Neoliberalisations of Welfare Work? Analyses of Shifting Practices
This seminar investigates the field of welfare work and its professional agents' actions and viewpoints, their adaptions and transformations under neoliberalism.
The strength of the presentations at the seminar is to contribute to ways of thinking about welfare work. Consequently, the seminar intends to unpack and understand the specific symbolic dimensions of welfare work in different contexts and across contexts, presenting and discussing the different professional repertoires which are used and circulate, thus adding dynamism to the study of the shifting practices of welfare work under neoliberalism.
Presentations by:
-
Andrew Woolford (Professor at Department of Sociology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada)
-
Sofie Rosengaard (Ph.d.-Fellow at Section of Educational Research, University of Copenhagen)
-
Eva Bertelsen (Assistant Professor at Section of Educational Research, University of Copenhagen)
-
Jan T. Frederiksen (Assistant Professor at Section of Educational Research, University of Copenhagen)
-
Christian S. Hansen (Assistant Professor at Department of Education, Aarhus University)
-
Trine Øland (Associate Professor at Section of Educational Research, University of Copenhagen)
and possibly more.
The event is part of Seminars and public lecture headed by the Research Priority Area The History and Sociology of Welfare Work.
About the Research Priority Area
Ever since the crisis of the welfare state was voiced in the 1970s, liberalism has been strengthened and formed anew with a more positive attitude towards the state. Thus, 'neoliberalism' gained momentum with its focus on state activities directed at behavioural matters, cultural and social change, security and safety. Fundamentally, a welfare state works by intervening in society, actively trying to prevent or address social problems. In this perspective welfare work aims at making and remaking practical and sensible individuals, whom the state can expect uses the knowledge provided by the welfare professionals. Thus, welfare states urge their citizens to plan and conduct their own welfare according to the collective norms expressed by welfare professional practices and institutions. The question is how the welfare professions intervene, act and think about its citizens in neoliberal manners.