The phrase 'meeting needs' is commonly used in social and educational policy-making. But what does it mean? In this article, it is suggested that it should be understood as an 'objective factity': 'meeting needs' is merely a defensive slogan, propagated to protect areas of work and expertise, and in particular to justify the claim for increasingly scarce resources. Such an analysis of 'meeting needs' is obviously less concerned with the inherent logic or philosophy of the concept, and more with its ideological nature as a political and professional strategy, contributing both directly and indirectly to the maintenance of the status quo, as part of the cultural hegemony.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bradshaw, J.1972: 'The concept of social need'. New Society , 19, 496, 640-643
2.
Community Development Project1974: Inter-ProjsctReport. London: CDP Information and Intelligence Unit
3.
Community Development Project1975: Forward Plan 1975-76. London: CDP Information and Intelligence Unit
4.
Community Development Project1977: Gilding the Ghetto: The State and Poverty Experiments. London: Urban Deprivation Unit, HMSO
5.
Culyer, A.1976: Need and the National Health Service . Oxford: Martin Robertson
6.
Esland, G.1980: 'Professions and professionalism' in Esland, G and Salaman, G (eds): The Politics ofwork and Occupations . Milton Keynes: Open University Press
7.
George, V. and Wilding, P.1976: Ideology and Social Welfare. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul
8.
Hanmer, J. and Rose, H.1975: 'Community participation and social change' in Jones, D and Mayo, M (eds): Community Work Two. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul
9.
Hatch, S., Fox, E. and Legg, C.1977: Research and Reform: Southward CDP, 1969-72 . London: Urban Deprivation Unit, HMSO
10.
Hearn, J.1982: 'The professions and the semi-professions: the control of emotions and the construction of masculinity'. Unpublished paper delivered at British Sociological Association Annual Conference, Owens Park, Manchester
11.
Heller, A.1974: The Theory of Need in Marx. London: Allison and Busby/Spokesman Books
12.
Higgins, J.1980: 'Social control: theories of social policy'. Journal of Social Policy, 9, 1, 1-21
13.
Illich, I. et al . 1977: Disabling Professions . London: Marion Boyars
14.
Jepson, N.1973: The Beginnings of English University Adult Education . London: Michael Joseph
15.
Johnson, T.1972: Professions and Power. London : Macmillan
16.
Johnson, T.1980: 'Work and power' in Esland, G and Salaman, G (eds): The Politics of Work and Occupations
17.
. Milton Keynes: The Open University Press
18.
Keddie, N.1980: 'Adult education: an ideology of individualism' in Thompson, J (ed): Adult Education for a Change . London: Hutchinson
19.
Larson, M.1977: The Rise of Professionalism. Los Angeles: University of California Press
20.
Lawless, P.1979: Urban Deprivation and Government Initiative . London: Faber and Faber
21.
Lawson, K.1975: Philosophical Concepts and Values in Adult Education . Nottingham: University of Nottingham/NIAE
22.
Lukes, S.1974: Power. A Radical View. London : Macmillan
23.
McIntosh, M.1978: 'The state and the oppression of women' in Kuhn, A and Wolpe, A-M (eds), Feminism and Materialism . London: Routledge and Kegan Paul
24.
McIntosh, M.1981: 'Feminism and social policy'. Critical Social Policy, 1, 1, 32-42
25.
McKinlay, J.B.1973: 'On the professional regulation of change' in Halmos, P (ed): Professionalisation and Social Change . Keele: Sociological Review Monograph
26.
McKnight, J.1977: 'Professionalised service and disabling help' in Illich, I et.al. Disabling Professions . London: Marion Boyars
27.
Marcuse, H.1968: One Dimensional Man. London : Sphere Books
28.
Mayo, M.1975: 'Community development a radical alternative?' in Bailey, R and Brake, M (eds): Radical Social Work . London: Edward Arnold
29.
Mellor, M.1980: 'Action research as sociological praxis'. Unpublished paper delivered at British Sociological Association Annual Conference, Lancaster
30.
Parry, N. and Parry, J.1972: 'Power, class and occupational strategy'. Unpublished paper delivered at British Sociological Association Annual Conference
31.
Rose, H. and Hanmer, J.1980: 'Making sense of theory' in Henderson, P, Jones, D and Thomas, D.N: The Boundaries of Change in Community Work . London: George Allen and Unwin
32.
Seebohm Report, 1968: Local Authority and Allied Personal Services. London: HMSO
33.
Smith, G.1980: Social Need. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul
34.
Taylor-Gooby, P. and Dale, J.1981: Social Theory and Social Welfare. London: Edward Arnold
35.
Thompson, J. et a l. 1981: Women, Class and adult Education. Southampton: Department of Adut Education, University of Southampton
36.
Wilding, P.1981a: Socialism and Professionalism. London: Fabian Society
37.
Wilding, P.1981b: Professions and Power. London : Routledge and Kegan Paul
38.
Williams, A.1978: "'Need" - an economic exegesis' in Culyer, A and Wright, K (eds): Economic Aspects of Health Services . Oxford: Martin Robertson
39.
Wilson, E.1980:'Feminism and social work' in Brake, M and Bailey, (eds): Radical Social Work in Practice. London : Edward Arnold
40.
Wiltshire, H.1973: 'The concepts of learning and need in adult education' . Studies in Adult Education, 5,1, 26-30
