Rights and Obligations in Social Security

This chapter reviews the research contribution of Michael Adler to our understanding of the core dimensions of social security law, policy and administration. Using Adler’s research, the chapter analyses the rights and obligations of citizens in the context of their entitlement to social security benefits. It reviews the increasingly punitive social security policies applied to those who are sanctioned for failing to meet the conditions imposed on their receipt of benefits, which are also evidenced in penalties for social security fraud. It examines the oversight and adjudication mechanisms of social security decision-making, highlighting the barriers to accessing justice in the processes by which these decisions can be challenged. The chapter concludes with a consideration of how Adler’s research can guide us for the future.