Patterns of Welfare (WELZIJN IN PATRONEN )

BREDE KRISTENSEN

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Patterns of Welfare is about 5 different approaches to welfare and society. Social policy and work practice follow one of these patterns, or are inclined towards one. It is argued that different approaches follow a particular pattern, based on a set of particular ideas which are supposed to be essential to ‘society’. First pattern: societal life can be understood in terms of exchange, as a market (market pattern). Second pattern: societal life is ultimately about values and how to use values as point of orientation in life (value pattern). Third pattern: society cannot function without proper means of social control, prevention, correction, norm development. (pattern of order) Fourth pattern: policies and social work practice should be understood as problem solving instruments. (pattern of technique). Fifth pattern: there always is an undercurrent which we may call the encounter between people, resulting in dialogue, respect and meaningful change (pattern of encounter) There is ample attention to intra and inter-pattern dynamics, and the implications for social policies and methods of social work.