Regimes of Exclusion

Abstract

The concept of welfare regimes has a long pedigree inspired by the work of Gosta Esping-Andersen. This article seeks to examine the exclusionary effects of contrasting systems of welfare as manifested within two of Esping-Andersen’s regime categories, the conservative regime of Germany and the liberal regime of the UK. Using a case-study approach, empirical research has centred on social housing provision in the northern German city of Hamburg and the southern English city of Southampton. These case-studies demonstrate how different regimes produce different variants of social policy despite very similar objectives. The resulting manifestations of exclusion reflect the ideology of the underlying systems as Esping-Andersen’s categories have indicated. The aim of this paper is therefore to examine the manifestations of exclusion as operationalized by contrasting welfare regimes. These exclusionary tendencies are placed within the ideological discourse of citizenship as currently illustrated by the contrasting states, while the continuing relevance of Esping-Andersen’s regime categories are reexamined.