Contemporary social policy has never been more vigorously contested. Issues range from single-issue campaigns over housing, social care, and hospital closures, on through more organized movements around disability, environment, health, and education. Howe

Contemporary social policy has never been more vigorously contested. Issues range from single-issue campaigns over housing, social care, hospital closures through to organised movements around disability, environment, health and education. However, the historical and contemporary role played by social movements in shaping social welfare has too often been neglected in standard social policy texts. "Understanding social welfare movements" is the first text to bring together social policy and social movement studies. Using actual case studies and written in an accessible and engaging style, it...