Abstract

TOWARDS A TRANS-NATIONAL FRAMEWORK OF SOCIAL INCLUSION:
USING INDICATORS AND INDEXES TO INFORM ACCOUNTABILITY

M. Anthony Hutchinson and Dr. Peter Dunn

Since the formal induction of social inclusion into many policy platforms across the European Union (EU), the challenge of gauging how well respective jurisdictions are in fact implementing respective social inclusion action plans has been an undertaking pursued by government bodies from local to trans-national levels. Despite the efforts of some of the highest governance bodies in the EU, the development of a robust and concrete framework through which social inclusion can be effectively monitored and measured has yet to completed. On this side of the Atlantic, recent research activities in Canada have produced a trans-national framework focused on gauging social inclusion across the Americas in light of economic integration. This paper provides an introduction to the Hemispheric Social Inclusion Index (HSII) developed at York University’s Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies. In short, the HSII offers itself as a comprehensive and innovative framework through which social inclusion can be effectively operationalized, accounted for and evaluated in terms of its relevance as a trans-national policy option. Ultimately, the HSII is demonstrated to be a policy-informing resource that incorporates some of the best elements from existing national and trans-national social development indexes. As such, the HSII is an index that can effectively compare social inclusion across countries, between trade regions and be used evaluate within-state performances over time. Subsequently, it can help make more transparent and tangible the idea of social inclusion as a feasible, dynamic and compelling policy framework at all varying of governance – from local to global domains.

Bios

Anthony Hutchinson is currently the Executive Director of the Institute for Studies in Social Inclusion, Toronto, Canada. The institute is a cross-disciplinary think-tank that incorporates the participation and research ideas of academics, social activists and community residents to address and promote issues of access, equity and participation in Canadian life across respective social, economic and political domains. Mr. Hutchinson teaches Research Methods at Ryerson University’s School of Social Work as well as Statistics and Data Analysis at Wilfrid Laurier University. From March 2001 through June 2002, Mr. Hutchinson was a Lead Researcher for the Hemispheric Social Inclusion Index Project at the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies, York University. The first report, Measuring Environmental Inclusion in the Western Hemisphere: Does Economic Growth Foster a Sustainable Environment, written in collaboration with Daniel Drache was released in November 2001 and is available for download at http://www.robarts.yorku.ca. In May 2002, Mr. Hutchinson was a lead presenter at the Experts Working Day on Social Inclusion held at York University. Mr. Hutchinson has a broad career in anti-poverty work, human rights advocacy and social policy analysis with organizations such as Low Income Families Together and the Ontario Social Development Council. Mr. Hutchinson holds a B.Sc. (Toronto), B.S.W. (York), and M.S.W. (McMaster). Currently, he is completing his Ph.D. in Social Policy at the School of Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University.

Peter Dunn is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University. Dr. Dunn teaches courses in social policy, social administration, research methods, and poverty in Canada. His research interests include disability policies, social housing, poverty issues, gender concerns and alternative social interventions. He completed a national report for Statistics Canada on the needs of seniors who are disabled. Dr. Dunn recently updated a national survey of provincial government disability policies and has been involved in research projects dealing with Independent Living Centres and the empowerment of individuals with developmental disabilities. Dr. Dunn holds a BA (Massachusetts), MSW (Toronto), Adv. Diploma in Social Work (Toronto), and PhD. (Brandeis).

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