Stories of how to give or take – towards a typology of social policy reform narratives

Abstract

Narrative stories are crucial to policy change, as they decisively contribute to how policy problems and policies are defined. While this seems to apply for social policy in particular, narrative stories have remained under-researched and not systematically compared for this area. In this article, we theorise on narratives in social policy by focusing on how similarities and differences between narratives in old-and new-social-risks policy reforms can be conceptualised, taking into account expansion and retrenchment. To systematically link those types of social policy reform with narrative elements, we rely on stories of control and helplessness, as well as the deservingness or undeservingness associated with different target populations. Thereby, distinct types of social policy reform narratives are identified: stories of givingto-give, giving-to-shape, taking-to-take, taking-to-control, and takingout-of-helplessness. The article concludes with empirical illustrations of those narrative types, which stem from the case studies presented in this Special Issue.

Discarding social investment and redistribution in the name of austerity? The case of Finnish family policy reforms 2007—2015

“…These narrative patterns were linked to reforms in the protection against 'old risks', such as cuts in child benefits, but most notably to reforms in the protection against 'new social risks', such as the extension of the fathers' leave or the restriction of the universal right to full-time childcare. The narrative stories used in these manoeuvres followed a 'giving-to shape' pattern, but also a 'taking-tocontrol' or 'taking-out-of-helplessness' manner, as described by Blum and Kuhlmann elsewhere in this volume (Blum & Kuhlmann, 2019). For instance, a raise of child benefits can be portrayed as a natural development of earlier policies ('progress'), or as a willful and informed act to empower or improve the living conditions for the 'deserving' group that children constitute.…”

“…Moreover, constructions of target groups and their degree of deservingness (cf. Van Oorshot, 2006) are central for sustaining the stories (Blum & Kuhlmann, 2019;Stone, 2012). Policies to the poor can, for example, be scrapped by denying their deservingness, or by 'blaming the victim'.…”

“…According to Stone (2012), narrative stories usually revolve around two main nodal points, which are questions of 'change' and 'power' (see also Blum & Kuhlmann, 2019). When it comes to the first nodal point ('change'), the stories generally bifurcate into stories of 'progress' or 'decline'.…”

Reform narratives and argumentative coupling in German pension policy: constructing the ‘deserving retiree’

“…Second, since the policy itself was contested and repeatedly redefined in attempts to construct a stronger reform imperative (Cox, 2001). This can also be understood in terms of narrative stories, and that possible beneficiaries of a minimum-pension scheme as a group are heterogeneous and of varying, contested deservingness (Blum & Kuhlmann, 2019;Ingram et al, 2007): For instance, mothers who worked less due to childrearing tasks are typically viewed as deserving, while people receiving low pensions due to unemployment spells can even be constructed as undeserving deviants. While governing and opposition parties had similar proposals for minimum pensions, they diverged on who should be included or excluded, e.g.…”

Yet another paradigm change? Narratives and competing policy paradigms in Brazilian labour market policies

“…Both approaches stress the role of discourses in policymaking, particularly in policy change. Yet, in contrast to policy paradigms, narrative stories can be studied at a lower analytical level than paradigms (Blum & Kuhlmann, 2019). Stone's approach is likewise suitable for understanding the ideas and goals surrounding minor policy reforms.…”