Disciplinary Social Policy and the Failing Promise of the New Middle Classes: The Troubled Families Programme. Issue 1 (17th October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nunn, Alex; Tepe-Belfrage, Daniela
• Is Part Of: Social policy and society. Volume 16:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 119
• Page End: 129
• Publication Date: 2016-10-17
• Subjects: Troubled families, -- (new) middle class, -- disciplining social policy, -- neoliberalism; Social policy -- Periodicals; 361.6105
• DOI: 10.1017/S1474746416000452
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1474-7464

Abstract

Abstract : This article looks at the promise of the 'New Middle Class' (NMC) inherent in the neoliberal ideological ideal of individualising societal responsibility for well-being and success. The article points to how this promise enables a discourse and practice of welfare reform and a disciplining of life styles particularly targeting the very poor in society. Women and some ethnic minorities are particularly prone to poverty and then therefore also discipline. The article then provides a case study of the Troubled Families Programme (TFP) and shows how the programme and the way it is constructed and managed partly undermines the provision of the material needs to alleviate people from poverty and re-produces discourses of poor lifestyle and parenting choices as sources of poverty, thereby undermining the 'middle-class' promise.