The Paradoxical Reality of Welfare Professionals: Encounters Between Welfare Professionals and Citizens Within Social Security in the Netherlands
摘要
Welfare professionals work with a paradoxical reality. They should treat all citizens the same, and at the same time they must act responsively in individual cases when appropriate. Based on in-depth interviews with welfare professionals, this chapter provides a picture of the daily activities of welfare professionals and their interactions with citizens in the Dutch social security context. Based on a typology of enforcement styles, the chapter shows variation between and within agencies in how welfare professionals interpret the rules and how they respond to rule violations. It shows that, despite stricter legislation, welfare professionals are still able to leave their mark on enforcement.