National Information Infrastructure Policy and the Future of the American Welfare State: Implications for the Social Welfare Policy Curriculum

Abstract

The development of the information society will have important future ramifications for the U.S. economy and for the social welfare system. The nature of work, work organizations, government, and other institutions will be changed by the growth of the information sector. An important part of this sector will be the National Information Infrastructure, or “Information Superhighway.” This network will help to determine the winners and losers in the new economy and will have major consequences for the evolution of social policy. These ramifications are explored and implications for social work education are discussed. The article argues that social service programs need to deal realistically with the oncoming changes, and that social work education will have to prepare students to function within this new social welfare system.

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Notes on contributors

John McNutt

John McNutt is assistant professor, Graduate School of Social Work, Boston College. This article is based on a paper presented at the Council on Social Work Education's Annual Program Meeting, San Diego, CA, March 1995. The author wishes to thank the Journal reviewers, the participants in his APM session, and Marcia Barron for their ideas and comments.