Between neoliberalism and nationalist populism: what role for the 'European social model' and social quality in post-Brexit Europe?

Corbett, Steven and Alan, Walker (2018) Between neoliberalism and nationalist populism: what role for the 'European social model' and social quality in post-Brexit Europe? Social Policy and Society. ISSN 1474-7464 (Accepted for Publication)

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Abstract

This article investigates the idea of ‘the social’ in Europe after the UK's EU Referendum vote, with reference to the 'European social model'. It is argued that the key drivers of the vote outcome did not feature in the referendum campaign but are features of longer running and deeper fractures in both British and wider European society. Especially, the lack of response to societal problems, the downplaying of individual participation, and a crisis in democracy created by an increasingly neoliberal direction within an EU concerned with austerity and social control, contrary to the values of the 'European social model' (Walker, 2005). In the absence of action for better ‘social quality’, this overall neoliberal direction has also weakened the progressive and integrative potential of social policy. The result is the regressive nationalist populist backlash against neoliberal technocracy. Instead, we argue that answers to contemporary European challenges must focus on improving social quality and democracy.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information and Comments:	Steve Corbett (2018). Between neoliberalism and nationalist populism: what role for the 'European social model' and social quality in post-Brexit Europe? Social Policy and Society. Copyright held by Cambridge University Press.
Keywords:	Brexit European social model Populism Social dimension Social quality
Faculty / Department:	Faculty of Education and Social Sciences > School of Social Sciences
Depositing User:	Steven Corbett
Date Deposited:	05 Sep 2018 08:52
Last Modified:	17 Oct 2018 08:29
URI:	https://hira.hope.ac.uk/id/eprint/2596

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