Abstract

OCHMAN, Marta. Targeted Social Policies and Social Cohesion: the Dilemma of Material and Symbolic Equality. En-clav. pen [online]. 2016, vol.10, n.19, pp.65-84. ISSN 2594-1100.

This article analyzes the relationship between targeted public policies and social cohesion. The need to justify redistributive policies inherently implies the need to establish controls to prevent fraud, thereby ensuring tax efficiency, resulting in the stigmatization of beneficiary groups. Furthermore, in order to legitimize the targeted programs, the principle of deservingness is used, leading to the victimization of the beneficiaries, and to the discourse of compassion, not rights, as the framework of targeted programs. The article defines the concept of social cohesion, summarizes the debate on targeting and discusses how the principle of deservingness applies to the case of Mexico's Programa de Atención Integral para Madres Solas Jefas de Familia (Comprehensive Care Program for Single Mothers Heads of Household).

Keywords : Social cohesion; targeting; deservingness; social policies; stigmatization.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )