Historical Background
During the 1960s, welfare economics emerged as a branch of economics to study socio-economic inequality, however, it was just a vertical analysis of distribution of wealth. It did not address spatial, regional or territorial distribution or inequality. Consequently, welfare geography emerged to fill the gap of horizontal or spatial analysis. So, we can define Welfare Geography as a branch of geography which emerged during the 1960s to address the surge of crime, environmental degradation and socio-economic inequality across geographical space.
- The welfare approach in geography gained traction in the 1970s towards the conclusion of Vietnam War (1954-1975).
- During the Vietnam war, a lot of hunger, crime, poverty and human rights violations became issues for public debate and academic discourse. A lot of soldiers who returned from wars, narrated the cruelty of America’s indulgence in wars across the world while people suffered at home in America. A lot of radical protesters gathered to oppose such wars and focus on the welfare of citizens.
- So, many social sciences shifted their focus towards social well being. Welfare geography was part of a social relevance movement where the Social Well Being Paradigm was at the center of analysis. Every social science wanted to become relevant to society and so did geography.
Characteristics of Welfare Geography
From the above definition, one can understand the characteristics of welfare geography, partially. So, it is discussed in detail as follows.
- Vertical Analysis: The welfare geography studies the inequality in social status, economic capability and political influence of different communities in a given area. The communities can be formed based on income, caste, class, gender, religion, ethnicity etc. Hence, cross-sectional analysis is intrinsic to welfare geography.
- Horizontal Analysis: Horizontal or spatial analysis is a specialty of geography. Hence, welfare geography studied the patterns of socio-economic inequality and political marginalization of certain areas. Therefore, it tried to deliver territorial justice.
- Spatial Bias through state policies: The welfare geography also analyzed the impact of state policies on vertical and horizontal inequality. It recognized that the impact of state policies is not the same everywhere and varies according to location. Since, the space is segregated by class, caste and ethnicity, the impact of policies is also varied. The policymakers generally make policies which enhance the welfare of their communities. Hence, spatial differentiation in welfare outcomes creates friction in society.
- Radical Element: Marxism also influenced welfare geography during its genesis. It recognized that there are haves and have nots, meaning, certain communities receive more welfare and others receive less through state policies. Hence, spatial injustice is ingrained in the structure of the state and needs to be changed. Therefore, it demands restructuring of state machinery.
In short, welfare geography explains WHO GETS WHAT, WHERE AND HOW. The vertical analysis represents WHO, horizontal analysis represents WHERE and spatial bias through state policies represent WHAT and HOW.
Methods in Welfare Geography
The rise of welfarism was a key methodological development in the history of modern geography. It rose as an academic response to the Quantitative Revolution of the 1950s when studies evolved around application of physical and mathematical laws on geographical phenomenon. The application of physical laws to cultural landscape made geographical conclusions highly assumptive or tentative. Each geographical law started to sound completely theoretical and of zero practical relevance. Hence, new perspectives or methods to study geography were urgently needed. Welfare geography brought that much needed perspective to geography.
- Quantitative methods: Welfare geographers borrow statistical techniques from the quantitative revolution and uses it for more humane means. Instead of using mathematical techniques to draw abstract pictures of complex geographical phenomenon e.g. Central Place Theory, it focuses on objectification of welfare conditions of different sections of society through simple statistical methods e.g. standard deviation, correlation etc.
- Case specific approach: It relies on positivist methods to build a policy framework capable of practically improving the welfare condition of people. The conclusions in welfare geography are specific to certain situations rather than being generic in nature. So, geographers focus on case studies for finding solutions to certain problems. Each solution can be judged against other alternatives. It ensures unbiased objective decision making. Case specific approach helps spread awareness about local cultural landscape and need for its preservation among policymakers.
- Political Economy Approach: The welfare geographers believe that social, economic and political phenomenon are intertwined. Therefore, the welfare level of any given community is an interplay between socio-economic conditions and political structure. In total, the welfare approach in geography is more holistic than just positivism. Therefore, the exact cause of social and spatial disparity becomes more nuanced. This holistic approach elaborates the processes through which disparity is propagated and manifested over space.
Conclusion
In short, Smith (1973) describes welfare geography as a study of the relationship between the spatial variation of need and structures of provision which result in the creation of geographies of welfare.
- It implies that welfarism explains spatial variation in welfare as a consequence of variation in need of goods and services and their provision across space.
- It aimed to study the impact of welfare policies of the state on different geographical units.
- The welfare geographers studied spatial inequality between different regions and suggested policies for territorial justice. Territorial justice implies that different geographic regions should get economic and political benefits of state policies without any prejudice. For example, India’s government provides tax holidays to the companies which are ready to set up their industrial units in the underdeveloped parts of the country.
Kulwinder Singh is an alumni of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and working as Assistant Professor of Geography at Pt. C.L.S. Government College, Kurukshetra University. He is a passionate teacher and avid learner.