Newsletters

The Foundation's changed perspective

With this Newsletter we present a condensed overview of our policies and results over the last months. Founded in 1997 the Foundation energetically tries to elaborate the social quality approach, its theory, related methodologies and their role for public policies (www.socialquality.org). As an outcome of the project-collaboration with the international Institute of Social Studies in the Hague (ISS) and the increasing cooperation with Asian and Australian universities the Foundation made a major change. Its original ambition was to address the handmaiden position of European social policies with respect to economic policies and also to theorise upon the role of European citizens for changing this position. The work carried out by a manifold of European universities especially referred to experiences in the European Union. As a result of three social quality conferences in South-East Asia, the Foundation is strongly invited to globalise its approach. Can it function as conceptual framework to theoretically and methodologically integrate economic, socio-political and environmental aspects of the overall sustainability? How to contribute to public policies by governmental bodies, non-for-profit organisations and institutions, companies and NGO's to transcend the conventional fragmented approach of policy areas? A related question is how to contribute to the sustainable development of cities and metropolitan areas with a new understanding of the overall sustainability in mind? Furthermore, how to connect its new 'globalized orientation' with the worldwide discourse on human security? Finally, how to further develop the role of responsible citizens in order to enhance overall sustainability, also with regard to their daily circumstances? This new ambition may also contribute to a change of the debate about the Western welfare state based 'social policies' (but which are actually narrow) public policies, into genuinely social policies embracing economic, juridical, cultural, welfare, and environmental policies.

Connecting with the human security discourse

The 'human security' and the related 'human development' approaches have strongly been stimulated by the United Nations and countries as Japan and Canada. In August 2008, the ISS and the Foundation published a study (dr Des Gasper, prof. dr ThanhDam Truong, dr Laurent van der Maesen, prof. dr Alan Walker) on the differences and similarities between them and what they could contribute to each otherís discourse (www.iss.nl). The study will function as a stimulus for new academic work, as for instance a panel discussion on 'the human and the social' of the Annual conference of the Human Development and Capability Association in New Delhi which took place in September 2008. On request by the ISS the following papers were presented and discussed in this panel, namely from:

the University of Sheffield, UK: 'A Comparative Study of the Social Quality and Human Development Approaches' (dr David Phillips),
the University of Madras, India: 'Rethinking the Human and the Social: Towards a Multiverse of Transformations' (prof. der Ananta Giri),
the Foundation Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era, Brazil: 'Human and Social Bodies' (dr Angela Collet),
the ISS, The Netherlands: 'Human Development, Human Security and Social Quality' (dr Des Gasper),
Chiba University, Japan: 'A New Perspective on Social Development: Social Quality and its Potential Role for Public Policy Making in Asia and the Pacific' (prof. dr Tetsuo Ogawa),
the Australian National University: 'Security for whom and in what? Bringing the Social to the Human' (prof. dr Raymond Apthorpe),
Osaka University, Japan: 'The Multiple Interfaces of Human Security' (prof. dr Yochi Mine).

Chinese scholars were stimulated by this work to start a comparison of the social harmony approach, for example by the Chinese government, and the social quality approach (see section-4). This will complement a comparison with the human security discourse as well as the Foundation's interest for comparisons with the social capital (World Bank) and quality of life approaches (European Commission). Concluded was in the study mentioned above that both can be seen as reactions to a utilitarian worldview, and both try to bring integration across boundaries, with reference to priority criteria of human well-being. They have emerged, however, from different contexts and levels. The social quality approach has emerged within the world of EU social policy and, therefore, reflects discourses concerned with long established welfare regimes and ideas about how to build and maintain 'the good society'. The human development-and-security perspective has emerged on a larger and less fortunate stage. It is guided by concerns with critical threats and risks of life-destroying crises. The boundaries it crosses are also national and inter-continental. It aims to bring integration within the thinking of international organisations, notably the United Nations, which are vested with multi-lateral tasks of negotiations for a better world. It contains correspondingly strong attention to themes of human rights and democratisation. In contrast, most work on social quality has not directly been guided by concerns on war threats, pandemic, climate change, or massive population movements driven by different forms of human insecurity. The two approaches in combination may bring new insights into the relations between economic, socio-political and environmental sustainability.

The European 'social model' or European 'development strategies'

In October 2008, the Foundation actively participated in the third conference in Rome on the European social model, organised by the Italian Institute for political, economic and social studies (Eurispes), the German Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the London Metropolitan University (see www.eurispes.org). The conference's explicit objective was to contribute to ideas to address global processes with this European heritage in mind. From the Foundationís side related themes were presented earlier in a thematic issue of the European Journal on Social Quality, Volume 6, Issue 1, 2006 (www.Berghahnbooks.com). Following the second conference on the European social model and the 2007 conference of the Free University in Berlin on precarity and labour conditions, the Foundation recently published a working-paper (prof. dr Peter Herrmann, dr Laurent van der Maesen) to compare the discourse on the European social model, the new theme of social precarity and the social quality approach (www.socialquality.org).

For many of its participants the current financial crisis demonstrates the failure of neo-liberal suppositions concerning the regulatory power of the market. It is argued that it enables outrageous behaviour, a fundamental disdain for human dignity and the denying of the public good by the commodification also of immaterial aspects of live. However, the question remains if this disaster - more or less legitimized by the dominant Western political culture - can be addressed by the conventional wisdom on the 'European social model' or suppositions related with the idiom of the Western welfare state. From the Foundationís side the question was raised, if it makes sense to reduce the financial downturn to the duality of mechanistic interpretations of neo-liberalism and the mechanistic interpretation of social democratic convictions. In other words, is the 'financial mess with subprime mortgages wrapped in complex bonds and derivatives, pumped up with leverage and then globalized to the far corners of the earth' (Thomas Friedman, International Herald Tribune, February 2, 2009) a logical result of the role of the perfect (and imperfect) market? According to experts, it is also an outcome of false assumptions of the modern theory of finance concerning: (i) the quantitative models of risk calculation, neglecting the qualitative based borders (bottom and top) of risks, and (ii) the assumption, that financial markets (as an aspect of economic processes) deliver all necessary information for making rational decisions. In connection with the (iii) neo-liberal (utilitarian) assumption that human beings are rational and able to maximise their gains on the basis of logical choices, the theoretical conditions for a far-reaching crises are created. Highly probably, in the context of common sense thinking by advocates of neo-liberalism, the financial system can be repaired by changing the false assumptions, developing an adequate system of control (corporate governance), and improving consumer's demand which stimulates the demand by retailers and therefore of manufacturers and their suppliers. For credit-dependant goods (houses and vehicles) the deliverable of credits should be restored as well.

A fundamental danger is stressing economic growth in advanced countries in this way and at the same time continuing the actual non-integration (theoretical and practical) of economic, socio-political and environmental aspects of sustainability. The isolated interpretation of economic sustainability - strongly stimulated by neo-liberal assumptions - therefore has contradictory consequences for overall sustainability. The concept of the European social model, according to the European discourse (and the European Commission), is worthwhile for export to Russia and China. However, it remains a political concept, unable to contribute to a new understanding of this contradiction. And intrinsically the question what is meant with 'the social' of 'the social model' remains unanswered. And how to address complex societal dynamics with a 'model'? In line with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, the Foundation made a plea at this conference for new European strategies to address the current contradiction as a barrier for sustainability.

The third Asian conference on social quality in China

The third Asian conference on social quality in China, October 2008, following the conferences in Japan (March 2006) and Taiwan (March 2007) was prepared and organised by the Nanjing University and other Chinese organisation in collaboration with the Foundation. A working-paper has been published (prof. dr Lin Ka and dr Laurent van der Maesen) arguing that the Taiwan conference already demonstrates a strong intent of Asian scholars to study the social quality theory, and that in their turn the European scholars are eager to study Asian experiences. The third conference made a further move towards comparative studies of social quality between European and Asian societies. The need to develop the analytic techniques to facilitate these analyses is obvious. The paper explains that a junction of information about individual countries without a theoretical grounded framework to deliver a context for data and indicators does not really enhance our understanding of the diversity of societies in Europe, Asia or Australia, and their dynamics seen in the context of the global discourse on sustainable developments. The following themes were discussed at the conference. First, the application of the current social quality approach to discuss actual Chinese developments and endeavours addressing its main socio-economic and socio-political challenges. Second, a reflection on the actual state of affairs of the Asian debate on social quality indicators as a measurement instrument to compare Asian countries and their regions. Third, the elaboration of the recent comparison of the social quality approach and the human security discourse (section-2) to debate and understand the UNís Human Development strategies and the related Millennium Development Goals, as well as indicators to monitor the policy results of these goals. Fourth, the introduction of the Chinese approach of social harmony in comparison to the social quality approach and the current academic studies on the role of NGOs in China. We will refer to the following papers presented and discussed at this conference:

the University of Sheffield, UK: 'the Social Quality Approach: Bridging Asia and Europe' (prof. dr Alan Walker),
the European Foundation on SQ, The Netherlands: 'Social Cohesion, Social Empowerment and their Social Quality Indicators' (dr Laurent van der Maesen),
Chiba University, Japan: 'The Concept of Social Quality and its Potential Role for Public Policy-making in Asia and the Pacific' (prof. Dr Tetsuo Ogawa),
Nanjing University, China: 'The Power of NGOs in an Authoritarian Regime: a Study on the Types and Functions of NGOs in Contemporary China' (prof. dr Lin Ka),
National Taiwan University: 'Social Quality Indicators: What is an Asian Perspective?'(prof. dr Lihrong Wang),
Nanjing University, China: 'The Modification of Human Development Indicators and the Application' (prof. dr Chen Youhua),
the ISS, The Netherlands: 'Human Development, Human Security and Social Quality' (dr Des Gasper),
the Sichuang Academy of Social Sciences, China: 'The Development of Social Reconstruction Theories since the Economic Reform and the Experience' (prof. dr Guan Xinping),
the Sichuang Academy of Social Sciences, China: 'Implications of Social Quality Theory for the Chinese Efforts in Societal Reconstruction' (prof. dr Gao Hong),
Nihon Fukushi University, China: 'The Formation of Inclusive Welfare Society and Social Indicators: three Elements and their Performance' (dr Sadahis Noguchi),
Nanjing University, China: 'China's Environmental War and Rural Society; a War beyond Crisis' (prof dr Zhang Yulin),
Flinders University, Australia: 'The Place of Trust within the Theory of Social Quality: a sociological Exegesis' (dr Paul Ward),
King Prajadhipok Institute and NIDA, Thailand: 'Social Quality in Thailand' (prof. dr Thawilwadee Bureekul, prof. dr Surasit Vajirakachorn),
Seoul National University, Korea: 'Transparency Key to improving Social Cohesion: Social Quality Indicators in Korean context' (prof. dr Jaeyeol Yee, prof. dr Dukjin Chang),
Chinese University of Hong Kong, China: 'Comparing Social Quality and Social Harmony by a Governance Perspective' (prof. dr Wong Chack Kie).

The third meeting of the Asian Steering Committee Social Quality

The Asian journey resulted in the establishment of a Steering Committee (see previous Newsletter). Its third meeting took place in October 2008. The National Institute of Development Administration in Thailand (NIDA) - in agreement with the Chulalongkorn University and the King Prajadhipok Institute - have decided to finance salaries and technical facilities for the new Asian office for social quality development. In collaboration with members of the Steering Committee and the European Foundation the office should be organised in the coming months. The nature and tasks of the Steering Committee will be formalized as well as the principles of its membership. Agreements were made how to elaborate and to disseminate the outcomes of the third conference in Nanjing. Papers (articles) will be published in (i) the Korean Journal of Development and Society, the (ii) proposed new International Journal of Social Quality, and (iii) in Chinese journals.

National Taiwan University took the lead for an Asian research-group 'social quality indicators'. It organised its first workshop at the end of 2007. This resulted into an extensive working-paper by the University of Sheffield on the comments and elaboration of the social quality indicators thus far in Europe (dr David Phillips). Based on this working-paper new explorations have been made in Asia. The results were presented at the Nanjing conference as well. Especially the study in Korea accentuated a severe methodological elaboration, to be used for Asia and Europe alike (see section-4). At a second workshop of the National Taiwan University in December 2008 all existing explorations were discussed and this will prepare a third workshop in Seoul, March 2009. The Steering Committee discussed the plans and procedures concerning the Asian research-group with participants from Taiwan, Japan, China, Thailand and Korea. At the moment we dispose of explorations on:

Chiba University, 'Indicators of Social Quality in Japan' (dr Akiko Oishi),
Australian National University, 'Measures of Social Quality' (dr Deborah Mitchell, J. Temple),
National Taiwan University, 'Measuring Social Quality in Taiwan' (prof. Lihrong Wang, dr Peishan Wang, dr Yun-Tun Wang),
Seoul National University, 'Transparency Key to improve Social Cohesion in a Korean context',
Nanjing University, 'Social Quality Indicators for China' (prof. dr Lin Ka, prof. dr Karin Gabe),
King Prajadhipok Institute, 'Social Quality Indicators in Thailand' (prof. dr Thawilwadee Bureekul),
Hong Kong University, 'Social Quality Indicators in Hong Kong' (prof. dr Raymond Ngan).

The three institutes in Bangkok responsible for the Asian office for social quality development, will organise a fourth Asian conference on social quality at the end of 2009.

Urban experiences in the city of The Hague

One of the Foundation's main issues is to contribute to public policies enhancing daily circumstances of people. Since 80% of the population is living in urban space in Europe, it especially concerns daily circumstances in cities and metropolitan areas (or global cities). Since 2004 a start has been made to experimentally apply the theory and its methodology in the urban space of The Hague, namely its quarter ëLaak Noordí. This resulted into a new mindset of stakeholders in this quarter, which among others prepared for the decision by the municipality in December 2008 to deliver this quarter an experimental status. The work carried out also facilitated a growing collaboration between the Foundation, the Netherlands Institute for City Innovation Studies (NICIS), the Foundation for Design and Innovation Social Quality (DISQ), the Institute for Social Studies (ISS), the Foundation of The Hague Process on Refugees and Migration (THP), the Centre for Urban Governance Studies of the Campus The Hague (University of Leiden) and The Haagse Hogeschool (HHS). All are located in The Hague. In one way or the other they will play a role in the experimental quarter of Laak Noord, as well in the global debate on sustainable cities (see section-7).

At the end of December 2008 the Foundation published a working-paper (dr Laurent J.G. van der Maesen), delivering an overview of the work carried out by these stakeholders in Laak Noord and representatives of the academic institutions (see www.socialquality.org). This resulted into a preliminary design of an 'urban methodological framework'. The intention is to elaborate this methodology as a frame of reference for international comparison (see section-7). On the basis of the recent exploration by NICIS of policies strengthening the sustainable development of forty European cities, it was concluded that it remains unclear what they mean with sustainability. Lacking is an adequate conceptualisation, objectives, indicators, and consistent systems of monitoring. The conclusion is that the current European practices demonstrate a lack of integration between governmental bodies on local level on the one hand and between these bodies and companies, non-for-profit organisations etc. on the other hand. Lacking is also any idea of an urban methodological framework to address the comprehensiveness of cities.

The work carried out in the context of Laak Noord may present interesting suggestions how to fill this gap and to address related theoretical and policy questions. It connects strategies for communication and dialogue between stakeholders (governmental bodies, non-for-profit organisation, companies, NGOs, groups of citizens and representatives of the academic world) and the social quality approach. It is explained in the working-paper that the innovative operations of the Esloo-group of schools in this quarter - creating the integration of a new school for practical education and the surrounding community - demonstrates the policy significance of the social quality approach to present an international frame of reference. The Esloo-group of schools, the ISS and the Foundation made a preliminary exploration of migration-policies in ten European cities on request of the Municipality. It should deliver points of departure for a new mindset for this urban category in Laak Noord as well. The Foundation published a working paper on migrant-policies seen from the perspective of the social quality architecture (Laurent van der Maesen, Helma Verkleij). The ISS later published a more theoretical overview of approaches worldwide (dr Rachel Kurian). The results will be applied in Laak Noord.

At the end of 2007 the European Commission concluded that new methods are needed to analyse afresh the complex dynamics of social change within our societies in order to be able to judge the relevance and appropriateness of current policies and to develop a solid base for the future. In other words, as the EC's concludes, traditional and fragmented approaches of policy areas as social security, social protection, social cohesion or social inclusion and economic growth as well as the investments in the development and application of 'quality of life indicators' do not really seem to be adequate. This may not be surprising. These concepts - used for decades in discourses within and around the EC - are lacking a theoretical foundation, are ill defined, remain unrelated to each other and are mostly based on individualist perspectives. New comprehensive approaches of cities may hopefully deliver a new perspective to analyse the complex dynamics afresh.

As a result of the current collaboration with the International Institute of Asian Studies in The Netherlands, the Foundation (prof. dr Alan Walker) published an article about ageing-policies in its recent Newsletter (www.IIAS.nl), implicitly supporting the EC's conclusions. Argued is, that the social qualityís transformational power is illustrated by the European Union's main positive policy response to population ageing and pension system sustainability: 'active ageing'. It contrasts with negative retrenchment and emphasises the demand side, especially the neglected part of retirement income. Within a narrow economic paradigm however, active ageing policy mainly makes people work longer, which most citizens, especially older people, reject. From the social quality perspective it is possible to reconstruct the active ageing idea into something more comprehensive and potentially liberating.

Sustainable development of global cities

Inspired by the work carried out in the city of The Hague as part of the Dutch Delta Metropole (The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam) and a growing collaboration with academic institutes in Europe, Asia, South Africa and Latin America, the Foundation prepared a project proposal on the sustainable development of global cities. The objective is first to start empirical oriented comparative research to understand existing processes in fourteen global cities. Second, to use the comparable information to develop a preliminary urban methodological framework, applicable to all engaged global cities. Third, to interrelate different policy areas (health care, social housing, education, sport, social protection, employment etc) and different urban categories (position of children, youth, migrants, women, elderly, handicapped people, low-income groups) in an urban context (and processes) with the help of the preliminary framework, to prepare a comprehensive understanding of the nature and dynamics of the fourteen global cities. Fourth, to develop measurement instruments to monitor the results of the complex dynamics and public policies oriented upon them in these global cities. Then, to relate these instruments with the current results of the social quality indicators (in comparison to social indicators, social capital indicators, Millennium Development Goal indicators and quality of life indicators). This will result into the further elaboration of the urban methodological framework as well. Furthermore, to apply the results to strongly contribute to public policies in these global cities to enhance the sustainability of their societies, as well as to address the four normative factors of social quality, namely: social justice, solidarity, equal value and human dignity. As argued, the question of sustainable cities should be connected with the overall theme of sustainability. As proposed, the actual results of the urban methodology for Laak Noord (section-6) will be used as preliminary frame of reference for this global project.

All academic institutes from the fourteen global cities (see below) produced working-papers to assist the development of a project proposal on behalf of the European Commission (sent to Brussels 13th January 2009). This work inspired many expert-institutes to participate together in the project's Steering Group, namely: the University of Sheffield in the UK (chairing the project), IBC/Movilization in The Netherlands, the Italian Institute of Political, Economic and Social Studies (Eurispes), the Chiba University in Japan, the University of Bristol (Townsend Centre) in UK, the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand, the Institute of Economic Growth in India, the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study in Social Sciences, the University of Cork. A specific objective is to develop ideas about the renewal of transport-systems in four of the global cities (Johannesburg, Porte Alegre, Delhi and Nanjing) in strong collaboration with IBC/Movilization. The academic institutes in the global cities (see below) will create a working-group of other academic institutes in these global cities. These working-groups will function as a point of crystallisation for the communication and dialogue in these cities with governmental bodies, companies, non-for-profit organisations, NGOs, groups of citizens etc. The participating central city institutes are:

Centre d'Etudes sur Les Réseaux, les Transports, l'Urbanisme et Les Constructions Publiques (CERTU), France, on the Lyon Metropole (dr Nicolas Gillio cs),
Centre of Town Planning Studies, FADR, Italy, on the Naples Metropole (dr Gabriella Esposito De Vita cs),
Centro de Estudos para a Intervenção Social (CESIS), Portugal, on the Lisbon Metropole (dr Ana Cardoso cs),
Nanjing University, China, on Nanjing (prof. dr Lin Ka, cs),
Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi University, India, on Delhi, (prof. dr Arup Mitra),
The Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Brazil, on Porto Alegre, (prof. dr Beatriz Gershenson Aguinsky) cs),
Witwatersrand University, South Africa, on Johannesburg (prof. dr Loren Landau),
National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) and the King Prajadhipok Institute, Thailand, on Bangkok (prof. dr Surisat Vajirakachorn and prof. dr Thawilwadee Bureekul),
Lomonosow Moscow State University, Russia, on Moscow (prof. dr Natalia Grigorieva cs),
Middle East Technical University, Turkey, on the Antalya Metropole (prof dr Sibel Kalayc?oglu cs),
Chinese University of Hong Kong, China, on Hong Kong (prof. dr Chack Kie Wong),
the Institute for Social Development and Policy Research of the Seoul National University, Korea, on Seoul (prof. dr Jaeyeol Yee cs),
National Taiwan University, Social Policy research, Taiwan, on the Taipei Metropole (prof. dr. Lihrong Wang cs).

The forthcoming book

Recently the largest part of the Foundation's third book, to be published by Kluwer Law International, was completed. While the second book provided the starting point for the major project on developing social quality indicators, this book will deliver the points of departure for a comparison of the social quality approach with other international approaches as presented in this newsletter. It will also provide a further theoretical basis for European and Asian forms of collaboration concerning the question of 'sustainable welfare societies' and the ambition to contribute to ideas and policies for the sustainable development of global cities, in connection to the overall global issue of sustainability. Seen from this perspective it may also have a function in the upcoming European debate on the renewal of the Lisbon Agenda.

Newsletter nr. 8 (December 2007)

The EFSQ's newsletter's final chord

This will be the last independently produced newsletter by the European Foundation. The European Foundation is pleased to announce an agreement with the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) to start a far-reaching collaboration. This will lead to a number of joint projects in an international setting, reaching further than the European context that has been the main focus in the first decade of our existence. Over the past years we have witnessed an increasing interest and commitment to the study and dissemination of the social quality approach across the world, with a particularly deep and wide-ranging interest in Asia. Both developments have convinced us of the need for an Euro/Asian newsletter on the social quality approach in 2008.

A change after ten years of the European Foundation

Ten years ago, the European Foundation on Social Quality started with the Amsterdam Declaration on the Social Quality of Europe, solemnly published during the Dutch Presidency of the EU in 1997. Since then the Foundation has established many different partnerships with representatives of more than 70 universities in the European Union. It organized a number of European projects, published books and voluminous reports and it contributed to the publication of the European Journal of Social Quality. In this way it has been enabled to (i) elaborate the theory of social quality, (ii) to develop related methodologies, (iii) to organize projects on aspects of the theory (especially the conditional factors), (iv) to apply these to the public policies of employment, ageing, public health and urban development. Recently, it has started to confront certain aspects of its theory and methodology to the urban context of the City of The Hague, in order to contribute to the European debate on urban issues (including the theme of migrants). Recently it has also been invited to cooperate with a number of Asian Universities. The Foundation contributed to the first Asian conference on social quality, organized by Chiba University in Japan (March 2006) and a second Asian conference on social quality in Taipei (March 2007). As one of the outcomes of this conference an Asian Steering Committee was established to prepare for an Asian social quality approach and a third Asian conference. As announced above, the European Foundation has recently entered a close collaboration with the Institute of Social Studies. This new collaboration marks the end of the first decade of work of the Foundation. It will be celebrated with the publication of a third main study, published by Kluwer Law International, on the current state of its theory and the related 'social quality indicators', preparing for 'sustainable welfare societies. The responsible board members for the work carried out until now are:

Alan Walker, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, chair,
Laurent J.G. van der Maesen, the Netherlands, director,
Jan Winkelhuijzen, the Netherlands, treasurer,
Kees Knipscheer, Free University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands,
Teun Jaspers, University of Utrecht, the Netherlands,
Harry G.J. Nijhuis, Municipality of The Hague, the Netherlands,
Georg Vobruba, University of Leipzig, Germany,
Wolfgang Beck, The Netherlands, advisor,
Peter Herrmann, University of Cork, Ireland, advisor,
Jaap Westbroek, Municipality of The Hague, (DISQ), The Netherlands, advisor.

New activities

The debates with Asian colleagues have inspired us to look for a new direction. In order to elaborate international partnerships, the Foundation as a tiny legal body needs strong institutional support to be able to operate with, for example, Asian research institutes or universities as well as with international institutes like the United Nations. Furthermore, at the second Asian conference on social quality it was concluded that it is necessary to establish an Asian counterpart, or an Asian Foundation on Social Quality. Many activities have been undertaken to address both challenges. Three general results may be listed here. First, as a result of the willingness of the ISS to create strong bonds with the Foundation, we will develop future activities in the context of this world-leading institute for development studies (see: www.iss.nl), while at the same time both will start collaboration with the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) in Leiden (www.iias.nl). Second, the Asian Steering Committee on Social Quality (see above), is hoping to develop an Asian Foundation on Social Quality in Bangkok, supported by the King Prajadhipok Institute (KPI). Third, the European Journal of Social Quality will be transformed into the International Journal of Social Quality, supported by a group of European and Asian universities (www.berghahnbooks.com).

An engagement with the Institute of Social Studies

The European Foundation is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague in July 2007, to engage in scientific exchanges in the broadest possible sense. This Memorandum concerns activities of research, education, public debate and advisory services, directly leading to two concrete projects.

The first project is to further develop the concept of social quality in relation to the current human security approach (especially as seen from the perspective of the United Nations). This project is supported by the International Institute for Asian Studies. It concerns studies on the question 'what does human security have to say to social quality and vice versa?'. An important starting point is the United Nation's report by Amartya Sen and Sadako Ogata, published in 2003: Human security now, protecting and empowering people. The inspiration for the human security approach as well as the social quality approach may be explained by the ambition to formulate an answer to the neo-liberal policies that commercialise all aspects of nature and human existence. People are social beings and not utilitarian atoms of nations. The ambition of both approaches is to gather better knowledge about mechanisms that influence economic, cultural, demographic and political transformations in regions and large cities. In which way do the human security approach and the social quality approach try to analyse these mechanisms in order to explain daily life circumstances? This will hopefully lead to a public debate organised at a large-scale IIAS-conference in Korea, August 2009. The project-group may also function as a new think-tank for 'The Hague Process on Refugees and Migration', a global project supported by the Municipality of The Hague for developing partnerships between business, government and civil society, to address related issues. The recent ISS-conference on migration and human security that took place in August 2007 might deliver important starting points for this project-group.

A second project to arise out of the Memorandum concerns the exploration of public policies of the City of The Hague with regard to migration and citizenship. The project is called 'Civil Society Participation, Community Development and Urban Governance'. It will examine a range of concepts and initiatives that have been used effectively to encourage community development and civil society participation in urban cities, in line with promoting a multi-culturally enriched and more inclusive and caring urban society and environment. More specifically, the project will study ten European cases, which are relevant to this objective and can signal conceptual and political innovation and value at both Dutch and European level. These findings can be used to interrogate and inform the content and direction of The Hague policies on these issues. It will also be a contribution to the European debate on this topic.

Our new address from 1st of January 2008

As a result of the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Foundation of Social Quality and the ISS the new address will be:

EFSQ/ISS
Kortenaerkade 12
2518 AX The Hague
The Netherlands
Telephone +31 70 426 0460
Fax: +31 70 426 0799
Email: EFSQ@iss.nl
www.socialquality.org

The European Commission's report on Europe's Social Reality

In September 2007 a Consultation Paper was published by the Bureau of European Policy Advisors, called 'Europe's Social Reality'. It is of interest to notice that the most important part of this report has been dedicated to the 'Social Quality' of the European Union. The authors of the report, Roger Liddle and Fréderic Lerais, argue:

'How can the social well-being of all Europe's citizens be best advanced within a globalising world? This question should be at the heart of everything the EU and its Member States do. Public policy imperatives, such as 'Growth and Jobs', the Lisbon strategy, and the drive for greater competitiveness are not ends in themselves - but means to an end - the well-being of European citizens. Citizens may not have a precise definition of what they mean by wellbeing, but the broad concept that well-being embraces something more than the material living standards that our societies as a whole achieve, is well understood. The conventional view is that greater economic openness drives the innovation and productivity growth that in turn creates the jobs and prosperity on which well-being and a better quality of life ultimately depend. But in recent years it has become clear that a significant number of European citizens see globalisation, liberalisation and the drive for greater competitiveness as much as a threat to their well-being as a facilitator of it. Why should this be so? What is at the root of the insecurities that people feel and which result in resistance to openness and a reluctance to face economic change with confidence?'

The European Foundation will send comments on this paper based on the current state of affairs of the social quality approach and its current global activities.

The European Social Model and the collaboration with Eurispes

In the last couple of years the European Foundation has established closer links with research Instituto Di Studi Politici Economici e Sociali (Eurispes) in Rome and the related network in Italy, and as a result of this, with the University of Bremen and the Free University in Berlin. It has been agreed to work on a new definition of the European Social Model or preferably called European Social Development approach, especially in relation to social quality. In the context of the Foundation's activities, related preparatory work was carried out on behalf of its Journal. In Volume 6, Issue 1 of the European Journal of Social Quality attention has been paid to different aspects of the European discourse on the social model. This topic will be elaborated from the perspective of Social Quality in the Foundation's forthcoming third book, in order to prepare for further collaboration with Eurispes. The interesting theme of 'precarity' was discussed in relation to the common sense idea of a European social model at a conference of the Free University in Berlin, February 2007. In a recent Eurispes report, based on the outcomes of the discussions, it was suggested to try and overcome the classical theory of democracy, founded upon the direct relationship between state and citizen. In the new European model (or approach) the value of a third subject is recognized and prioritised, namely 'civil society'. The recognition of 'civil society' promotes and guarantees its autonomy with reference to the positive role played by its intermediary bodies. In this prosperous context the theme of 'precarity' can be investigated. This will be accompanied by further research to which the social quality approach will deliver a contribution. The concept of precarity in the European context refers to the fundamental vulnerability of some categories of people like lowest ranks employees, some specific groups of migrants, women or older people. This is caused by some dysfunctional aspects of modern production and distribution systems and the nature of certain parts of modern urban contexts. The concept refers also to recent output of research on the conditional factors of social quality.

Urban practices in The Hague

For quite some time the Foundation has been working on urban experiments in The Hague in cooperation with several NGO's. The goal is to empirically test the social quality theory and make it available and useful to a wider public from diverse policy fields. Recently the Foundation has published a new series of interviews with experts connected with the quarter 'Laak Noord' in The Hague, in order to analyze the consequences of the highly fragmented approaches and funding systems for renewing aspects of urban circumstances. Especially the newcomers (migrants) are, in one or the other way, victims of the lack of dynamic in urban processes. Based on the theory of the four conditional factors of social quality, proposals are made on how to prepare for a more comprehensive urban approach. Currently the Foundation is in the process of negotiations to make the output of these experiments available for other cities in Europe. The results might be used at the Eurocities conference in November 2008 on 'Sustainable Urban Development; Modern Citizenship and Integrated Governance at Crossroads'. In the meantime the Foundation has contributed to the development of a Centre for Modern Urban Studies in The Hague, connected with the University of Leiden, to support new dynamic processes of community participation and development with the help of modern research forms.

The second Asian Conference on Social Quality (March 2007)

In March 2007, the second Asian Conference on Social Quality took place, organised by the National Taiwan University. The purpose was, first, to explore the concept of sustainable welfare societies for Asian countries, compared to the traditional welfare state approaches in Europe. This theme was prepared at the first Asian conference on social quality in Japan, March 2006. The hypothesis was that European welfare state approaches are not really suitable for comparisons of Asian and European societies. The focus should be on the reciprocity between state interventions and the role of a fragmented civil society, as well as the possibilities for sustainable well-being development to fully understand the current Asian transformations. A related challenge is, second, to theorise the concept of sustainability. As explained at the conference, approaches related to economic sustainability, environmental sustainability and social-political sustainability lack a theoretical connection and are under elaboration in different paradigmatic approaches. The global challenge is to create a robust interpretation of sustainability at meta-level, in order to relate these three strands in a scientific way, and thus to prepare for related consistent and coherent public policies. The conceptual framework of social quality may contribute to this challenge.

The third purpose concerns a preliminary exploration of the recent indicators of social quality in China, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, India and Indonesia. The publication of Volume 5 (Issues 1 & 2) of the European Journal of Social Quality on the first outcomes of the assessment of social quality indicators in fourteen European countries formed the basis for this. The question is, if these indicators are adequate to measure the nature and changes for Asian circumstances of the four conditional factors in these countries. The highly inspiring lectures on the outcomes of these explorations in these Asian countries will be elaborated for publication in the new International Journal of Social Quality. After the conference, the National Taiwan University started an Asian research-group for developing and elaborating social quality indicators, based on these preliminary explorations as well. The first workshop supported by European experts and the European Foundation took place in October 2007. The results are important for the work of the Asian Steering Committee on Social Quality.

The Asian Steering Committee on Social Quality and its office in Bangkok

As described above an Asian steering Committee on Social Quality with members from 10 Asian countries was established at the second Asian conference on Social Quality. The aim is to further develop the theory of social quality in the South-East Asian region, as well as to establish an Asian office on Social Quality. As a result of the decisions of the first meeting in March 2007 several discussions have taken place in Bangkok to explore the possibilities for an Asian office, supported by the King Prajadhipok Institute. In the meantime other strategic plans have been made by the Steering Committee. First, to start an Asian research-group on the development of social quality indicators. Second, the preparation of an Asian research-group on ageing and social quality. The conference by the IIAS and the Taiwanese National Science Council on public and private old-age security arrangements in Asia and Europe in September 2007, functioned as a good starting point for this.

Thirdly, meetings took place to start the preparation of a Chinese network of universities to study and discuss the social quality approach, in order to develop new forms of contribution to public policies in China. Fourthly, the development of an International Journal of Social Quality has been encouraged.

The Asian Steering Committee on Social Quality consists of:

Tetsuo Ogawa, Chiba University, Japan, chair,
M. Ramesh, National Singapore University, vice chair,
Nugroho Abikusno, Trisakti University, Indonesia, vice chair,
Deborah Mitchell, Australian National University, vice chair,
Moneer Alam, Delhi University, India,
Raymond Ngan, City University of Hong Kong,
Ka Lin, Nanjing University, China,
Sen Gong, Developing Research Centre, China,
Lillian Wang, National Taiwan University,
Keong-Suk Park, Seoul National University, South-Korea,
Sharifah Norazizan, University Putra, Malaysia,
Paul Ward, Flinders University, Australia,
Alan Walker, Sheffield University, UK, chair EFSQ, advisor,
Laurent van der Maesen, director of the EFSQ, advisor,
Dave Gordon, Bristol University, UK, advisor.

The European Journal of Social Quality, Volume 6, Issue 1 (2006)

The European Journal of Social Quality publishes its sixth and last Volume this year. The first issue is dedicated to a highly relevant theme, namely the European discourse on the social model. According to the editorial, a central question running through several papers relates to convergence: are European societies converging and, if so, then to what are they converging? Is the European Social Model still viable or is the enlarged EU moving inexorably towards a 'race to the bottom'? The content of the issue is:

- David Philips: Editorial: Social Quality, Values, Convergence and the European Social Model,
- Paule-Monique Vernes: Social Quality in Rousseau,
- Peter Herrmann: Social Quality - Opening Individual Well-Being for a Social Perspective,
- Ton Korver, Peter Oeij: Covenants, External Effects and Employability,
- Gábor Juhász: Exporting or Pulling Down? The European Social Model and Eastern Enlargement of the EU,
- Denis Bouget: Convergence in Social Welfare Systems: From Evidence to Explanations,
- Jan Berting: Uniting Europeans by Values: A Feasible Enterprise?

The European Journal of Social Quality, Volume 6, Issue 2 (2006)

This second issue of the final volume of the European Journal is dedicated to modern public health and the social quality approach. It will appear at the end of 2007. The issue is edited by guest editor Paul Ward from Flinders University, Australia and will explore the utility, relevance and operationalisation of the theory of social quality for public health policy and practice.

Paul Ward writes in his editorial:

'As such, the Theory of Social Quality has great potential in public health by acting as a mechanism of (or conduit for) 'knowledge transfer' between research and policy/practice. It can provide the theoretical framework for understanding public health problems in addition to engaging with the policy relevant domains: a lens through which academics, policy makers and public health practitioners can understand and conceptualise their 'lifeworlds' in addition to developing meaningful outcomes. In other words, the Theory of Social Quality can make sense of theory, policy and practice, thus facilitating dialogue between members of the respective 'camps'.

It will contain articles from:

- Paul Ward, Paul Redgrave and Cathy Read: Operationalizing the Theory of Social Quality: Theoretical and Experiential Reflections from the Development and Implementation of a Public Health Programme in the UK,
- Ota de Leonardis: Social Capital and Health, Research Findings and Questions on a Modern Public Health Perspective,
- Johan van de Kerckhove: Towards a New Philosophy in the Prevention Strategy on Health and Safety at Work: Pro-activity and Well-being,
- Peter Oeij, Steven Dhondt & Noortje Wiezer: Conditions for Low-Stress Risk Jobs: Europe's Case,
- Paul Bissell: Social Capital and Community Pharmacy: an exploratory study,
- Peter Taylor-Gooby: The Rational Actor Reform Paradigm: Delivering the Goods but Destroying Public Trust,
- Paul Ward: Trust, Reflexivity and Dependence: A 'Social Systems Theory' Analysis in/of Medicine,
- Denis Bouget: a Book review of David Phillips's book Quality of Life, Concept, Policy and Practice, 2006.

As explained above this will be the last issue of the European Journal of Social Quality, as it will be transformed into the International Journal of Social Quality (see below). Since 1999 the European Journal of Social Quality has produced 12 issues about the theory and methodology of social quality, analyses of aspects of the four conditional factors for social quality and the confrontation to different policy areas as ageing, public health, urban issues, employment, citizenship. These may function as interesting starting points for the evolution of the theory as a new instrument for public policies in Europe, Asia and other continents. (see www.berghahnbooks.com)

The launch of the International Journal of Social Quality

The European Journal of Social Quality was launched in 1999 and since then has steadily built its academic reputation and readership both within and beyond Europe. Over the past three years there has been an increasing interest in and commitment to the study and dissemination of the social quality theoretical perspective across the world, with a particularly deep and wide-ranging interest in Asia. In the light of these developments there is a pressing need for an academic journal covering social quality across the world and not just from a European perspective.

Therefore we are pleased to announce that the European Journal of Social Quality is being transformed into the International Journal of Social Quality. As well as broadening its geographical range, the journal is also expanding its purpose to promote the discussion and analysis of contemporary political, economic, social, legal, cultural and environmental issues in order to contribute to the debate on sustainable welfare societies. It seeks to find common social and philosophical grounds to emphasise the importance of the social sphere and of civil dialogue and contribute to the social quality of societies.

The start of the International Journal of Social Quality is strongly supported by the National Taiwan University. The first issues will be dedicated to the output of the first two Asian conferences on Social Quality:

1. the debate concerning the changing European perspective from 'welfare state societies' to 'sustainable welfare societies', as inspired by Asian input,
2. the concept of sustainability (integrating economic, environmental and social-political aspects),
3. the role of the social quality approach concerning the debate on sustainable welfare societies,
4. the application to public policies, preparing for world-wide sustainable welfare societies,
5. the first explorations of social quality indicators in Asian countries to further develop the social quality approach,
6. to connect the above with the global debate on human security and human development.

The new Editorial Board (to be enlarged with editors from other continents) is formed by:

Dave Gordon, University of Bristol, United Kingdom,
Moneer Alam, Delhi University, India,
Laurent J.G. van der Maesen, European Foundation on Social Quality, the Netherlands,
Deborah Mitchell, Australian National University,
Raymond Ngan, City University, Hong Kong,
Tetsuo Ogawa, Chiba University, Japan,
David Phillips, University of Sheffield, United Kindom,
Lillian Wang, National Taiwan University.

Newsletter nr. 5 (September 2004)

The previous newsletter, published on the 1st of January 2004, presented a short introduction of the Foundation's history. With this fifth Newsletter we would like to present information on the project 'indicators of social quality', supported by DG Research of the European Commission and inform you about new developments with regard to the European Journal of Social Quality (see appendix).

Empirical Research: Indicators of Social Quality

The participants of the ENIQ (European Network Indicators of Social Quality) discussed the recent proposals about the choice of indicators concerning socio-economic-security, social cohesion, social inclusion and social empowerment at their fourth meeting in February. The discussion was instigated by four papers about the theoretical elaboration of these conditional factors of social quality. This meeting resulted in the revision of these four papers as well as a revaluation of the nature of indicators. The assistants of the ENIQ's participants discussed the outcomes of the February meeting at their third meeting in May. Most attention was given to the clarification of the indicators in the national contexts and the search for existing data for the chosen indicators, produced by a number of institutions and universities in Europe over the last decade. The Dutch Scientific Fund (NWO) supported the assistant's meetings for the third time in a row. In the beginning of June all participants and assistants started the preparation of the final national reports about these indicators and a core-group of ENIQ started with the completion of the theoretical papers about the four conditional factors. It has been very interesting and stimulating to work with participants from fourteen Member States with impressive economic, social, cultural and political diversities. (see Indicators project: www.socialquality.org).

Reconceptualisation of the Foundation's work

In the appendix of the fourth Newsletter the three pillars of the Foundation's work were introduced: (i) its theoretical work, (ii) its empirical research for the constitution of social quality indicators and (iii) its policy research. During the Foundation's first stage ó from 1996 till 2001 ó theorising social quality was priority. During its second stage - from 2001 till 2005 - a lot of time was spent on empirical research as well as on policy research. The plans are to add a fourth pillar in the beginning of its third stage in 2005, focusing on the position of NGOs and organised citizens. Since 2000 the Foundation has been experimenting with this pillar in The Netherlands, more specifically with the help of the project 'Voice of Civil Europe'. This project was strongly supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Commission.

As a European scientific movement the Foundation will address ó with support of scientists of more than hundred university departments ó its two aims. First its scientific aim to present new starting points for economic equity, social justice and political democracy under modern circumstances. Second its political aim to assist organised citizens in Europe, members of the European parliament and policy makers to stimulate social quality during recent processes of transformation. With this in mind the Foundation's board published the analytically oriented Annual Reports of 2001 and 2002. Annual report 2003 will follow soon. The reports' purpose is to demonstrate the interrelationship between the four pillars, and the steps made since 2001 (see www.socialquality.org, Annual Reports). As described in the previous Newsletter, the Foundation sent an application to DG Research for funding to start the deepening of the theory of social quality and its measurement instruments in order to elaborate the outcomes of the ENIQ-project (see above). This in fact regards the Foundation's third stage. In June the Foundation received a very positive and highly stimulating evaluation of this application. The Foundation's proposal was among the 22 projects of in total 169 applications to have passed the threshold for the final selection round.

Theoretical research

Thanks to the work of the ENIQ-project the Foundation is challenged to theorise the outcomes of its second book, published in January 2001. This work demonstrates that the social quality approach differs from the mainstream of quality of life approaches and the ideas about social capital. It is urgent to clarify the similarities and differences to this approach. During the past months many preparatory papers were written in order to address all questions which remained unresolved in the second book. With support from the University of Utrecht the first steps were made for preparing a study group to develop the social-philosophical points of departure of social quality. With this group we may prepare a new relation between different scientific disciplines addressing the dominance in Europe of neo-monetarist economic approaches and for creating more conceptual coherence at European level. In this way the scientific communication between representatives of all Member States, the new and the old ones, may be supported.

The policy research

The fourth Volume of the European Journal of Social Quality on 'Flexibility and Security in Employment' was published by Berghahn Books (www.berghahnbooks.com). The Foundation received a very positive response to this volume which was the result of its project 'Employment policies and Social Quality', supported by the European Commission. Among them was mr Wim Kok, chairman of the High Level Working Group on the Lisbon Strategy, who noticed some interesting points and views regarding the subject matter of the issue. Thanks to the work begun in 2001, the University of Amsterdam and the Foundation have now published their invitation for starting a 'network modern public health and social quality' in Europe. The City of The Hague (Department of Public Health) has given strong support to this project on public health policies. Representatives of more than twelve cities will co-operate in order to present 'good practices' for creating - at scientific and policy level ó a common understanding of the function of these practices to support new policies for 'modern public health'. Thanks to studies undertaken by the Foundation, ideas are discussed to start exploring the policy domain of urban policies. In France and Germany, especially the consequence of trends in urban circumstances stimulates the Foundation as an academic movement to also explore this topic from the social quality perspective.

Public Debates

As explained above the Foundation's fourth pillar concerns experiences with public debates in The Netherlands about issues central to the European Union. In December 2003, in partnership with four NGO's, it stimulated a juridical court to assess the principles underlining the draft of the European Constitution. This project was called 'Voice of Civil Europe'. On the occasion of this court process with three judges and witnesses from European Parliament, the Dutch Government and NGOs, a book was published on aspects of the Constitution. An audience of 300 people participated in this process. In June 2004 this project organised its second manifestation and published its second book on the final outcomes of the European Constitution. This highly interesting court imitation was attended by a large audience as well. The project organised an opinion poll on the internet in which 6000 people participated. It was financed by the Dutch Ministry of foreign Affairs and the European Commission (see www.democratisch-europa.nl).

Dissemination of outcomes

During the past few months the Foundation's staff in Amsterdam have worked hard to revise its website. Furthermore, a few meetings took place to discuss ways of improving the European Journal of Social Quality was discussed. Four Volumes were produced under the responsibility of Kingston University in London. Recently the editorial board has extensively been reorganised and a new association and partnership has now been agreed on between Berghahn Books and the University of Bristol. With Kluwer Law International promising discussions are taking place to publish the outcomes of the ENIQ-project (see above) in the Foundation's third book

Appendix: About the European Journal of Social Quality

The Journal's mission statement
The Journal's mission statement aims to reclaim the central values of social experience and participative democracy. This independent, peer-viewed journal challenges technocratic, narrowly economic visions of the new Europe. Its aim is to contribute to developing the concept of social quality: the extent to which citizens can participate in the social and economic life of their communities under conditions, which enhance their well-being and individual potential. Innovative, cross-disciplinary approaches to social issues and policy debates seek to broaden social science scholarship and to emphasise the importance of the social sphere and of civil dialogue in shaping the very nature and identity of the European Union.

The Journal's history and content
In 1999, Berghahn Books launched The European Journal of Social Quality, in collaboration with Kingston University and in association with the European Foundation on Social Quality. The purpose of this independent, peer-reviewed journal is to promote the discussion and analysis of contemporary social issues in Europe. Four volumes and eight issues of the journal have now been published. You will find a list of the articles from these issues on the following page. All contributions have addressed in one way or another: (i) the one-sided economistic approach to develop the future of Europe; (ii) the development of interdisciplinary approaches by the new social quality theory and (iii) addressing the current lack of conceptual coherence in the European academic world. Beyond these themes, contributions have sought to (iv) encourage the application of outcomes to different policy areas and represent citizens in the shaping of the new identity of Europe. This latter point is of particular interest, since an appreciation of citizenship in the context of social quality plays a significant role in the theory and thinking advanced by the journal: 'citizenship is, or should be the foundation of identity in the social contract within a modern democracy, as well as the principle by which relationships between individuals and their communities are organised. It is, therefore, not surprising that debates about citizenship are concerned with the level and type of social rights and duties, and with the protection of welfare and quality of life.' (see: www.berghahnbooks.com).

Changes to the editorial board
In the past months, the journal's editorial board has undergone extensive reorganization. As Kingston University could no longer take responsibility for the production of the journal, a new association and partnership was recently agreed between Berghahn Books and the Universities of Bristol and Sheffield. We are delighted to introduce the new editors: Dave Gordon from the University of Bristol (chief editor), David Phillips from the University of Sheffield, and Laurent J.G. van der Maesen from the European Foundation on Social Quality. In the months ahead, this central editorial board will be expanded to include four additional editors from Italy, The Netherlands, Hungary and Germany. The former editors of Kingston University will continue to contribute to the Journal's development as members of the advisory board, which will also be expanded later.

(see: www.socialquality.org, Journal)

Newsletter nr. 4 (Januari 2004)

The Foundation's work over the past ten years was recognized by the European Commission by an invitation to contribute to its Round Table on a Sustainable Project for Europe. This newsletter informs about this as well as about other significant activities of the Foundation in 2003. In the appendix you will find an overview of the activities of the European Foundation on Social Quality since 1993.

The Round Table of the European Commission

In July the European Foundation was invited to contribute to a Round Table of the European Commission, set up by the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi. Its task is essentially political and philosophical. Its main question is how to invent a model for Europe that would be sustainable in social terms. The Foundation sent a Briefing Paper in November 2003 to address this question. By referring to some main themes of the social quality approach it reflected on the Lisbon Strategy, the Social Policy Agenda and the consequences of the main stream European approaches concerning social protection as a productive factor, and the related plea for addressing social issues in terms of cost savings for economic progress. All of this regards the economistic paradigm and prevents a realistic vision on the future of Europe. Finally the Foundation comments on the Round Tableís plea for safety nets, while it appreciates the motivation behind this thinking in terms of risk pooling and social protection. If anything, the European Social Model means the aspiration towards higher standards rather than a minimal social floor. This is one of the main distinguishing features of the European model of development compared to its US and SE Asian counterparts (www.socialquality.org).

Download the PDF "A Sustainable Project for Europe", a briefing paper for The Round Table of the European Commission, here >>>

Developing Indicators of Social Quality

In 2003, (the second year of the project) the European Network on Indicators of Social Quality (ENIQ) published fourteen national reports on socio-economic security, one of the conditions for social quality. Thanks to useful suggestions in these reports a core-group of the network started a process to develop the theoretical foundation of the four conditions for social quality, - socio-economic security, social cohesion, inclusion and empowerment. These papers were debated with the group of assistants of the Network on a typical Dutch sailing boat, sailing the inner lake of the Netherlands in October last year. After this meeting the assistants discussed the papers in their respective countries. In February 2004 this theoretical process will end with a final discussion of the Network participants on the last drafts of the papers on socio-economic security, social cohesion, social inclusion and empowerment and their indicators. (see Indicators project).

Employment policies and social quality

In the second newsletter we referred to the outcomes of the Foundationís project on employment policies, analysed from the social quality point of view. This project was financed by DG Employment and Social Affairs. Nine university research centres in Europe participated in this project. Recently Kingston University in London completed the double issue of the European Journal of Social Quality 'Flexibility and Security in Employment' reflecting on the results of this project (Published by Berghahn Books, Oxford). As stated in the editorial:

'At national and European level, employment continues to be the most difficult and conflict-ridden part of the social and economic policy agenda (...). Flexicurity, insofar as it would help to reduce unemployment risks and improve the quality of life of people at work, as well as contribute to the adaptability of labour within businesses, appears to be a worthy aim for employment policies ‚ albeit one that at first may appear to be squaring the circle, and one which needs considerable further clarification. Trade unions especially are very wary of a strategy that appears to accept the inevitability of labour-market deregulation and transferring to the welfare state, in a way or another, the cost of security. This issue examines how flexicurity may be a useful way of exploring the present situation and tracing new avenues in policy-making in Europe.'

The social quality approach seems to be a chance for a new clarification of this highly important question. (see www.berghahnbooks.com)

The specificity of the social quality approach addressed in three lectures:

In July prof. dr Alan Walker, chair of the Foundation, gave a lecture during the international conference on 'Challenges for Quality of Life in the Contemporary World' at the ISQOLS Conference in Frankfurt. In this lecture he clarifies the specificity of social quality in comparison with the quality of life approaches. (see lectures)

In October dr Laurent J. G. van der Maesen, director of the Foundation, held a lecture for the University of Lille introducing the social quality approach and how this approach could assist in coping with societal problems in for example big cities. He also referred to the recent initiative of the French President to invest thirty billion Euros to combat unacceptable inequalities in fourty-one urban areas ('zones franches urbaines') in the coming years. Le Figaro concluded that the President made a final choice between the neo-liberal approach and the social approach. According to the President, one cannot call for the development of the social dialogue in France (and the European Union) and at the same time accept the brutal logic of the neo-monetarist approach.

In November prof. dr Harry Nijhuis in his inaugural lecture for the University of Amsterdam explained the way social quality could function as an intermediary between social sciences and medical sciences in order to found 'modern public health conditions' in the big cities of Europe. This view could lead to a network of cities for 'modern public health', with special support by the Cities of The Hague and Amsterdam. (The inaugural lecture will shortly be published on www.socialquality.org)

A new project proposal

In the third newsletter we referred to the Foundation's endeavour to obtain a grant from the side of DG Research to elaborate upon the outcomes of the ENIQ project, to be presented in November 2004. In DG Research's evaluation of this project proposal two aspects were seen as underdeveloped: the methodology for this empirical research and the impact on European policies. The proposed European Integrated Project for the Analysis of Social Quality (EIPAQ project, see illustration in appendix) is the Foundationís new project proposal to DG Research under the Sixth Framework Programme. In this case it regards Priority 7, namely social cohesion and cohesive societies. The proposal was completed with the help of expert-centres, qualified in the methodology of empirical research. The recent theoretical studies of the ENIQ-project concerning the conditions of social quality was a great help for completing this proposal.

A Master Course Social Quality in Milan

Of interest is the recently introduced Master Course of the University of Milan, one of the partners of the proposed EIPAQ project (see above). This Master post lauream in 'Local Development and Social Quality' is about policies, organisations and programmes dealing with critical situations. The aim of the programme is to provide an MSc degree for experts to intervene in critical situations concerning (i) local social policies for socio-economic development, (ii) socially sustainable development programs in the context of international forms of co-operation, and (iii) humanitarian intervention in emergency situations. The governance of socially sustainable development processes of local communities as well as humanitarian interventions in emergency situations have become a strategic area of social action and policy making. Especially the outcome of the ENIQ-project and the work to be done in the context of the EIPAQ-project may deliver support for this Masters Course and comparable university initiatives at other places in Europe (see: www.sociologia.unimib.it/mastersqs).

A decade of work

As an attachment to this newsletter the Foundation presents an overview of a decade of work developing the social quality approach. The Foundation is oriented on three types of activities: (i) the elaboration and deepening of the social quality theory (see its books, the Journal and studies), (ii) the empirical testing of aspects of this theory with the help of social quality measurement instruments (see ENIQ-project and the proposed EIPAQ-project), and (iii) policy research from a social quality perspective. In the overview is referred to documents addressing different policy areas: employment, urban policies, public health and ageing policies, as well as the start of the project 'Voice of Civil Europe'. In the context of this project a public happening was organised in the Felix Meritis building in December 2003, called the 'People's Trial of Europe'. The form of a trial was chosen to debate the outcomes of the Convention by judges, members of the European Parliament and members of the Dutch Parliament. (for Dutch readers see: www.democratisch-europa.nl)

Newsletter nr. 3 (July 2003)

In this newsletter the Foundation would like to stress its coming strategies for applying the outcomes of its project 'European Network on Indicators of Social Quality' in the context of the questions concerning the EC's enlargement and constitutional challenges. In the Foundation's previous newsletter of October 2002 the outcomes of the project 'Employment and Social Quality' and the search for social quality indicators with respect to the pillar of adaptability were presented.

Developing Indicators of Social Quality

The European Network on Indicators of Social Quality - consisting of fourteen academic institutes and two European NGOs - published in October 2002 its first Progress Report. In November 2002 the Foundation was invited by DG Research to present the network's results and research strategies during the conference about the Sixth Framework Programme. The recent challenge is to develop indicators of social quality concerning the four components of social quality; (i) socio-economic security, (ii) social cohesion, (iii) social inclusion and (iv) empowerment. The network decided to start with the operationalisation of socio-economic security. In February 2003 this resulted in fourteen national reports exploring social quality indicators of this component. These empirical explorations were of great importance for renewed theoretical work. At this moment the network is working on an extensive theoretical foundation of the concepts socio-economic security, social cohesion, social inclusion and empowerment to pave the way for new empirical orientations. The problem concerns the orthogonal nature of the social quality indicators of the components.

Developing profiles and the quality of life approach

In continuation of the 'Expression of Interest' of May 2002, the Foundation has sent an application to DG Research in co-operation with thirteen academic institutes in April 2003. The main focus was the creation of an Integrated Project for developing profiles with which to measure the subjective conditional factors of social quality, namely collectivisation of norms, social recognition, participation and sensitivity towards values. The indicators of social quality (see the work of the Network) and the profiles will deliver the instruments for determining the nature of social quality in different dimensions of daily life. The Sixth Framework Programme mentioned as subject of international research the development of the 'quality of life' approach. In the Foundation's application the difference between this approach and the social quality approach was highlighted. The quality of life approach concerns the determination of 'situations', while the social quality approach is oriented on the nature of the outcomes of acting individual subjects as principally social beings, as well as the nature of this acting. Therefore it immediately regards the position of citizens in recent processes of transformation in Europe. The new project will be based on the outcomes of the work of the European Network on Indicators of Social Quality to be presented in November 2004.

New social-philosophical research

In the Foundation's second book on social quality (January 2001) the principles for developing indicators and profiles of social quality are presented. Nevertheless, a normative orientation is essential for the social quality approach. The participants of the network on indicators realise, thanks to their empirical work, a thorough philosophical study is needed for developing this normative aspect of social quality. Therefore two Dutch universities and the Foundation have sent a joint application to the Dutch Scientific Fund to prepare for European co-operation to address this question. Its message is that people who are involved in them, especially in confrontation with problematic effects, experience the diverging and changing forms of the social conditions in qualitative terms. The quality of malleable social arrangements cannot be established adequately from the influential 'quality of life' paradigm, as this has to presuppose these social arrangements without being able to analyse them critically. Its paradigmatic position leads to a systematic neglect of the quality of social arrangements. The paradigm shift to social quality should however, not lead to a neglect of the experiences of individuals as it includes the respect for and recognition of the unique individual as emerging from, participating in and being protected by social arrangements. The constitutive importance of social conditions presupposes individual agency.

Exploration of policy domains

- Employment -
The Foundation completed its project 'Employment and Social Quality' in April 2002. The objective was to develop and apply the concept of adaptability to Europe's labour markets and especially to assess the tension between flexibility in working time and employment security. With help of applying preliminary indicators of social quality this project has shown problems related to mostly hidden propositions with regard to the position of men and women in the labour market by highlighting the distinction between paid and unpaid work. As soon as possible - and with the coming outcomes of the European Network on Indicators of Social Quality in mind - these outcomes will be elaborated in order to explore the policy domain of employment from the perspective of social quality.
- Public health -
In the beginning of this year the Foundation, with specific assistance of the University of Amsterdam, prepared an application on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Health and Welfare to develop a European Network of Cities. The purpose is to develop indicators of 'modern public health' seen from the perspective of social quality and to compare good practices. In March 2003 the Foundation and the University of Amsterdam applied for financing this network for the coming two years, supported by the City of The Hague. This project and the network project on indicators are mutually supportive.
- Urban conditions -
At the same time the Foundation discussed with the City of Amsterdam to start a European Network of Cities to explore, from a social quality perspective, actions of citizens for elaborating physical and social conditions for changing aspects of daily life under modern circumstances. In February 2003 the application was sent to the City of Amsterdam. It referred to the Foundation's study on 'Cities of Social Quality', published in August 2001.
- Eurocities -
With both activities in mind - the development of the network of cities for modern public health and the network of cities oriented to new urban conditions - the Foundation and the City of The Hague started the discussion with Eurocities for opening the debate about the meaning of the social quality approach. Co-operation between this European based institute and the Foundation will deliver new chances for the dissemination of the social quality approach.
- Voice of Civil Europe and a new Institute -
In December 2002 the Foundation and the Dutch Association for a Democratic Europe organised with five other NGOs the third conference about the enlargement of the EU and its constitutional questions. These points were addressed by Rita Sussmuth (former president of the German Parliament) and Tadeusz Mazowiecki (former prime minister of Poland). For the Foundation and this Association this third conference in the Felix Meritis building in Amsterdam delivered new points of departure for exploring the possibilities of a European Platform of NGOs oriented on the democratic and social quality of Europe. The Dutch experiences may be fruitful for a European initiative. By connecting the academic organisations and these NGOs of citizens, the Foundation tries to develop a new Institute for Democratic and Social Quality. Especially this Institute should address the research activities (see indicators) as well as the exploration of policy domains (see employment, public health, urban conditions and so on).

Journal of Social Quality

A new double issue of the European Journal of Social Quality is published. This issue is about 'citizenship and welfare protection'. Articles are published by Zsuzsa Ferge (European Integration and the Reform of Social Security), David Phillips (Community Citizenship and Community Social Quality), Yitzhak Berman (Social Quality as a Tool for Policy Analysis), Lei Delsen (EMU and the Social Environment) and Thierry Kochuyt (Nature of Subjective Well-Being). Also an extensive article is published by students on the Foundation's first book on Social Quality (Reconceptualisation of Social Quality). The Foundation will start a discussion with the publisher (Berghahn Journals) and the editors of the Kingston University in London for developing this journal into a more effective instrument for the proposed European Institute for Democratic and Social Quality.

Newsletter nr. 2 (October 2002)

Introduction

In last years newsletter we announced that the Foundation had been rewarded for the immense labour of many years to develop the social quality concept. These concerned two EU-funded research projects, the one especially concentrating on the creation of indicators, the other more focussing on one specific policy area. Both projects and their purposes reflect the main challenges for the Foundation in the next few years: (1) to confront the theory with the reality of the daily life of citizens, thus also policy and its outcomes, and (2) to operationalise the concept as a useful tool for policymakers, practitioners and citizens. This newsletter will mainly address the objectives and state-of-affairs of these projects as they are at the core of the social quality initiative.

Employment and Social Quality

In April this year the Foundation finished the first project that addressed the policy field of employment from the social quality perspective. The first step to studying this field was already made in a special issue of the European Journal of Social Quality (2000, Vol.2, issue 2). The main thrust of the research concerned the underdeveloped - so-called 'adaptability'-pillar of the European employment objectives. The main objective was to develop and apply the concept of adaptability to Europe's labour markets and especially assess the tension between flexibility in working time, on the one hand, and employment security on the other hand. The second objective was to expose how employment affects the social quality of the daily circumstances of citizens.

To this purpose a theoretical connection was made between flexicurity and inclusion, one of the components of social quality. The nature of flexicurity was measured by indicators on (1) income security, (2) employment relations, (3) working time, and (4) forms of care and leave. The countries covered in this comparative project were Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. A few important conclusions could be drawn from this research. High quality employment relations are of prime importance to the future social and economic health of the EU. Changes in these patterns have different causes though in the different countries. Few countries meet the standards for a high degree of flexicurity of employees with respect to working time, for instance Belgium and Denmark. Measures of income security for backing flexibility must offer possibilities to make people's discontinuous work biographies compatible with continuous income biographies. An increasing number of people become confronted with the problem of a discontinuous work-biography in general. Systems of social security in most countries are not really prepared to cope with this problem. With regard to forms of care and leave Finland and Denmark lead the pack, and this only underscores the viability of the Nordic social-democratic welfare state. The main surprise is, undoubtedly, Portugal. It plans with small means for large ambitions and surpasses wealthy countries like the Netherlands, Germany and the UK. In general, this approach has shown problems related to mostly hidden propositions with regard to the position of men and women in the labour market by highlighting the distinction between paid and unpaid work. Finally, we found that data of indicators for flexicurity on a European level are not complete and that national data lack sufficient quality for comparability.

Developing Indicators

Last year the European Foundation created the European Network on Indicators Social Quality which is funded by the EU's Fifth Framework Programme and runs from 2001 to 2003. The Network consists of fourteen countries: Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and four international partners: the European Commission, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) and the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN). Having created a theoretical platform for the development of social quality the next, and current, phase of the work of the EFSQ is to try to operationalise the concept as a useful tool for policy makers, practitioners and citizens. This is a big challenge and we openly invite contributions from scientists and research users and potential users to help us with this task.

Any index of social quality must be multi-dimensional and, in particular, it is necessary to derive indicators for the four components of the social quality quadrant. Then we have to test whether or not these can be combined to produce an aggregate indicator of social quality. This raises substantial methodological problems, but there is already a great deal of research on two of the four components - socio-economic security and social inclusion - and a growing body of work on social indicators and, therefore, we aim to build on this and not start from scratch. Further crucial questions are who decides what quality is and what level is acceptable? Of course, with a concept such as social quality that reflects European citizenship the perspectives of citizens must play a key role but, in addition, there has to be a role for experts and policy makers.

These and other questions will be addressed by the Network over the next two years and it is intended that the national experts in the Network will themselves engage with a wide range of experts and research users within their own countries in order to create as broad-based dialogue as possible in the construction of social quality indicators. These 'virtual' centres' of national expertise will be asked to comment on the value of existing research on social indicators and on the preliminary index of social quality prepared by the Network. They will also be a major resource for the national experts in creating a data base of national and sub-national indicators of social quality. At the moment the national reference groups have started assisting the members of the Network in developing indicators for the first component of study, i.e. socio-economic security.

Preparing for the Sixth Framework Programme

At the moment the European Commission's DG Research is in full preparation of the Sixth Framework Programme due to be launched by the end of this year. To consult the research community before adoption of the programme, a call for Expressions of Interest was published. These Expressions of Interest would help the Commission defining the scope of the first calls for proposals envisaged later this year. As to optimise chances of having 'social quality' in any way included in an early call, the Foundation has also submitted its ideas as an Expression of Interest. This regarded an Integrated Project in the Priority Thematic Area of Citizens and Governance in a Knowledge-based Society.

The basic rationale was to continue and further elaborate the pioneering work on social quality. Our argument is that social quality provides a mechanism to understand and orientate the direction of the development of a knowledge-based society. It also potentially constitutes a new form of governance in that it enables both societies to track their own progress and citizens to participate in that process. This would be achieved by a set of six highly integrated but different international research projects, concerning (1) fundamental theorising, (2) developing indicators and related tools, yardsticks and benchmarks for policymaking by (3) applying the concept to different policy areas, like e.g. employment and public health. As this requires more than a virtual network of academics can deal with, the Foundation aims at creating a new context (see further European Institute). This Expression of Interest has been supported by no less than 75 academics representing 62 institutes in 21 European countries. This broadly supported EoI could serve as an important step towards the establishment of a European Centre of Social Quality to be opened in Amsterdam in 2004 during the Dutch Presidency.

Voice of Civil Europe - 2nd and 3rd edition

Following the successful manifestation and online debate on the democratic quality of the EU at the end of 2000, new incentives have been given to prolong the project Voice of Civil Europe. This co-operation of mainly Dutch NGO's led to yet another public manifestation in December 2001, comprising a cultural celebration, poetry contest and debate all focussing on the introduction of the Euro. To give the mainly Dutch audience an outside perspective, the day started with an introduction by the Chairman of the EFSQ, Alan Walker, addressing the British eurosceptic - position in all this. Although he had to admit that being 'dedicated to core European values such as democracy, solidarity and social justice' he could not 'play the role of the little Englander'. At the moment preparations are going on for a next edition of the Voice manifestation planned later this year. The most important issues of course being the Convention and the effectiveness of EU institutions in the light of future enlargement of the EU.

Publications

Social Quality: A Theoretical State of Affairs, by L.J.G van der Maesen and A.C. Walker, EFSQ, Amsterdam, 21 June 2002.
Social Quality and the Policy Domain of Employment, Joint Report, by D. Gordon, J. Hamilton et al., EFSQ, Amsterdam, 29 April 2002 (including nine national reports).
The SQ Component of Socio-economic Security, discussion paper Network Indicators of Social Quality, by M. Keizer, Amsterdam, 30 August 2002.
European Centre for Social Quality and Citizenship, by L.J.G. van der Maesen, EFSQ, Amsterdam, 21 June 2002.
Expression of Interest: Integrated Project on the Social Quality of Europe, by A.C. Walker and L.J.G. van der Maesen, EFSQ, Sheffield, 1 June 2002.

Newsletter nr. 1 (June 2001)

Foundation rewarded twice

The immense labour of many over the last three years to develop the concept of social quality has finally been rewarded by the European Commission. This can be seen as a recognition of the importance of the work that has been done so far and an incentive to carry on with our task. Not just one, but two projects will be implemented with financial support from Brussels. These projects regard, on the one hand the development of indicators of social quality and on the other hand, an application of the theory to employment.

The first project proposal has been submitted to a call of the 5th Framework Programme of DG XII, more specifically in the Socio-Economic Research part of the horizontal programme 'Improving the Human Resource Potential'. By the end of December 2000 the Foundation received the approval of this proposal. As the Evaluation Summary Report said: 'The project is very valuable for any national and European policy in the socio-economic sphere. It has to be carried out as an international comparative project because of the multi-dimensionality of the concept of 'social quality'. It can be expected that this project's outcomes will play an important role in future national and European policy making. (...) The newly established European Journal of Social Quality will be an adequate outlet for the results.' During the next three years a thematic network of institutes in 16 member-states of the EU will develop the applicability of the social quality approach by creating indicators, and therefore elaborate the results of the second book 'Social Quality: A Vision for Europe' (see below).

The second project is the result of a proposal to DG V of the EC, reflecting the papers prepared for the issue of the Journal on 'employment policies and social quality' (Vol. 2 / 2). In co-operation with 6 institutes in Europe, the Foundation will apply the social quality approach to the policy domain of employment. The first project meeting will be held on 28th and 29th of June, 2001, in Amsterdam.

Out now: 'Social Quality: a Vision for Europe'

The beginning of this year was not just marked by the EC rewards, but also by the publication on which both projects are based, the second book of the Foundation: Social Quality: A Vision for Europe (Kluwer Law International, The Hague, January 2001, hardbound).This volume represents the outcome of two years of intensive debate about the future of Europe. It aims to provide the European Union with a vision: one that will unite all of its citizens and help to create the democratic legitimacy that the EU currently lacks. It builds on the first book on social quality, The Social Quality of Europe, which introduced the concept and which has been enthusiastically received by both the scientific and policy communities.

The book develops three crucial elements of social quality: the theoretical validity of the concept, its practical application, and its identity or `genetic code'. It establishes an independent identity for social quality, with a unique focus on the quality of the social, which enables it to act as the rationale for economic, social, and cultural policies and, therefore, an escape route from the dominance of narrow economic thinking in policy making. In his foreword Romano Prodi says this book promotes an approach that goes beyond production, economic growth, employment and social protection and gives self-fulfilment for individual citizens a major role to play in the formation of collective identities.

"This makes the book an important and original contribution to the shaping of a new Europe. It will be a valuable resource as we take up the challanges of the 21st Century." In the words of Anna Diamantopoulou: "This book extends and deepens our understanding of social quality and, therefre, will be an invaluable resource in both the implementation of the New Social Policy Agenda and in the modernisation of the European social model."

In development: A European Institute Social Quality

In a short amount of time the European Foundation has developed into a considerable European (discussion) network focused on the social dimension of the EU and related economic, social, and cultural policies. As the outline of the European political agenda for the next five years is clear, this could be taken as an invitation to elaborate the results of the Foundation's work so far. This though requires - in stead of a network of academic institutes an institute that generates and implements projects, that stimulates debates at different levels and creates think-tanks. This centre of expertise would have to be able to respond to requests for research and advice from both European level and national governments. To this purpose the Foundation is exploring the possibilities of creating this infrastructure with support from the City of Amsterdam, the Dutch Department of Health, Welfare and Sports and several academic institutes. In February 2001 the first step was made during a working-dinner financed by the City of Amsterdam. The next step will be the development of a business plan.

Voice of Europe: Citizen's role in Europe still major concern

The Foundation has also been involved in the project Voice of Civil Europe aimed at stimulating public debate in The Netherlands on the democratic quality of the EU. In co-operation with a Dutch NGO (VDE) an on-line debate and public manifestation have been organised in Felix Meritis about the role of the citizen in Europe. With MP's from the Dutch and the European Parliament, representatives of many different NGO's, academic experts and a crowd of over 300 people the actual problems and future challenges of the EU have been debated. The inspiring atmosphere and the amount of press coverage have proven that the citizen's role in Europe is still of major concern for policy makers.