Building from the Bottom: How is Social Innovation transforming Social Policy?

In this lecture Professor Evers will be reflecting and building on the research carried out as part of his participations in a recent transnational EU-funded research project, looking at local innovations and policy developments in twenty cities across Europe. The lecture will focus on three key themes.

Professor Evers will explore the pros and cons of a new approach to changing practices in policy delivery. In particular the extent to which Social Innovation can provide a pathway to social change that is distinctive from both market and state driven practices.

Looking in more detail at the field of social services, he will question whether something like a ‘shared ratio’ is taking shape, through the role of innovations in shifting the balance of responsibility for service provision.

Thirdly he will examine the extent to which welfare policies traditionally dominated by centrally driven direction and reform can respond reflectively to the nudges and nuances of social innovations emanating from new social actors.

Building from the bottom: how is social innovation transforming social policy?