COHERENCE - THE KEYWORD FOR CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL POLICY (INSPIRATIONS, DIRECTIONS AND CHALLENGES) (Spójnosc - kluczowe pojecie dla wspólczesnej polityki spolecznej (inspiracje, tropy i wyzwania))

The article raises the issue of coherence as the main challenge as well as a deficit of the contemporary social policy. One of the basic ideas connected with the so-called active social policy is coherence, included in the EU policy of coherence that is being implemented. The policy of coherence is above all aims, ideas, directions, the indication of desired states with regard to funds for their realization. Can the challenges for the practice of coherence policy be built around the notion of 'coherence'? Can convergence, inclusion, equality and the stimulation of social capital be built in a coherent way? The author attempts to answer these questions indicating some challenges for the practice of social policy coming from the analysis of such terms as cognitive, structural, social and socio-economic coherence. The analysis leads to specification of the basic elements (challenges) of the practice of coherence policy, among which are the elimination of contradictions, internal integration, efficiency, control and rationality as well as positive attitudes. The consideration of the aims of social policy and the challenges for its practice (that is achieving these aims) allows to speak about coherent social policy, or the coherent policy of activation.