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Hydro-sociology is a recent field of study that aims to couple the human and water systems. It appears to be a response to dualistic thinking within hydrology and sociology that is also reflected in theoretical debates about structure and agency. Reflections about how specific rivers have ignited personal agency and define some of our political and economic structures are shared. Critical realists like Margaret Archer argue that reflexivity is a mediating tool between structure and agency. But what mediating tool is/can be used to mediate between the hydrological and sociological fields and related thinking? This think piece is a reflection on how a critical realist approach to structure and agency may deepen the connection and understanding of hydro-sociology. Keywords: critical realism, hydro-sociology, duality, water, structure and agency

AbstractThis article focuses on multiple conditionalities in benefits and housing from the perspective of lone parents in Ireland. The Irish case echoes historical experiences elsewhere and is offered not as an exceptional or extreme case but as an in‐depth single case study and a lens for comparison. Although contemporary forms and combinations of conditionalities are new to Ireland, the experience of multiple conditionalities in benefits and housing is not new. Hence, a historical perspective is used to examine contemporary multiple conditionalities in benefits and housing. In the past, conditional regimes for lone parents were justified in terms of moral reformation for first time mothers and avoiding moral contagion of mothers with subsequent pregnancies. In contemporary times, in the case of employment, lone parents are problematised as working part‐time and "nesting" on in‐work‐benefits, and in the case of homelessness, lone parents who prioritise the security of tenure embedded in social housing are accused of "gaming" the system. While acknowledging ambiguities, the paper finds the overlap of welfare and housing discourses contribute, intentionally or unintentionally, to epistemological foundations or understandings of lone parents, shifting public perceptions, and framing them as "problems" to be solved. They simultaneously temper lone parents' expectations. Increased precarity and disempowerment is associated with dual conditionality, and ontological uncertainty is multiplied when experienced cumulatively across employment, social protection, and housing regimes in a context of generally poor public services and labour market precarity and in the historical context of stigmatisation. Nonetheless, lone parents demonstrate considerable agency.

The focus of this article is the interaction of institutions, interests and ideas as explanatory factors for change and continuity in welfare regimes. The case study of the politics of Irish social security (1986–2010) explores how and why the Irish social security system has diverged from the United Kingdom (UK) and liberal regimes. The argument favours a balanced explanation over institutional explanations, which stress corporatism as the explanatory factor for the Irish case. This more integrated approach enables a fuller consideration of the impact that seismic political change may have on Irish and UK social security reform and allows greater understanding about conditions underlying stability and change in social policy.

This paper has the ambitious aim of reviewing how globalisation might impact on Irish civil society. While this cannot be achieved in a short paper the aim is to introduce key theories than can help civil society actors begin to theorise how globalisation might impact on their own work and to indicate where further reading might enable further reflection. The paper first explores some key definitions and then outlines a theoretical framework from which to examine the puzzle of how globalisation might impact on Irish civil society. The macro theory focuses on how the state strategies, in the context of globalisation, to mitigate the power or effectiveness of civil society to articulate conflict about redistributional issues in society (Pierson 1998). Four examples of such state strategies are then briefly examined; co-option into social partnership, reshaping discourse, reshaping civil society organisations and restructuring local governance. The discussion then reflects on the key issue relating to both theories, the strong directive control of the state over civil society organisational space and processes. The paper concludes by observing that not all civil society organisations have been effectively captured by the state and that it is in both the states and civil society's interests to have a more independent and balanced civil society and a more open and varied discourse. The paper concludes by commenting on possibilities for civil society organisations.

This paper is concerned with the governance of spatial inequalities in metropolitan areas. As in other countries, Irish metropolitan areas are characterised by significant socio-economic inequalities. Despite various local initiatives Ireland has yet to achieve an effective model of urban or metropolitan governance capable of reducing these metropolitan socio-economic inequalities. This paper reviews, by way of an evidenced-based Dublin City case study, an Irish metropolitan governance process designed to counter specific metropolitan spatial inequalities - the RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) Programme. The paper begins by situating the analysis in literature relating to globalisation, governance, multi-level governance and new localism. It proceeds to briefly outline a profile of Dublin as a city characterised by high levels of spatial-economic disadvantage and an ongoing process of badly managed planning and development (Redmond et al 2008). To review the experience of recent innovations in metropolitan governance and their effectiveness at tackling social exclusion this paper utilises evidence from three recent evaluations/reviews of the Dublin RAPID Programme supplemented with stakeholder interviews1. Having analysed Dublin's experience of innovations in metropolitan governance the paper concludes by outlining the key lessons for broader metropolitan governance theory and practice. These include the problem of geopolitical fragmentation and the difficulties of working in highly complex patterns of local administrative governance processes, the degree to which vertical and horizontal arrangements have hampered rather than assisted strategies to mitigate spatial social inequalities and finally key issues of community capacity and political participation.

We might expect that in such a small open economy as Ireland, the impact of global pressures on social policy would be relatively strong (McCoy, 2008). This paper tests such a thesis through a case study of Irish social security policy and argues that, over the period 1986–2006, Irish social security policy responded to global and domestic pressures in a particularly Irish fashion, qualitatively different to other liberal welfare regimes and to other small open European economies. In seeking to understand this puzzle the paper explores and analyses the social security policy institutions where social security policy is mediated. It outlines the Irish policy architecture – the political, institutional and ideational factors that shape the trajectory of Irish social security development. The paper identifies domestic constraints on globalisation and factors that influence the social construction of policy. It concludes by recommending changes in the policy process that might help lead to more equitable policy outcomes.

Work activation is a phrase used to describe a policy objective of moving people of working age from a social welfare payment into paid employment. It uses the social welfare system proactively to support, encourage or oblige claimants to participate in work, education or training. In this context a recent government publication - Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents - signals the introduction of a stronger form of work activation for lone parents and low-income mothers, including the introduction of a work obligation of 19.5 hours per week when their youngest children reach the age of eight. This paper, Reframing the Irish Activation Debate, critically engages with that government initiative. It seeks to develop a positive model of activation capable of supporting people in their efforts to find decent, sustainable employment. It does this by developing a template that can be used as a model for activating adults of working age, including people with disabilities, migrants, youth, homeless or older people. It looks at the international literature dealing with activation and employment of lone parents and low income mothers and discusses issues concerning the ethics of care, time, health and work/life balance. It analyses the situation of these target groups in Ireland at the present time. It discusses conditionality and argues for a rights-based approach that incorporates a strong legal framework and activation policy. Finally it examines the challenges faced by institutions and individuals involved in implementing work activation policies.

The Government published the Green Paper on Pensions in October 2007 and called for a widespread debate on the future development of old age pensions informed both by the Green Paper and the suite of reports published by the Pensions Board. In this report, offered as a contribution to the emerging debate on pensions, the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) sets out its views on the policy issues involved. It does this against a background in which women's needs and perspectives in relation to pensions have not yet been specifically debated. In short, the report aims to engender the Irish pension debate. The recommendations made in this paper are not only beneficial for women but can also form part of an antipoverty strategy, in that they are also beneficial for the many low income groups who experience cumulative labour market disadvantage and a subsequent high risk of poverty in old age.