Research Guides: Social Policy: Home

Contributors

Dr. Vashalice Kaaba - Library Research and Grant Assessment Graduate Assistant (2024)

Rebecca Loch - MSW Candidate: Social Leadership (2024)

Assessment Librarian

Kirsten Kinsley

she/her

Email Me

Contact:

116 Honors Way
Strozier Library

(850) 645-9347

Subjects: Criminology and Criminal Justice, Psychology, Social Work

WELCOME TO THE SOCIAL POLICY GUIDE!

Social Policies are "courses of action adopted by formal organizations" to determine and document their governance, prescriptions, and routines which are:

Designed to enhance peoples' welfare and well-being
Concerned with many aspects of social welfare, including health, housing, education, income, and nutrition, to name but a few.
Formulated to meet the needs of groups such as needy children, people with disabilities, low-income families, and elderly people" (Midgely & Livermore, 2009, p.x).

The purpose of this guide is to help you gain an understanding of social policy, its development, and the ability to access social policies that are interesting or important to you. We aim to create an FSU community of informed and engaged individuals well-equipped to navigate and contribute positively to the societal landscape.

Help you to find resources on social work policy
Develop your policy literacy

How to use this guide: It was developed so that students studying social courses can determine which resources are available via their university library and the tools they need to find policies. Pages are broken down by welfare group or by topic.

References

Midgley, J. (2009). The definition of social policy. In The Handbook of Social Policy ( 2 ed., pp. 3-20). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452204024

Core Databases

PAIS Index This link opens in a new window
PAIS (Public Affairs Information Service) Index provides materials on public affairs from 1972 to date. Includes articles, books, conference proceedings, government documents, book chapters, and statistical directories about public affairs. Contains a variety of international sources including journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference papers, web content, and more.
Subject coverage:
Administration of justice
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
Banking and finance
Business and service sector
Culture and religion
Economic conditions
Education
Energy resources and policy
Environment
Government
Health conditions
Human rights
International Relations
Labor conditions and policy
Law and ethics
Manufacturing and industry
Media and communications
Military and defense policy
Politics
Population and demographics
Science and technology
Social conditions
Trade
Transportation

Abbreviation: pais
Vendor: ProQuest
Coverage: 1972–Current
Subjects: International Affairs, Political Science, Urban and Regional Planning, Public Health, Asian Studies, Latin American & Caribbean Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Russian & Eastern European Studies
Type: E-Book Collections, E-Journal Collections, Indexes / Catalogs
Policy File Index This link opens in a new window
Policy File Index includes access to timely, updated information from over 350 public policy think tanks, nongovernmental organizations, research institutes, university centers, advocacy groups, and other entities.
Abbreviation: pqpfi
Vendor: ProQuest
Subjects: Economics, International Affairs, Political Science, Public Administration and Policy
Type: Indexes / Catalogs
Social Sciences Full Text This link opens in a new window
Social Sciences Full Text covers a wide array of areas, including addiction studies, ethics, public welfare, urban studies and much more. Covering the latest concepts, theories and methods from both applied and theoretical aspects of the social sciences, this full-text resource provides access to a wide assortment of the most important English-language social science journals.
Abbreviation: ssft
Vendor: EBSCO
Coverage: 1983–Current
Subjects: Anthropology, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Demography and Population Studies, Early Childhood Education, Economics, Geography, Human Development & Family Science, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration and Policy, Public Health, Social Work, Sociology, Women's and Gender Studies
Type: E-Journal Collections, Indexes / Catalogs
Social Science Premium Collection (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
This collection provides access to databases covering the international literature in the social sciences, including politics, sociology, social services, anthropology, criminology and education. Featured databases include IBSS, PAIS and Sociological Abstracts. Together, they provide abstracts, indexing and full-text coverage of journal articles, books, book chapters, dissertations, working papers and more, including deep indexing and full text from over 1000 important social science journals
Abbreviation: sspc
Vendor: ProQuest
Coverage: 1871–Current
Subjects: *General / Multi-Subject, Anthropology, Art, Art Education, Art Therapy, Communication, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Demography and Population Studies, Early Childhood Education, Economics, Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Educational Psychology, Exceptional Student Education, Higher Education, Hospitality, Human Development & Family Science, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration and Policy, Public Health, Public Safety and Security, Social Work, Sociocultural and International Education, Sociology, Sport Psychology, Teacher Education, Urban and Regional Planning, Women's and Gender Studies
Type: Indexes / Catalogs

Glossary

Social Policy:

Source:

General Resources

43 Essential Policies for Human Services Professionals by Gerald V. OBrien
ISBN: 9780871015747
Publication Date: 2021-11-01
Disabled Rights by Jacqueline Vaughn Switzer
ISBN: 0878408975
Publication Date: 2003-02-13
The Handbook of Social Policy by James Midgley and Michelle Livermore
ISBN: 9781452239101
Publication Date: 2008
An Introduction to Social Policy by Peter Dwyer (Editor); Sandra Shaw (Editor) An Introduction to Social Policyexplores essential welfare topics, themes and issues for students studying social policy or related disciplines such as sociology, social work, or nursing and social care. - Part One examines key concepts including welfare, social justice, diversity and health and well-being. - Part Two explores policy issues in relation to key stages of the lifecourse. - Part Three takes a comparative perspective, discussing the international issues and supranational bodies that impact on British and European social policy today. The concise chapters define the key terms and outline the central debates, giving students a fundamental foundation for their degree. Chapter overviews and summaries guide readers through the book, and questions for reflection conclude each chapter to test readers′ knowledge. This book is essential reading for all students of social policy and the social sciences, as well as those taking joint honours programmes in social work, sociology, criminology, politics and social care. Peter Dwyer is Professor of Social Policy at the University of Salford. Sandra Shaw is Senior Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Salford.
ISBN: 9781446207598
Publication Date: 2013-04-05
Political Social Work: Using Power to Create Social Change by Lane, S. & Pritzker, S.
ISBN: 9783319685885
Publication Date: 2018
Understanding Theories and Concepts in Social Policy by Ruth Lister
ISBN: 9781447339410
Publication Date: 2024

Policy Websites

Brookings Insitute "The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to conduct in-depth, nonpartisan research to improve policy and governance at local, national, and global levels."
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities "We are a nonpartisan research and policy institute that advances federal and state policies to help build a nation where everyone — regardless of income, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, ZIP code, immigration status, or disability status — has the resources they need to thrive and share in the nation’s prosperity."
National Association of Social Workers - Advocacy "NASW has developed a policy agenda, which asserts the association’s advocacy priorities for the legislative cycle."
The PolicyArchive "PolicyArchive is a comprehensive digital library of public policy research containing over 30,000 documents."
The Urban Insitute "To open minds, shape decisions, and offer solutions through economic and social policy research."
Social Work Policy Institute "The Social Work Policy Institute (SWPI) is a think tank established within the NASW Foundation. It examines issues that relate to the work of social workers, including how to serve people who have multiple or complex needs and how public agencies and other structures deliver health and human services."