Comparative Social Quality Between Taiwan and Korea

Lih-Rong Wang、Alan Walker 編

This book has invited scholars from UK, Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong to address the social quality reality in Taiwan and South Korea. The main themes and discussion in this book include 4 dimensions of social economic security, social inclusion, social cohesion and social empowerment. Taiwan and South Korea has been advocated as “developmental welfare state” and recognized as 2 of 4 dragons in Asia with similar track in social and economic development in last few decades. It is very precious to see that book has its focus on unique investigation as stated above in two societies. More importantly, most of the chapters are written mainly based on the utilization of social quality theories and using the data derived from the same questionnaires (by different languages) and investigation done in two countries. And the book by using comparative study method and scientifically -based data to address the similarities and difference between Taiwan and South Korea in societal situation and trend is quite unique as well. Finally, the main content is highly consistent in addressing the social/political/economic and well-being of these societies with social policy implication, which is the strength of this book in particular.

Byong-Hee Cho
Professor of School of Public Health, Seoul National University

Cherng-tay James Hsueh(薛承泰)
Professor of the Department of Sociology, National Taiwan University

David Fu-Keung Ip(葉富強)
Associate Professor and Associate Head of the Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Jin-Ho Jang
Assistant Professor of the School of General Studies, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology

Sangchul Jang
Ph.D. in Sociology, Yonsei University

Bih-Hearn Virginia Lee(李碧涵)
Professor of the Graduate Institute of National Development, National Taiwan University

Chao-Yin Lin(林昭吟)
Associate Professor of the Department of Social Work, National Taipei University

Eun Young Nam
Senior researcher of Seoul National University Asia Center

Shih-Jiun Shi(施世駿)
Associate Professor of the Graduate Institute of National Development, National Taiwan University

Alan Walker
Professor of Social Policy and Social Gerontology, University of Sheffield

Lih-Rong Wang(王麗容)
Professor of Department of Social Work, National Taiwan University

Yun-Tung Wang(王雲東)
Associate Professor of the Department of Social Work, National Taiwan University

Chapter 1
Introduction: The Concept of Social Quality
Alan Walker

Chapter 2
A Preliminary Subjective Investigation of Social Inclusion in Taiwan and South Korea
Lih-Rong Wang, Cherng-Tay Hsueh

Chapter 3
Atypical Employment and Social Quality: Experiences from South Korea and Taiwan
Bih-Hearn Lee, Lih-Rong Wang, Fu-Keung Ip

Chapter 4
Closed Social Networks, Trust, Health, and Well-Being in South Korea
Byong-Hee Cho

Chapter 5
Capitalism as Lived Experiences: A Comparison of Social Quality between South Korea and Taiwan
Sangchul Jang

Chapter 6
Financialization and Socioeconomic Security in South Korea and Taiwan
Jin-Ho Jang

Chapter 7
A Comparative Study of Social Cohesion in Taiwan and South Korea
Chao-Yin Lin, Yun-Tung Wang, Shih-Jiun Shi

Chapter 8
Middle Class Identification and Life Events in South Korea and Taiwan
Eun-Young Nam

Chapter 9
Social Inclusion in Taiwan: A Subjective Survey
Lih-Rong Wang

References