As a socio-political idea and logic, universalism is an object for multiple struggles and redefinitions. In social policy context universalism refers to principles or logics, practices, normative assumptions and ideals over the modes, functions and objectives of social policy. Our aim is to clarify, what universalism is about, what makes a cash benefit or service universal, what kind of social conditions promote universalism and what are the problems of universalism.
Anneli Anttonen is Professor of Social Policy at the University of Tampere, Finland and Jorma Sipilä is Professor Emeritus at the University of Tampere, Finland.