Universal vulnerability as the basis for the narrative underpinning contemporary social policy

This article presents the vulnerability theory articulated by Martha Albertson Fineman as part of the discourse around the problems and needs of contemporary citizens and the state’s responsibilities in addressing them. The authors point to the potential of this approach to reveal the complex experiences of people from different groups and social categories, going beyond the “traditional” categories of clients of aid institutions, typically treated as recipients of social support. In Fineman’s view, recognizing citizens’ universal vulnerability and fragility constitutes the basis for a new model of human relations grounded in solidarity, as well as a new perspective for uncovering social inequalities. It also presents a set of challenges for the recalibration needed in the contemporary welfare state, and provides specific guidelines for social institutions and services on how to respond effectively to the needs and aspirations of citizens. Of the article’s three main sections, the first presents the essence of Martha Fineman’s vulnerability theory, the second discusses the challenges for social policy stemming from it, and the third offers inspiration from Fineman’s proposals for social policy at street level. The authors propose an actionable diagnostic model of the potential vulnerabilities in various spheres of life, deriving from Martha Fineman’s reasoning. This is a valuable tool for preventing social problems and, simultaneously, enabling the accurate construction of “tailor-made” service packages to compensate for deficits experienced and to respond to manifestations of universal vulnerability.