The 33^rd ICSW Global Conference on Social Welfare was held in the

city of Tours (France) in 2008 (June 30-July 4) and was attended by

more than 600 people from 75 countries. This "Davos summit" on

social welfare covered a wide range of issues and cases, making it

impossible to summarise them all and unfair to choose any one view.

The French Committee for Social Development and Action (CFADS -

Comité français pour l'action et le développement social ) therefore chose

to produce a book with chapters by different authors who have analysed

key subjects presented at the conference. No attempt has been made to

be exhaustive; the authors have signed their contributions and included

their own input and angles, casting light on different presentations made

at the conference. The chapter by Christian Rollet covers the wide range

and different capacities of welfare policies around the world; Eric

Parpaillon has focused on welfare policy innovations in both "the North"

and "the South;" Gérard Schaefer has explored the practice of

"workfare" around the world; and Blandine Destremau has highlighted

the ambiguous relationship between human rights and social rights,

showing that they do not necessarily form an ideal partnership.

The work reported here also incentive for further study of social welfare

in a globalised world.