@spswspsw.york department of social policy and social work does the cultural context really shape...
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@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Does the Cultural Context Really Shape Welfare? A Comparative Analysis
John Hudson University of York, UKNam K. Jo SungKongHoe University, South KoreaAntonia Keung University of York, UK
Award ES/J00460X/1
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Background
‘Culture matters’ thesis
‘Macro’ perspective Broad conception, dominant beliefs, often post hoc explanations
‘Micro’ perspective Public opinion, specific issues, unstable
Advances in data, concepts and method
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
In-Between Analysis
Jo (2011) culture as stable societal values More concrete than macro
More enduring than micro
Cultural context of social policy making Interplay of politics, economics, institutions and culture at meso-level
Not a decisive influence, but a significant one
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Analytic Strategy
Extract examples of societal values:
Data from successive waves EVS/WVS data 1981-2009
173 societal cases • 59 countries x max 4 time points • 243,975 responses
Factor analysis of pooled data • manual inspection and reanalysis
End goal: identify stable and distinct examples of societal values
Built on work of Hofstede, Jo, Schwartz, van de Vijver et al
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Societal values used in OLS & MLM regression models Models include OECD states only due to data limitations
Dependent Variables (Policy Decisions): Following Jo: public opinion data and spending data on contentious issues ‘Old social risks’: perceptions of poverty • unemployment spending Expand to ‘new social risks’: family policy spending • maternity leave policy Exploit new data sources (OECD Family Policy Structures Database)
Analytic Strategy
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Additional Independent Variables (Policy Contexts): Economic context (GDP per capita, growth, unemployment) Political context (cabinet composition) Institutional context (welfare regime)
Five year averages (except values)
Stage I of analysis: fs/QCA to follow
Analytic Strategy
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Societal Values
Societal Value Example Survey Item
Relgiosity God is important in my life
Conservative Social Norms Is divorce permissible?
Permissive Values on Adherence to Laws Justifiable to cheat on taxes?
Optimistic Values Satisfied with your life?
Traditional Family Values Is marriage an out-dated institution?
Interpersonal tolerance Would you not like heavy drinkers as your neigbours?
Political Activeness Do you participate in lawful demonstrations?
Political Orientedness Do you regularly discuss politics with friends?
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Culture significantly improves models Religiosity + Political activeness -
Condition, but not status of economy Political impact puzzling? Regimes play clear role
Public Opinion: individuals and poverty
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Culture significantly improves models Inter-personal tolerance + Political activeness - Political orientedness +
Condition and status of economy matter Regimes play muted role Political context not significant
Unemployment Spending: Share SOCX
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Remarkably consistent Culture significantly improves models But significant societal values alter
Inter-personal tolerance still + Political activeness and political orientedness shift Permissive values on adherence to laws
Unemployment Spending: Share GDP
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Culture improves models but not significantly Religiosity –
Regimes play muted role Political context not significant Status of economy matters Less strong support for culture matters thesis…
Family Spending: Share GDP
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Culture improves models but not significantly for MLM Again religiosity - Conservative social norms +
Political and institutional contexts not significant Status and condition (unemp) of economy matters Less strong support for culture matters thesis…
Family Spending: Share SOCX
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Societal values impact on politically charged normative debates Unemployment spending captures this well Family policy aggregates wide range of interventions e.g.:
Universal child benefits In-work income top-ups for families with children Income supplements for lone parent and large families Child care Maternity leave
Different normative debates for each Move away from focus on expenditure
Problems with Spending…
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Considered maternity leave: replacement rate, length and FTE Replacement rate:
Culture improves model but not significantly so Modest support for culture matters thesis?
Length: Culture improves model significantly Largely the same for FTEs Strong support for culture matters thesis…
Family Policy Structures
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Shown value of in-between concept of culture Facilitates empirical investigation of culture matters thesis
Tentative findings – refinements and fs/QCA to follow Limits to approach here:
Data driven • Examples of societal values • Weaknesses in models
Added support to culture matters thesis Interesting tentative findings worthy of further exploration
Conclusion
@spswspsw.york
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
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