Book review of Heikki Ervasti, Jorgen Goul Andersen, Torben Fridberg and Kristen Ringdal (Eds.). The Future of the Welfare State: Social Policy Attitudes and Social Capital in Europe. Edgar Elgar Publishing Limited (2012). $110.00 (hardcover)

Nackerud, Larry

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The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare Volume 40 Issue 1 March Article 14 2013 Review of The Future of the Welfare State: Social Policy Attitudes and Social Capital in Europe. Heikki Ervasti, Jorgen Goul Andersen, Torben Fridberg and Kristen Ringdal (Eds.). Reviewed by Larry Nackerud. Larry Nackerud University of Georgia Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw  Part of the Social Work Commons Recommended Citation Nackerud, Larry (2013) "Review of The Future of the Welfare State: Social Policy Attitudes and Social Capital in Europe. Heikki Ervasti, Jorgen Goul Andersen, Torben Fridberg and Kristen Ringdal (Eds.). Reviewed by Larry Nackerud.," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 40 : Iss. 1 , Article 14. Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol40/iss1/14 This Book Review is brought to you by the Western Michigan University School of Social Work. For more information, please contact wmu-scholarworks@wmich.edu. Journal of Sociology & Social WelfareFilipino and Asian immigrants who were a large proportion ofagricultural workers, again in California. Given the internmentof Japanese-Americans during World War II, this oversight isstriking.Three Worlds of Relief covers new territory in social welfarehistory and will interest academics and students in the field.Of particular importance to the social work profession is theauthor's attention to the role that social workers played in ad-vocating both for progressive legislation and practice, exceptin the West and Southwest. And prominent New Deal officials,notably Hopkins and Perkins, are acknowledged as socialworkers who pushed for expansive and inclusive policies,often in the face of opposition from other policy-makers in theRoosevelt administration.Marguerite G. Rosenthal, Prof. Emerita, Social Work,Salem State UniversityHeikki Ervasti, Jorgen Goul Andersen, Torben Fridberg andKristen Ringdal (Eds.). The Future of the Welfare State: SocialPolicy Attitudes and Social Capital in Europe. Edgar ElgarPublishing Limited (2012). $110.00 (hardcover).Ervasti, Anderson, Fridberg, and Ringdal, with the helpof 11 other authors, have created an edited collection thatrightfully deserves a prominent position in the vast body ofscholarship focused on the European social welfare state. Theeditors more than accomplish their stated goal of compiling abook focused on the changing "attitudes to the welfare stateof ordinary people in almost thirty European countries" (p. 1).The book and its 12 chapters are well conceptualized, wellstructured, and well written. Exemplifying that excellence isChapter 5, authored by Mare Ainsaar, the Estonian NationalCoordinator for the European Social Survey. The chapter is amasterfully written piece. Ainsaar's chapter could easily beused to exemplify good writing and rhetorical strategies forany group of faculty or advanced graduate students eagerto learn/improve their scholarly writing. Indeed, one of thepleasures of the book is the congruence of presentation in eachchapter of a solid introduction, a clear statement of purpose,192a cogent and informative literature review, a depiction of thedata analysis plan, tabular and textual results presentation,and a thoughtful discussion/implication of findings section.The book is truly a rigorous scholarly product and allowsthe reader to see clearly how each author(s) has chosen to ap-proach their research about changing social welfare state atti-tudes in Europe. Eleven of the 12 chapters are based on data re-trieved from a module, titled "Welfare Attitudes in a ChangingEurope," included in the 2008-2009 European Social Survey.The survey mechanism and the character of the module arewell delineated in the book-chapters include a thoroughdescription of variables, their development, and examples ofactual items from the survey instrument. As well, the bookboasts an impressive array of authors (and editors) who areclosely affiliated (e.g., national level coordinators) with theEuropean Social Survey.The book, however, is not for the faint of heart, particu-larly if a reader would be put off by the reliance in the bookon regression models to explain perceived understanding ofthe variance in the data. I still believe any reader interestedin history, theory, and/or research about attitudes focusedon the social welfare state in Europe will be well served byreading this book. I have my PhD in social welfare policy, and Ilearned a lot just from reading the theoretical, literature reviewand points of conclusion/discussion material included in thebook. And this was certainly true both for the European socialwelfare state, and the social welfare state in other country-lev-el contexts, including the United States. Even the topical areasof the chapters-child care policy and benefits, perceived risksas a function of attitude, immigration and social solidarity, thereligious factor in attitude-represent a wealth of opportunityfor teaching and learning.My favorite chapter of the book, Chapter 12, comes lastand is authored by one of the four editors of the book, HeikkiErvasti. The chapter is titled, "Who Hates the Welfare State?Criticism of the Welfare State in Europe." The inclusion ofthe chapter and its focus on helping the reader understandwhy people in Europe may have disdain for the welfare stateexemplifies my major compliment of the entire book. Thebook is a wonderful example of a conversation carried on byBook Reviewts 193Journal of Sociology & Social Welfarescholars. And those of us in academia know that the scholarlyconversation is carried on by persons who are not always inagreement, but often times in disagreement. Mikael Hjerm andAnnette Schnabel, authors of Chapter 9, titled "Social Cohesionand the Welfare State: How Heterogeneity Influences WelfareState Attitudes," exemplify beautifully how a researcher joinssuch a scholarly conversation. Hjerm and Schnabel state inconclusion of their chapter:However, this chapter adds to the ongoing debate byarguing that it is not heterogeneity per se that influencesthe acceptance of public policies and thereby theirlegitimacy, but the subjective feelings of togethernessand communality which can be activated at differentlevels. Modern welfare institutions are not destabilizedby heterogeneity but strengthened by its socialcohesion. (p. 186)Really, the authors of all 12 chapters do not tell the readerwhat to think but rather invite the reader to join in a scholarlyconversation about changing attitudes of the social welfarestate, and rightfully include the voices of ordinary people inalmost thirty European countries. That is not just good schol-arship, but great scholarship.Larry Nackerud, School of Social Work, University of GeorgiaMartha C. Nussbaum, The New Religious Intolerance. Belknap/Harvard (2012). $26.95 (hardcover).Whether it is a single shooter in Norway, ethnic cleansingin Europe, head coverings in France, ethnic violence in Ruandaand seemingly throughout Africa, threats from a Floridamedia person to "deep fry" the Koran, or an attempt to builda Muslim cultural and worship center near the 9/11 site, in-tolerance seems to be part of the warp and woof of daily life.Professor Nussbaum's book is among many writings that seekto provide a framework for understanding intolerance (Googlelists just under 300,000 entries from a search for "Ethnic andReligious Intolerance in the 21st Century"). Nussbaum, a phi-losopher, is Professor of Law and Ethics at the University ofChicago and is a prolific author, having previously written194

Review of \u3cem\u3eThe Future of the Welfare State: Social Policy Attitudes and Social Capital in Europe.\u3c/em\u3e Heikki Ervasti, Jorgen Goul Andersen, Torben Fridberg and Kristen Ringdal (Eds.). Reviewed by Larry Nackerud.

https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3724&amp;context=jssw

Review of \u3cem\u3eThe Future of the Welfare State: Social Policy Attitudes and Social Capital in Europe.\u3c/em\u3e Heikki Ervasti, Jorgen Goul Andersen, Torben Fridberg and Kristen Ringdal (Eds.). Reviewed by Larry Nackerud.

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