Landscapes of voluntarism: New spaces of health, welfare and governance - Hardcover

"... extremely comprehensive and useful, with a wide range of topics and excellent examples of research by leading scholars. Landscapes of voluntarism would be of great interest to anyone involved in social policy, sociology and health, and probably other areas I haven't thought of!" Volunteering England "This is a fascinating book...." Journal of Social Policy "This impressive volume brings together a diverse range of contributions around the central theme of voluntarism ... a valuable and thought-provoking reference work for policy-makers and other end-users as well as for academic researchers from far beyond that discipline." European Journal of Social Security "Stimulating and informative; this book deals with a broad range of issues (from governance to volunteering) and so provides the reader with an remarkable view of the 'landscape of voluntarism'. There is a wealth of excellent, informed research and this will provide inspiration for students, academics, researchers, practitioners and policy makers alike." Dr Clare Fisher, Head of Department, Voluntary Sector Studies, University of Wales, Lampeter

This book brings together a collection of new and innovative work by researchers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK - settings where issues of voluntarism and participation have become increasingly important for the development and delivery of social welfare policy. Prefaced by one of the foremost geographers in this field, it contains empirical and theoretical work from both new and well-established geographers. The chapters explore the interactions between voluntarism and a range of issues including governance, health, community action, faith, ethnicity, counselling, advocacy and professionalisation. The book will be of interest not only to students and researchers in human geography but also to those working in social policy, sociology, health and political science. The detailed case material will also be of particular interest to practitioners working in the fields of health, governance, social welfare and social exclusion.