abstract: 'The article is an analysis of processes of social change in the Swedish

  society during the 1990''s. Changes in systems of production and changes

  in identity processes are seen as central components fur understanding

  the transformation of the welfare state. These processes of social

  change can be sociologically underwood by reference to the important

  impact on social policy of current theories of economic growth as well

  as the relationship between economic theories and theories of the state,

  Changes in the processes of production are discussed by looking at

  theories of marginalisation and social exclusion as well as problems of

  work and maintaining a liveable income. Changes in the creation and

  development of identity are discussed by focusing on the public identity

  as it is formed by citizenship and the democratic development of the

  individual as a unique subject. The public identity, which is a

  collective identity, is analysed against a market identity where the

  individual is defined as a consumer or as a client and thereby

  objectified and isolated,

  The framework for the article is a four-step model of welfare state

  transformation which occured in Sweden as well as in other countries

  during the last decade. The first step is increased inequality in wages

  as well as income distribution, the second step is narrowing of social

  rights and entitlements, the third step is lowering wages, and the last

  step is a redefinition of the concept of employment.'
author: Hetzler, A
author_list:
- family: Hetzler
  given: A
da: '2023-09-28'
files: []
issn: 0038-0342
journal: SOCIOLOGISK FORSKNING
language: Swedish
number: '1'
number-of-cited-references: '34'
pages: 141-154
papis_id: 187767bb54cf6e08220ce2be54776796
ref: Hetzler1999commitsocial
times-cited: '0'
title: 'To commit social change: The sociology and the sociologists of the welfare
  state'
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:000081095700007
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '4'
volume: '36'
web-of-science-categories: Sociology
year: '1999'