Ideal Types in Comparative Social Policy

Christian Aspalter is Professor of Social Policy, Former Founding Head, Social Work and Social Administration Program, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, Zhuhai, China. His most recent publications include The Routledge Handbook to Welfare State Systems (editor, Routledge, 2017).

Part I: Introduction. 1. Introduction: Ideal Types and the Law of Social and Cultural Entropy. Part II: Comparative Theory and Background. 2. The Genesis of Comparative Social Policy. 3. The Genesis of Welfare Regime Theory. 4 The Importance of Distinguishing Between Ideal-Typical and Real-Typical Models. 5. Back to the Origins: The Ideal-Type Methodology in Social Sciences as Developed by Max Weber. Part III: Applying Ideal Types in Comparative Theory and Methodology. 6. Ten Worlds of Welfare Regimes: Applying Ideal-Typical Welfare Regimes in Welfare State System Comparison. 7. From Ideal Types to Health Care System Typologies: Dimensions, Labels, and Country Classifications. 8. Applying Ideal Types in Long-Term Care Analysis. 9. Applying Ideal Types in Employment Policy Comparison: The Example of Employer Services. 10. Weberian Ideal Types as a Method to Quantify Qualitative Data in Comparative Welfare State Analysis. Part IV: Concluding Part. 11. From Descriptive to Normative Comparative Social Policy: By Way of Conclusion. Epilogue.