Workfare States
Publisher: The Guilford Press
Published: February 12, 2001
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 414
ISBN-13: 9781572306363
Subjects: Political science & theory; Social theory; Welfare & benefit systems; Public Policy - Social Services & Welfare; Politics / Current Events; Political Science; Welfare recipients; Politics/International Relations; USA; Public welfare; Public Policy - Social Policy; Political Science / Social Policy; Sociology - General; Canada; Great Britain; United States
First sentence: This book takes aim at a moving target, "workfare."
Description: "This book examines the political economy of workfare, the umbrella term for welfare-to-work initiatives that have been steadily gaining ground since candidate Bill Clinton's 1992 promise to "end welfare as we know it." Peck traces the development, diffusion, and implementation of workfare policies in the United States, and their export to Canada and the UK.

He explores how reforms have been shaped by labor markets and political conditions, how gender and race come into play, and how local programs fit into the broader context of neoliberal economics and globalization. The book cogently demonstrates that workfare rarely involves large-scale job creation, but is more concerned with deterring welfare claims and necessitating the acceptance of low-paying, unstable jobs.

Integrating labor market theory, critical policy analysis, and extensive field research, Peck exposes the limitations of workfarism and points toward more equitable alternatives."--BOOK JACKET.