Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy, Seventh Edition, emphasizes the current political aspects of policymaking and major social welfare programs, including public assistance, Social Security, disability, health insurance, and much more. The author also focuses on policies that affect issues as racism, sexism, gay rights, and immigration. In addition, a wealth of updated instructor and student supplements give this text its celebrated advantage as a leader in the social welfare policy textbook market. This book stands out from others because it does more than describe the major social welfare policies and programs. The book also tackles the conflict and controversies surrounding these programs. Social policy is not presented as solutions to social problems. Social policy is portrayed as public conflict over the nature and causes of social welfare problems, over what, if anything, should be done about them, over who should do it, and over who should decide about it.