Social Policy
The term ‘social policy' refers to government policies intended
to deal with ‘social problems' and to promote ‘social well-being'.
In this sense, social policy is largely concerned with the delivery
of welfare services - education, health, housing, social security
and social care - and the way in which access to these services is
determined (who is ‘eligible' and ‘deserving', and who is
‘ineligible' and ‘undeserving').
Staff in Social Policy at Hull have particular expertise in
housing, education, community development, ‘race' and ethnicity,
youth work, gender, disability, citizenship, governance and public
expenditure. Social Policy is taught as a core component of our
Single Honours Sociology degree and in combination with several
other disciplines including criminology.
At Hull we are especially concerned with the relationship
between social policy and social justice, and the belief that
everyone should be entitled to have their basic needs met through a
fair distribution of goods and services of an acceptable
standard.
By analysing the outcomes of welfare distribution in terms of
who gains and who loses out, students of social policy can gain an
understanding of how power relationships operate more generally in
society and how social divisions - particularly in relation to
ethnicity, class, gender, age and disability - are perpetuated or
alleviated.