Welfare regime hybridisation and social inequalities
LSE Sir Arthur Lewis Building (SAL.LG.04) and on Zoom
Refreshments served at 12.15pm before seminar commences at 12:30pm.
Speaker:
Dr Zahid Mumtaz, LSE Fellow, LSE Department of Social Policy
The concept of hybridization in welfare regime literature denotes the presence of multiple forms of welfare regimes in a given context. This means that in any given country, some people might be successfully incorporated into state protection (welfare state regime), while others rely on community and family arrangements (informal security regime), and some are dependent on highly personalized politico-military patrons (insecurity regime).
In this study, we used a novel methodology of data collection to capture welfare regime hybridization in a low-income country like Pakistan. We identified four distinct welfare regimes within the country: Potential welfare state regime (8.2% of the sample), More Effective informal security regime (16.7%), Less Effective informal security regime (68.4%), and Insecurity regime (6.7%).
The study sheds light on the diverse spectrum of inequalities present in Pakistan. While a minority enjoys the advantages of a potentially welfare state regime, funded by substantial public resources, a significant portion of the population lacks formal support and must resort to informal means for survival. Regional disparities further compound these inequalities, with certain areas facing greater deprivation than others. Historical factors, including past conflicts and ongoing socio-political instability, exacerbate these disparities, making it even harder for vulnerable communities to access necessary services and support.
For online attendance please register here: https://lse.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpdemuqzwqE9HsKOn7tOr3AuflFMM8Lhin