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Examines differences between social contract & social covenant perspectives on human association. The former, derived from Thomas Hobbes, suggests that humans are motivated by self-interest &, thus, come into conflict with one another. To gain peace & social stability they agree to join together, governed by a political state. In contrast, the Judeo-Christian notion of social covenant suggests that humans are social animals & join together because of kinship, loyality, & moral commitment. The social contract perspective has dominated civilization for the past 300 years & has lead to two widely held assumptions: social problems can be resolved by political solutions; & the morality of contemporary society is in decline. It is argued that both assumptions are unwarranted; renewing civil society is a spiritual task that requires increased recognition of the social covenant. D. Generoli

The aim of this paper is to examine the notion of social mechanisms by comparison with the notions of evolutionary and physical mechanisms. It is argued that social mechanisms are based on trends, and not lawlike regularities, so that social mechanisms are different from mechanisms in the natural sciences. Taking as an example of social causation the abolition of the slave trade, this paper argues that social mechanisms should be incorporated in Weber's wider notion of adequate causation in order to achieve their explanatory purpose.

"Cover" -- "Half Title" -- "Title Page" -- "Copyright Page" -- "Table of Contents" -- "Key points" -- "Preface" -- "Acknowledgements" -- "Section A" -- "1 Introduction" -- "2 What are the social sciences and what are they for?" -- "3 What have the social sciences contributed to British society?" -- "4 Social science and devolution" -- "5 The health and value of British social sciences" -- "6 Social sciences and the outside world (aka society)" -- "7 Social science in practice" -- "8 Who speaks for the social sciences?" -- "9 The future of the social sciences" -- "Section B" -- "10 The nature, scale and financial support of the social sciences in Britain – a statistical summary" -- "References" -- "Annex 1 Members of the Commission" -- "Annex 2 Individuals who helped us" -- "Annex 3 The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) and Frascati Manual definitions of the social sciences" -- "Annex 4 Assumptions used in calculating social science incomes

Background: The social and economic woes that have inflicted many countries around the world are testimony to the inadequacy of current institutional makeup of societies where individualism and market forces by and large have taken the leading role in directing societies' choices and resources. Problems of inequities in health and wealth, the widening gaps between the rich and the poor, employment insecurities, the growing social exclusion of the marginalized, and the looming environmental concerns are acute as ever. At the same time, the progressive social forces and the counter-balancing capacity of governments are being undermined by the prevailing neo-liberal forces. This sobering state of affairs can only lead to more problems and a growing frustration on the part of those who seek alternatives to the status quo, which have actually produced better results in certain countries. Objective: This study takes the position that the involvement of democratic collective institutions (e.g., local organizations and governments at all levels) in setting societal priorities and directing resources towards achieving those priorities would avoid or mitigate many of the socioeconomic problems facing us today. It aims to show that comprehensive social policy could prevent the emergence of such problems and contain the problems that remain, effectively working as a social vaccine. Methods: The study uses macroeconomic panel data and socioeconomic indicators from OECD countries to empirically examine the relationships between indicators of social wellbeing on the one hand, and measures of social policy on the other, while controlling for relevant macroeconomic covariates. Results: The empirical results indicate that better population health outcomes are consistently associated with stronger social policies, including social spending on health and non-health services. Also, they show lower poverty rate is associated with higher social spending. Lower crime rate is also associated with higher social spending, but it is strongly country-specific. Conclusion: Although improving social wellbeing and social protection are morally justified in their own right, the evidence presented in this study suggests that even a purely rational view concerned with the societal costs and benefits of public policy should find social policy an effective tool or vaccine against population ill-health, poverty, and crime.

The social sciences contextualize the study of the social movements, considering that they provide and underlie theories and social methods that allow to observe the political, historical, and territorial configuration processes of such movements. In this context, it is appropriate to explore the scope of disciplines, the social theory, and the method in order to explain the theoretical contact elements and discipline of the social sciences along with the social movements, which are understood as objects of study. ; Las ciencias sociales contextualizan el estudio de los movimientos sociales, considerando que aportan y fundamentan teorías y métodos sociales que permiten observar los procesos de configuración política, histórica y territorial de estos movimientos. En este contexto es apropiado recorrer el ámbito de las disciplinas, de la teoría social y del método para explicar los elementos de contacto teórico y disciplinar de las ciencias sociales con los movimientos sociales, entendidos como objetos de estudio

Doubts about the easy equation of economic growth and social progress led, in the 1960s, to a renewed interest in social measurement and to the birth of the "social indicators movement." Social Indicators, 1976, a product of that interest, can be read as both a report on social conditions and trends in the United States and a progress report on social indicators research. The volume is best understood against the background of the social indicators movement and of the research it has stimulated. Several research traditions are joined together in the social indicators movement, but they share a concern for measurement, analysis, and the reporting to a general audience of aspects of social conditions. The tradition best reflected in Social Indicators, 1976 stresses the monitoring and reporting of social change. Research work in this tradition emphasizes conceptual and methodological development of measures, improvements in the available data base, the development of social indicator models, and social reporting. In its data selection, treatment of data, organization, and commentary, Social Indicators, 1976 is an improvement over its predecessor, Social Indicators, 1973, though the analysis it contains is notably insufficient. Most of the improvements which should be found in future editions depend upon continued progress in the development of social indicators.

The mission of the social work profession and the development of social policy are rooted in a set of core values and are the foundation of social work's unique purpose and perspective. Human rights offer a normative base for social work and for the formation of inclusive social policies. This informative and incisively written edited collection brings together experts from around the world to explore the tension between a normative and a political base of social work and social development and, therefore, to address the question: How can social work and social policies contribute in the endeavor to respect, protect and fulfill human rights? This volume will show that there is no straightforward answer to this question owing to the clash between different sociocultural and local conditions and demands for universal human rights