Drawing on a wide array of policy domains and events, this book provides an innovative account of social control and behaviourism within welfare systems and social policies, and the implications for disadvantaged groups.

This accessible collection reviews the controls, assumptions and persuasions applied to individuals and households and explores broader themes, including how ‘new behaviourism’ was consolidated during the New Labour and Cameron periods.

Social policy and social control offers timely engagements with key issues for researchers and policy makers, and is relevant for students in social policy, sociology, socio-legal studies, social work and social care, disability studies, human geography, politics and public policy, and gender, family and life course studies.

"The text provides an explicit focus on a concept which cuts across policy areas and as such is an invaluable resource for students of social policy. But it also encourages the reader to consider how some of the changes to the presentation of social problems and the policy responses in turn shape how citizens perceive themselves, their communities, and the role of the state." LSE Review of Books
"A wake up call" Citizen's Income
“This very well edited volume offers a range of new and established voices in the field and presents a penetrating critique of new forms of social control across a range of social policy fields. Opening up new avenues for analysis, the book serves as a wake-up call about contemporary threats to welfare and social solidarity and should be widely read by students, academics, practitioners and policy makers.” Professor John Flint, Head of Department of Town and Regional Planning, University of Sheffield
“This unique collection asks important normative and evaluative questions about techniques used to `responsibilise’ citizens, illustrating vividly the wider implications of the ceaseless pursuit of moral welfare on arguably the most `vulnerable’ groups.” Dr Emma Wincup, University of Leeds
"This book is greatly to be welcomed. Examining developments in UK social policy during a period of deep crisis, the contributions to this volume remind us that 'welfare' is always and forever about politics, power and control." Professor Nicholas Ellison, University of York

Malcolm Harrison is an Emeritus Professor at the School of Sociology and Social Policy in the University of Leeds, and has published widely on social policy, housing, urban issues and difference.

Teela Sanders is a Reader in Sociology in the School of Sociology and Social Policy at Leeds, with extensive research, publishing and teaching experience related to gender, regulation, the sex industry and social control.