting in economic imbalance and economic, social and cultural...
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...| Global Governance | Challenges to Deepening Multilateral Cooperation | | | | This paper seeks to assess the rise of global governance by briefly discussing some pressing issues in the contemporary global economy and assessing issues which prevent deeper multilateral cooperation. | Introduction World War I proved that the governance of international relations was insufficient. The League of Nations was then created in an ambitious attempt to construct a global order. However with the outbreak of World War II instability, debt, and death surged. This created pressure to establish institutions which could facilitate international cooperation. The United Nations, General Agreement on Tariff and Trade, and the Bretton Woods institutions were created in order to bring about stability in the international political economy. “Over a time these developed into a form of global governance.” Charles Kindleberger proposed the hegemonic stability theory. He stated the reason for the Great Depression and for World War I and II was the absence of a strong leader to coordinate macroeconomic policies needed for a stable financial system. Robert Gilpin adds, there must be world hegemony to ensure world order. The leader will advance its status quo by utilizing its power to foster trade liberalization and a stable monetary system, while seeking cooperation of other states and coerce reluctant states to obey the rules of liberal international economic order. Other states...
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...China’s Green Credit Policy: Building Sustainability in the Financial Sector World Resources Institute June 8, 2011 Motoko Aizawa, Sustainability Advisor, IFC The Green Credit Policy - the Domestic Context • Pattern of rapid economic growth characterized by: High consumption of energy and natural resources Environmental pollution & biodiversity loss Growing social tension and inequality • Recognition that administrative measures need to be coupled with market-based policies • Turning to the power of the market: Environmental economic policies Environmental Tax Ecological Compensation Mechanism Green Trade Policy Green Government Procurement Green Insurance Green Securities Green Credit China’s Green Credit Policy • Context: Banks provide 80-90% of funding to Chinese enterprises • Dual Purpose: Direct credits away from highly polluting and high energy-consuming enterprises and projects Direct credits toward energy conservation and emission reduction at preferential terms • Launched in July 2007 by three agencies: Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) People’s Bank of China (PBOC) • New feature: Inter-agency collaboration with clear implementation responsibilities Based on lessons learned from the 1995 policy experience IFC Partnership with Chinese Agencies on Green Credit • Objective: Knowledge transfer of IFC experience in sustainable...
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...Critical Social Policy http://csp.sagepub.com/ Capitalist globalization, corporate social responsibility and social policy Leslie Sklair and David Miller Critical Social Policy 2010 30: 472 DOI: 10.1177/0261018310376804 The online version of this article can be found at: http://csp.sagepub.com/content/30/4/472 Published by: http://www.sagepublications.com Additional services and information for Critical Social Policy can be found at: Email Alerts: http://csp.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts Subscriptions: http://csp.sagepub.com/subscriptions Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav Citations: http://csp.sagepub.com/content/30/4/472.refs.html >> Version of Record - Nov 1, 2010 What is This? Downloaded from csp.sagepub.com by guest on May 2, 2012 E S L I E S K L A I R L London School of Economics D A V I D M I L L E R University of Strathclyde Capitalist globalization, corporate social responsibility and social policy Abstract This article outlines how the twin crises of capitalist globalization – of class polarization and ecological unsustainability – combine to produce the need for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to attempt to bridge the gap between the rhetoric and reality of corporate conduct. The first section outlines how CSR relates to capitalist globalization and how it is integrated into the activities of the Transnational Capitalist Class (TCC). The role of CSR in...
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...For this task I have chosen World Health Organization or WHO. It is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations. WHO’s constitution came into force on 7 April 1948 and it has established itself as an important and trustworthy international actor. The main target of the organization is to provide leadership on global health matters, shape the health research agenda, set norms and standards, provide evidence-based policy options, provide technical support and also monitor and assess global health trends. Its objective is to ensure that everyone has the highest attainable state of health. (Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland 2008, WHO 2014.) FINLAND AND WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION According to Finland’s the...
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...integration; the transfer of policies across borders; the transmission of knowledge; cultural stability; the reproduction, relations, and discourses of power. It is a global process. Globalization is the system of interaction among the countries of the world in order to develop the global economy. Globalization refers to the integration of economics and societies all over the world. Globalization involves technological, economic, political, and cultural exchanges made possible largely by advances in communication, transportation, and infrastructure. By its nature, globalization spans a multitude of disciplines, communities, and cultures. This, of course, allows for a variety of viewpoints, be they economic, social, or political. An individual’s political ideology, geographic location, social status, cultural background, and ethnic and religious affiliation provide the background that determines how globalization is interpreted. The impact of globalization is vast. Broadly speaking, the process of globalization has two aspects. The first refers to those factors - such as trade, investment, technology, cross-border production systems, flows of information and communication - which bring societies and citizens closer together. The second refers to policies and institutions, such as trade and capital market liberalization, international standards for labour, the environment, corporate behaviour and other issues, agreements on intellectual property rights, and other policies pursued at both the...
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