Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-9pm4c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-30T05:57:03.223Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Neoliberal Targeted Social Investment State: The Case of Ethnic Minorities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2018

AMOS ZEHAVI Open the ORCID record for AMOS ZEHAVI [Opens in a new window]  and
DAN BREZNITZ
AMOS ZEHAVI
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science and Department of Public Policy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel email: amos.zehavi@gmail.com
DAN BREZNITZ
Affiliation:
Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada email: dan.breznitz@utoronto.ca
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Neoliberal governance has been associated with rising inequality and economic exclusion. Recent scholarship proposes that the social investment state (SIS) is a turn away from such inequality and exclusion-enhancing neoliberalism. The ideal SIS responds to neoliberalism-generated social ills by investing in the productive capacities of all its citizens. However, commentators ask whether an SIS addresses the plight of weaker elements in society, specifically that of disadvantaged ethnic minorities. This paper looks specifically at this question by utilising a critical-case study research design of a surprising example of social investment in disadvantaged ethnic minorities: the extensive labour market policies for Israeli Arabs. This paper introduces the concept of a neoliberal targeted SIS in which social investment programmes are developed for economic reasons, promoted by neoliberal actors (right-wing parties and Ministries of Finance), target narrow groups instead of being applied to all, and the preferred mode for the delivery of services is private. Egalitarian outcomes – to the extent that they materialise – might be thought of as a policy by-product.

Type
Article
Information
Journal of Social Policy , Volume 48 , Issue 2 , April 2019 , pp. 207 - 225
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bender, A. (2014), ‘250 intellectuals and politicians signed a petition calling for a unified Jewish-Arab front’, Maariv, December 27 (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
Benita, R. (2016), ‘Public transportation services in Arab towns’, Knesset Research and Information Centre, Jerusalem (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
Beramendi, P., Hausermann, S., Kitschelt, H. and Kriesi, H., (eds.) (2015), The politics of advanced capitalism, New York: Cambridge University Press.10.1017/CBO9781316163245Google Scholar
Bloemraad, I. and Schönwälder, K. (2013), ‘Immigrant and ethnic minority representation in Europe: Conceptual challenges and theoretical approaches’, West European Politics 36, 3, 564–79.10.1080/01402382.2013.773724Google Scholar
Bonoli, G. (2012), ‘Active labour market policy and social investment: A changing relationship’, Morel, N. Palier, B. and Palme, J. (eds.), Towards a social investment welfare state? Ideas, policies and challenges, Great Britain, Policy Press.Google Scholar
Cantillon, B. and Van Lancker, W. (2013), ‘Three shortcomings of the social investment perspective’, Social Policy and Society, 12, 4, 553–64.10.1017/S1474746413000080Google Scholar
Chapple, S. (2016), ‘Australia can learn from the limitations of New Zealand's welfare reforms’ Theconversation.com (accessed: 22/1/18).Google Scholar
Council of Australian Governments (2015), ‘Closing the gap in indigenous disadvantage’, https://www.coag.gov.au/closing_the_gap_in_indigenous_disadvantage/ (accessed: 23/12/15).Google Scholar
De Deken, J. (2014), ‘Identifying the skeleton of the social investment state’, Cantillon, B. and Vandenbroucke, F. (eds.), Reconciling work and poverty reduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Deeming, C. and Smyth, P. (2015), ‘Social investment after neoliberalism: Policy paradigms and political platforms’, Journal of Social Policy, 44, 2, 297–318.10.1017/S0047279414000828Google Scholar
Deeming, C. and Smyth, P. (2018), Reframing global social policy: social investment for sustainable and inclusive growth, Bristol: Policy Press.Google Scholar
George, A. L. and Bennett, A. (2005), Case studies and theory development in the social sciences, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.Google Scholar
Givens, T. E. (2007) ‘Immigrant integration in Europe: Empirical research’, Annual Review of Political Science, 10, 1, 67–83.10.1146/annurev.polisci.9.062404.162347Google Scholar
Greenberg, D. H., et al. (2003), ‘A meta-analysis of government-sponsored training programs’, ILR Review, 57, 1, 31–53.10.1177/001979390305700102Google Scholar
Häusermann, S. (2010), The politics of welfare state reform in continental Europe: modernization in hard times, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.10.1017/CBO9780511750588Google Scholar
Heinesen, E., et al. (2013), ‘The effects of active labour market policies for immigrants receiving social assistance in Denmark’, IZA Journal of Migration 2, 1, 2–15.10.1186/2193-9039-2-15Google Scholar
Hemerijck, A. (2013), Changing welfare states, Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Hemerijck, A. (2015), ‘The quiet paradigm revolution of social investment’, Social Politics, 22, 2, 242–56.10.1093/sp/jxv009Google Scholar
Israel Government Decision 922 (30 December, 2015).Google Scholar
Jamal, A. (2011), Arab minority nationalism in Israel: the politics of indigeneity, London: Routledge.10.4324/9780203830697Google Scholar
Jenson, J. (2012), ‘A new politics for the social investment perspective’, Bonoli, G. and Natali, D. (eds.), The politics of the new welfare state, Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Kuitto, K. (2016), ‘From social security to social investment? Compensating and social investment welfare policies in a life-course perspective’, Journal of European Social Policy, 26, 5, 442–59.10.1177/0958928716664297Google Scholar
McClure, P., Sinclair, S. and Aird, W. (2015), A new system for better employment and social outcomes: Report of the reference group on welfare reform to the minister for social services, Department of Social Services.Google Scholar
Midgley, J., Dahl, E. and Wright, A. (eds.) (2017), Social investment and social welfare: international and critical perspectives, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.10.4337/9781785367830Google Scholar
Ministry of the Economy (2014), ‘Increasing the qualified labor force supply required by the technology intensive industry’, Inter-Department Steering Committee, Jerusalem (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
Ministry of the Economy (2016), Program Assessment Figures (In Hebrew, Non-published documents).Google Scholar
Morel, N., Palier, B. and Palme, J. (eds.) (2012), Towards a social investment welfare state: ideas, policies and challenges, Bristol, UK: Policy Press.Google Scholar
Morel, N., Palier, B. and Palme, J. (2015) ‘The long road towards a social investment welfare state’, Hasmath, R. (ed.), Inclusive growth, development and welfare policy: a critical assessment, New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
National Insurance Institute (2012), ‘Poverty and social gaps in 2011: Annual report’, Endeweld, M. et al. (eds.), Jerusalem (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
OECD (2011), ‘Divided we stand: Why inequality keeps rising’, Paris.Google Scholar
OECD (2012), ‘Activating jobseekers: How Australia does it’.Google Scholar
OECD (2015a), Table B4.2 ‘Education at a glance 2015’.Google Scholar
OECD (2015b), ‘Employment and skills strategies in Israel’, Paris.Google Scholar
OECD.stat (2017), ‘Public expenditure and participant stocks on LMP’, https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=LMPEXP (accessed: 21/10/2016).Google Scholar
Office of the Chief Scientist (2015), Correspondence with author, December 21.Google Scholar
Pickles, J. and Begg, R. B. (2000), ‘Ethnicity, state violence, and neo-liberal transitions in post-communist Bulgaria’, Growth and Change 31, 2, 179–210.10.1111/0017-4815.00125Google Scholar
Prime Minister's Office (2013), ‘Annual report 2012’, Authority for the Economic Development of the Arab Druze and Circassian Sectors, Jerusalem (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
Reiter, Y. (2009), National minority, regional majority: Palestinian Arabs versus Jews in Israel, Syracuse: Syracuse University Press.Google Scholar
Rueda, D. (2005), ‘Insider–outsider politics in industrialized democracies: the challenge to social democratic parties’, American Political Science Review, 99, 1, 61–74.10.1017/S000305540505149XGoogle Scholar
Shaviv, M. et al. (2013), ‘Pluralism and equal opportunity in higher education: Expanding access for Arabs, Druze and Circassians in Israel’, Report by the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education, Jerusalem, Council for Higher Education.Google Scholar
Singer, R. (2015), ‘The government approved the five-year plan for the Arab sector’, Calcalist, December 30 (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
Solomon, I. (2011), ‘Netanyahu: We are not taking advantage of Arab and ultra-Orthodox potential’, Haaretz, March 23 (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
TASC Consulting & Capital (2015), ‘A program for the systemic economic incorporation of Arab society’, Ministry of Finance and Prime Minister's Office, Jerusalem (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
Trehan, N. and Sigona, N. (2010), Romani politics in contemporary Europe: poverty, ethnic mobilization, and the neo-liberal order, Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Vandenbroucke, F. and Vleminckx, K. (2011), ‘Disappointing poverty trends: Is the social investment state to blame?’ Journal of European Social Policy, 21, 5, 450–71.10.1177/0958928711418857Google Scholar
Van Kersbergen, K. and Hemerijck, A. (2012), ‘Two decades of change in Europe: the emergence of the social investment state’, Journal of Social Policy, 41, 3, 475–92.10.1017/S0047279412000050Google Scholar
Van Vliet, O. and Wang, C. (2015), ‘Social investment and poverty reduction: A comparative analysis across fifteen European countries’, Journal of Social Policy, 44, 3, 611–38.10.1017/S0047279415000070Google Scholar
Yashiv, E. and Kasir, N. (2013), ‘The Arab Israeli labor market: a survey and policy alternatives’, Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv University.Google Scholar
Yiftachel, O. (2006), Ethnocracy: land and identity politics in Israel/Palestine, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.Google Scholar