What are social policies?How are social policies created and implemented?Why do certain policies exist?The fourth edition of this highly respected textbook provides a clear and engaging introduction to social policy.The book has been thoroughly updated to include:O Changes in social policy introduced by the Coalition governmentO Incorporation of an international perspective throughout, as well as anew chapter: The global social policy environmentO Updated pedagogy to stimulate thought and learningO Comprehensive glossarySocial Policy is essential reading for students beginning or building on their study of social policy or welfare. The wide-ranging coverage of topics means that the book holds broad appeal for a number of subject areas including health, social policy, criminology, education, social work and sociology.This textbook has always been a useful teaching resource because it combines substantial and engaging analysis with 'stand alone' extracts. The new edition adds a chapter on global social policy, updates on the Coalition Government and guides to what is in the book. The added activities are well thought out and can be adapted or expanded to suit the needs of particular students.Hedley Bashforth, Teaching Fellow in Social Policy, University of Bath, UKSocial Policy: An Introduction, now in its fourth edition and eleventh year, will remain a core social policy text on reading lists across the country due to its well written and comprehensive nature. Completely revised, it has been updated and extended to reflect contemporary developments in social policy and contains updated pedagogical features, including activities for the reader, learning outcomes at the start of each chapter and detailed case studies throughout.Dr Liam Foster, University of Sheffield, UKThis book provides, as it states, an introduction to the field and does so by adopting a highly attractive pedagogic style that evidences, at every turn, a sensitivity to the approaches to learning of contemporary students. What Blakemore and Warwick-Booth have produced is a clearly laid out and well-structured analysis of impressive breadth that is a readily accessible learning instrument both for student and teacher. Importantly, it provides numerous opportunities to experiment with new ways of approaching the teaching of the subject.Steen Mangen, Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK