Unit name | Comparative Political Economy and Social Policy |
---|---|
Unit code | SPOL20044 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | I/5 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
Unit director | Dr. Lendvai-Bainton |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | School for Policy Studies |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit will develop students understanding of the changing context of social policy, particularly in relation to an increasingly globalised and transnational world It seeks to highlight the relationship between global processes and national contexts and highlight the role of local specificity (politics, culture, institutions, socio-economic profiles for example) in shaping types of provision, policy-making and implementation across different societies and in a world that is increasingly interconnected. It will consider the strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical approaches to understanding the development of welfare systems across societies, explore the relevance of cross-national comparative research in a global age, and critically assess the variety of approaches adopted for conducting such research.
The unit will also explore the argument that that changes in society have contributed to a shift from `old’ social risks to ‘new’ social risks and that social solidarity has been undermined. This has contributed to the transformation of the welfare state to a Social Investment State that is re-shaping social welfare and creating new tensions. This unit will critically assess the emergence of the `social investment’ welfare state and the role of international organisations and national governments in supporting or challenging this model. The unit will also explore a range of policy issues, including cities and housing, poverty and inequality, and work and employment, in an international comparative context. Thus this unit will extend student’s knowledge of the dynamics and role of institutions, emerging narratives and social transformations at different spatial scales, and their implications for welfare systems in different societies. It will also highlight a range of social policy issues and explore how they manifest and are understood in different societies.
By the end of this unit students will be:
12 lectures and 12 seminars.
Annotated bibliography (1000 words) (25%)
Encyclopedia of Comparative Political Economy and Social Policy entry (2000 words) (75%)