Belonging, Solidarity and Expansion in Social Policy

Belonging, Solidarity and Expansion in Social Policy examines processes of social policy formation and shifting solidarities from the perspective of the actors most affected. Using the examples of nineteenth century mutual benefit societies in the UK and Germany, and EU level social policy, it shows empirically how actors are able to shift their solidarities towards strangers and reveals the argumentative patters concerning such a transformation. The book''s innovative research programme provides theoretical and empirical insights on the question regarding the relationship of belonging and social policy. It offers a new theory on the formation of redistributive preferences based on an approach combining theories of solidarity and structural incentives. The analysis shows how these preferences are shaped by available institutional alternatives, cost-benefit-calculations and identity-oriented interests, and thus offers new empirical evidence on how individuals are able to reintegrate wider identities and align their solidarities also at the European level.