Poverty and the transformation of the welfare (state) arrangement. Food banks and the charity economy in Germany

We are currently witnessing a shift in the public response to poverty within our societies. The establishment and consolidation of food banks in Germany and in many other western European countries change the character of the welfare state. Food banks along with similar voluntary and charity-based i...

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Main Author: Holger Schoneville
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Social Work & Society 2019-04-01
Series:Social Work and Society
Subjects:
Online Access:http://132.195.130.183/index.php/sws/article/view/1569
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author Holger Schoneville
author_facet Holger Schoneville
author_sort Holger Schoneville
collection DOAJ
description We are currently witnessing a shift in the public response to poverty within our societies. The establishment and consolidation of food banks in Germany and in many other western European countries change the character of the welfare state. Food banks along with similar voluntary and charity-based institutions provide support in the form of basic goods (food, clothes, "¦), that have been collected as donations, to people in need. They are part of a sector, that has formed itself as a"charity economye". Behind the"charity economye" phenomenon lies a shift regarding the responsibility from the state towards private, voluntary actors. Within this shift not only the form - in which support is provided - changes from an approach that is based on individual rights towards an act of charitable"givinge", but also the target of the support itself: it is focused on alleviating poverty but is neither intended nor capable of fighting the structural conditions which constitute poverty. These transformations in the way in which modern Western societies respond to poverty constitute a different form of relationship between individuals, the state and society as a whole; they are a part and a symbol of the rearrangement of the social.
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spelling doaj-art-0bee18869ff94e0ba2c0c966a29931f22025-08-20T03:58:32ZengSocial Work & SocietySocial Work and Society1613-89532019-04-01162Poverty and the transformation of the welfare (state) arrangement. Food banks and the charity economy in GermanyHolger SchonevilleWe are currently witnessing a shift in the public response to poverty within our societies. The establishment and consolidation of food banks in Germany and in many other western European countries change the character of the welfare state. Food banks along with similar voluntary and charity-based institutions provide support in the form of basic goods (food, clothes, "¦), that have been collected as donations, to people in need. They are part of a sector, that has formed itself as a"charity economye". Behind the"charity economye" phenomenon lies a shift regarding the responsibility from the state towards private, voluntary actors. Within this shift not only the form - in which support is provided - changes from an approach that is based on individual rights towards an act of charitable"givinge", but also the target of the support itself: it is focused on alleviating poverty but is neither intended nor capable of fighting the structural conditions which constitute poverty. These transformations in the way in which modern Western societies respond to poverty constitute a different form of relationship between individuals, the state and society as a whole; they are a part and a symbol of the rearrangement of the social. http://132.195.130.183/index.php/sws/article/view/1569Food banksCharity economyWelfare transformation
spellingShingle Holger Schoneville
Poverty and the transformation of the welfare (state) arrangement. Food banks and the charity economy in Germany
Social Work and Society
Food banks
Charity economy
Welfare transformation
title Poverty and the transformation of the welfare (state) arrangement. Food banks and the charity economy in Germany
title_full Poverty and the transformation of the welfare (state) arrangement. Food banks and the charity economy in Germany
title_fullStr Poverty and the transformation of the welfare (state) arrangement. Food banks and the charity economy in Germany
title_full_unstemmed Poverty and the transformation of the welfare (state) arrangement. Food banks and the charity economy in Germany
title_short Poverty and the transformation of the welfare (state) arrangement. Food banks and the charity economy in Germany
title_sort poverty and the transformation of the welfare state arrangement food banks and the charity economy in germany
topic Food banks
Charity economy
Welfare transformation
url http://132.195.130.183/index.php/sws/article/view/1569
work_keys_str_mv AT holgerschoneville povertyandthetransformationofthewelfarestatearrangementfoodbanksandthecharityeconomyingermany