Amsterdam and the New Frontiers of Welfare State Change: How Cities are Shaping the Social Investment State

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Illustrated city skyline at dusk with a globe hovering above a central skyscraper, symbolising cities as hubs of global policy innovation.

This blog is based on an article published in the Journal of Social Policy by David Bokhorst, Meike Bokhorst, and Tijn Croon. The politics of welfare state change is often examined through ideological divides between left and right, or through policy feedback mechanisms. However, our recent paper, published in the Journal of Social Policy, offers… Continue reading Amsterdam and the New Frontiers of Welfare State Change: How Cities are Shaping the Social Investment State

The two-child limit did not drive the rise in abortions in England and Wales

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Illustration of weighing scales balancing policy documents and social factors, symbolising the assessment of social policy impacts.

This blog is based on an article published in the Journal of Social Policy by Christopher Grollman, Sophie Wickham, Kate Mason, Andy Pennington and Rebecca Geary. From April 2017 the government removed social security support for new third children in families receiving Universal Credit or Tax Credits. Larger families (those with three or more children… Continue reading The two-child limit did not drive the rise in abortions in England and Wales

Why Financial Literacy Matters for Closing the U.K.’s ‘Advice Gap’

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Older couple meeting with a financial adviser, looking at charts and a laptop while discussing their finances.

This blog is based on an article published in Social Policy and Society by Julie Dick and Jacqueline Harvey. Planning for one’s retirement is more complex than it has ever been. Ageing populations, underfunded state pensions and economic instability are some factors contributing to the so-called pensions crisis. Lacking the required financial capability, many people… Continue reading Why Financial Literacy Matters for Closing the U.K.’s ‘Advice Gap’

The high-stakes gamble of father leave: Why political courage still falters

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This blog is based on an article published in the Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy by Martin Gurin and Janet C. Gornick. Imagine a policy so emblematic of gender equality that it ticks every box for progressives: dismantling breadwinner–caregiver stereotypes, promoting work–family balance, and boosting birth rates in ageing societies. And yet, in… Continue reading The high-stakes gamble of father leave: Why political courage still falters

Female Mayors Do Not Lead to Greater Childcare Provision: Evidence from Polish Municipalities

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This blog is based on an article published in the Journal of Social Policy by Adam Gendźwiłł, Jan Kroszka, Julita Łukomska, and Michał Pierzgalski. Does electing women to positions of power actually change policy outcomes? Our research provides a rather surprising answer: when it comes to childcare provision in Polish municipalities, a female mayor doesn't… Continue reading Female Mayors Do Not Lead to Greater Childcare Provision: Evidence from Polish Municipalities