Conclusion

in development. The chapter brings a new example of global diffusion processes at work in social policy through discussion of the globalisation of the concept of ‘not in education, employment or training’ (NEET).

Part Three focuses on key GSP policy domains and is made up of four chapters. Jeremy Schmidt (Chapter 12) discusses where and how the interlinked policy areas of water, energy and food feature in GSP in practice. He traces the rise of the ‘water–energy–food nexus’ in global policy discourse, including its place in the operationalisation of the SDGs, and discusses what this means for social policy and social justice. Meri Koivusalo and Eeva Olilla (Chapter 13) consider the global policy agendas and programmes responding to an array of global health issues. They examine the multiple governmental and non-governmental actors involved in global health governance, as well as the ways in which international agreements can enhance or restrict the policy space for health. Susan Robertson and Roger Dale (Chapter 14) examine the key institutions, actors and policies in global education policy. They contrast different visions and models of education promoted by global actors, and how these are reframing education in policy and practice worldwide. The increasing interest of commercial businesses in education provision and the use of public–private partnerships (PPPs) in this sector is critically commented on, as are the ways in which education is promoted as an internationally tradable commodity. Last, but by no means least, Lutz Leisering (Chapter 15) reviews global social security policy around the world. He considers the experiences of countries, North and South, as well as the policies of the ILO, the World Bank and other IGOs in terms of their role in facilitating the ‘spread’ of particular models and pathways for income security around the world.

Conclusion

The plethora of different initiatives and programmes, priorities and issues covered by the chapters of this book testify to burgeoning global policy activity and to the challenges that lie ahead. Fragmented systems of global governance, deeply entrenched global poverty, inequality and social injustice combine with a reluctance to meaningfully embrace a global shared responsibility for addressing critical social policy issues, the commercialisation and privatisation of public services, the philanthro-capitalisation of global social financing, the renewal and contestation of global trade and investment agreements, and an apparent preference in many areas of global policy-making for non-binding agreements and voluntary initiatives that fail to hold governments, corporations and others to account. However, recent history tells us that politics and ideas still matter, now, as much as ever. We see more universalistic models of health and social protection that disrupt the once seemingly inexorable tide of neoliberalism, while the global social harms caused by the GFC, the period of ‘austerity’ that