Citizenship Studies seminar series: Who should care? Social care and citizenship

Title: Who should care? Social care and citizenship

Facilitator: Dr Dan Taylor

It’s long been said that social care is in crisis. Despite recent government funding pledges, social care remains woefully underfunded. The UK has an ageing society. Demand for social care grows, but the number of carers, often on low-paid, insecure contracts, is shrinking. The care crisis reflects a problem for citizenship, as many in ill-health or old age discover they can’t access all the support they need and would expect under a “cradle-to-grave” system. Care and who cares will increasingly become a political matter. The way care is framed counts, given that care involves all of us. Drawing on my experience as a carers community worker in London, my ongoing research on caregivers in Gateshead and on feminist theories of care and social reproduction, the seminar will explore the relation between citizenship and social care.

Suggested readings or activities:

• Booth, Robert. ‘What has gone wrong with social care in England?’ The Guardian, 7 September 2021
• Bunting, Madeleine. ‘Care workers are not saints’, UnHerd, 6 October 2020, 
• Please have a think in advance and jot down some thoughts on the question: when you think of “care”, what does it mean to you? And, if you have experiences of caregiving or social care that you are comfortable to share, please do so in the discussion.

Register for the event