Speaker: Emily Dobson, SPP
Abstract: In this paper, I trace the academic literature on US social policy over time, paying special attention to the ways in which scholars’ disciplinary orientations, theoretical lenses and methodological approaches have shaped social policy scholarship. I find that, for much of the last century, researchers have equated social policy with a narrow set of direct-spending and social insurance programs. This myopic focus has obscured the beneficiaries of social policy, the factors that shape its establishment and evolution and who holds power in this process. I propose an inclusive definition of social policy as state action that changes households’ access to resources and opportunity. I present a three-dimensional typology that gives shape to this broad definition and invites analytical inquiry. Building on the ecology of games and multiple streams frameworks, I hypothesize that the social policy process can be conceptualized as a multi-stage strategic game. I conclude by discussing the implications of these ideas and directions for future research.