Social Policy and the Commonwealth Prospects for Social Inclusion

This book offers unprecedented insights into both the workings of the Commonwealth and into the contrasting experiences of member states within it, with regard to social exclusion. Chapters on British social policy tradition and on concepts of social inclusion/exclusion, preface a series of case studies illustrative of different member states' experiences to date. The book concludes by re-examining the Commonwealth per se, with reference to its own problems of development and its social policy development potential for the future.

Catherine Jones Finer has been researching cross-national issues in social policy since the 1970s. She edits regional issues of the journal Social Policy and Administration.

Paul Smyth is Professor of Social Policy at the Centre for Public Policy in the Department of Political Science at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He is also General Manager of Research and Policy at the Brotherhood of St Laurence in Melbourne, Australia.

Editorial Introduction--C.Jones Finer & P.Smyth * Part I: Introductory Overview * British Social Policy Tradition in Relation to Empire and Commonwealth--C.Jones Finer * Social Inclusion in a Changing World and Commonwealth--P.Harris * Part II: National Case Studies * The Paradox of Exclusion/Inclusion: The West Indies - Jamaica--J.Moncrieffe * Community Development in Botswana: Is There Social Inclusion?--M.J.Rankopo * Social Welfare and Social Development in South Africa: Reshaping the Colonial and Apartheid Legacy for a Global Era--L.Patel & J.Midgley * Social Inclusive Social Security in Rural Tamil Nadu, India--B.Harriss-White * Social Policy and the Sri Lankan Welfare State: The British Colonial Legacy--L.Jayasuria * Balancing State Welfarism and Individual Responsibility--Singapore's CPF Model T.Ern Ser * After The Malay Dilemma: Colonial Heritage and Ethnic Exclusion in Malaysia--S.Yao * The Tyranny of Home Ownership: Housing Policy and Social Exclusion in Colonial and Post-Colonial Hong Kong--J.Lee * The British Social Policy Legacy and the 'Australian Way'--P.Smyth * Redesigning the Welfare State in New Zealand--S.St John * Canada, Social Inclusion and the Commonwealth--M.J.Stewart * Part III: The Commonwealth as a Transnational Institution * The Commonwealth and Social Inclusion--W.D.McIntyre * Editorial Conclusion--C.Jones Finer & P.Smyth