8th Annual Conference of ESPAnet-Italy, the Italian network for the analysis of Social Policy

Welfare in Italia e welfare globale: esperienze e modelli di sviluppo a confronto
(Welfare in Italy and global welfare: comparing experiences and models of development)

Fisciano (Salerno), 17-19 September 2015

In light of the current global economic crisis, European Union (EU) austerity policies and persistent administrative weaknesses, new social risks have heightened, putting Italian welfare system under strain, particularly within the Mezzogiorno. Social policies have sought to address most compelling needs, within the broad-based EU framework, undergoing major transformations over the past decade. The analysis of newly emergent social protection systems throughout the world as well as the historical reconstruction of our country’s poverty and prosperity phases has remained in the background. Yet, both the historical and cross-sectional perspectives would be useful to innovate and better tailor welfare policies.

The aim of the 2015 ESPAnet Italy’s eighth conference is to integrate the historical analysis of Italian social policies with the cross-sectional comparison of new welfare systems emerging both in Europe and throughout the world. The idea underlying the conference consists of historically re-examining the Italian experience and mirroring it with other developing social protection systems, specifically within rapidly growing countries. International, European, and Italian scholars and practitioners will debate on the past and the future of our welfare, presenting most interesting cases from the North and the South of the world and of our country.

The following sessions will be held entirely or partly in English:
Session 1: Different analytical levels of social and health integration
Session 2: The aging population and the economic downturn: the double crisis of the care sector
Session 9: Besides the local welfare: circuits of “informal” welfare, between self-organization and trust networks
Session 11: Bringing employers' strategies back in: the impact of organisational practices on job quality and inequalities
Session 16: The many faces of flexicurity: theories, rethorics and practices
Session 17: Changing Welfare in Latin America and Europe: Moving Forward or Backward?
Session 19: Childhood and policies between old and new social risks

Website: http://www.espanet-italia.net/conferenza2015
Online registration available until July 31st
Eearly bird registration ends on June 30th .
For further information: espanet2015@unisa.it

Best Regards,
Stefania Sabatinelli