Supporting families: A historical lens on the contradiction of support and neoliberal objectives
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr.v18i3.957Abstract
Abstract: An increased focus on ‘family’ has developed as part of the social investment state in many countries. In the particular case of England, an intensive state gaze on so-called Troubled Families has developed, where the emphasis is on families with more complex issues that draw on the financial resources of the state. Taking a historical perspective, an exploration of literature across several decades shows some continuity in the ideas of the troubled or problem family: interesting similarities across the decades are highlighted. Along with these portrayals, ideas about how such families can be supported are presented through this historical lens. Thus, contemporary support to families is then problematized, as arguably such support now occupies a space where the retrenched rights (to support) and the vigorously emphasised responsibilities (of individual behaviour and labour market activation) intersect. This article adds to debates on the discourse surrounding troubled families and the neoliberal policy management of the family, providing a discussion of the role of support in such a context.References
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Accepted 2016-10-31
Published 2016-11-17
