Discuss the evidence that social policy constructs personal lives
Discuss the evidence that social policy constructs personal lives.
In order to assess whether social policy constructs personal lives this essay will focus on exploring the 'mutual constitution ' of personal lives and social policy with a focus on the social divisions of gender, age and class. Personal narratives and themes of ‘work’ and ‘care’ can be used to assist in evidence and inform discussion. However, theoretical perspectives, such as, Feminism and Marxism, along with Post-structural can also provide a lens through which to explore this relationship between the ‘personal’ and social policy. The aim will be to focus the various concepts and theoretical perspectives mentioned above, to the theme of new mothers and consider how the personal lives of new mothers can mutually consist within social policies at three different levels; state level, service level and individual level. To use these levels will enable a clearer lens on determining the evidence that social policy constructs personal lives. Before this can be discussed fully it may be useful to briefly define these three core concepts; personal, social policy and mutual constitution.
The ‘personal’ can be defined as experiences and life events of the mundane everyday life, this includes psychic states, emotions and memories (Gail Lewis, 2009), however, the ‘personal’ does not always mean private and this can be explored further using personal narratives and other forms of qualitative research. Social policy is not just a set of policies alone, it also consists of practices and professionals, and it is for this reason that personal lives and collide or consist with social policies at different levels, this is referred to as ‘mutual constitution’. The first level can be seen as state level, whereby, the stat can hold responsibility for structuring personal lives through legalities and opportunities, for example, for new mothers their personal experiences of becoming a mother can be impact or shaped by
In order to assess whether social policy constructs personal lives this essay will focus on exploring the 'mutual constitution ' of personal lives and social policy with a focus on the social divisions of gender, age and class. Personal narratives and themes of ‘work’ and ‘care’ can be used to assist in evidence and inform discussion. However, theoretical perspectives, such as, Feminism and Marxism, along with Post-structural can also provide a lens through which to explore this relationship between the ‘personal’ and social policy. The aim will be to focus the various concepts and theoretical perspectives mentioned above, to the theme of new mothers and consider how the personal lives of new mothers can mutually consist within social policies at three different levels; state level, service level and individual level. To use these levels will enable a clearer lens on determining the evidence that social policy constructs personal lives. Before this can be discussed fully it may be useful to briefly define these three core concepts; personal, social policy and mutual constitution.
The ‘personal’ can be defined as experiences and life events of the mundane everyday life, this includes psychic states, emotions and memories (Gail Lewis, 2009), however, the ‘personal’ does not always mean private and this can be explored further using personal narratives and other forms of qualitative research. Social policy is not just a set of policies alone, it also consists of practices and professionals, and it is for this reason that personal lives and collide or consist with social policies at different levels, this is referred to as ‘mutual constitution’. The first level can be seen as state level, whereby, the stat can hold responsibility for structuring personal lives through legalities and opportunities, for example, for new mothers their personal experiences of becoming a mother can be impact or shaped by