School of Sociology and Social Policy

Professor Alan Deacon

Emeritus Professor of Social Policy

I have been Professor of Social Policy at Leeds since 1990, and I was a member of the ESRC Research Group on Care Values and the Future of Welfare between 1999 and 2005. I am an Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences and was Chair of the Social Policy Association from 2001 to 2004.

Research Interests

The focus of my work is upon the current debates about the future direction of welfare reform in Britain and the United States. I am especially interested in the assumptions about human nature and motivation that underpin these debates.

Teaching

I teach a year two undergraduate module on New Labour's welfare policies. This is currently being revised and will be reintroduced in 2009 as 'New Labour, Crime and Welfare'. I also teach a year three undergraduate module on 'Family Work and Welfare in Britain and the United States.'

PhD Supervision

I have supervised four PhD students in the last few years, all of whom completed successfully. I am currently supervising two more students. Research subjects have covered a range of New Labour's welfare policies, including welfare to work, the new deal for communities and provision for the homeless.

Key Publications

Books

Deacon, A.J. (2002) Perspectives on welfare: ideas, ideologies and policy debates. Open University Press.

Chapters in Books

Deacon, A.J. (2005) 'An Ethic of Mutual Responsibility? Toward A Fuller Justification for Conditionality in Welfare'. In: Lawrence M Mead and Christopher Beem (eds.) Welfare Reform and Political Theory, Russell Sage Foundation.

Journal Articles

Deacon, A.J. (2003) 'Levelling the playing field, activating the players': New Labour and 'the cycle of disadvantage'. Policy and Politics, 31(2).

Deacon, A.J. (2004) 'Justifying conditionality: the case of anti-social tenants'. Housing Studies, 19(6).

Deacon, A.J. (2007) 'Civic Labour or Doulia? Care, Reciprocity and Welfare'. Social Policy and Society, 6(4).

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