VPL461 Contemporary Social policy in EU

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2014
Extent and Intensity
1/1. 12 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
John Frederick Wilton, B.A. (Hons), M. Soc Sc, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Tomáš Sirovátka, CSc.
Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Wed 15. 10. to Sun 14. 12. Wed 15:15–16:45 U53
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 40 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/40, only registered: 0/40, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/40
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
An examination and analysis of the ‘European’ characterisation, and context, of the development of European Union social policy, leading to assessment of the degree of Europeanisation of European Union social policy. Initially, the historical development of European Union social policy will be examined within the context of the growth in importance of social policy areas in the E.U. integration project. Against that background the course will move on to identify and characterise models of welfare in European states, as well as four typologies of European welfare states. The principles and concepts of harmonisation, mutual recognition, and convergence whichshape and condition E.U. social policy will then be defined and examined. These will then be employed in two case studies of European Union social policy areas – welfare and labour mobility. Finally, definition and assessment of the degree of general Europeanisation of social policy will be undertaken within the context of the previous aspects and elements of the course, and in particular in terms of comparison with the characteristics of the types of European welfare states identified in the course.
Syllabus
  • Lecture 1. The historical development of E.U. social policy Lecture 2. Models of welfare in European states: ‘old’ and ‘new’ convergence Lecture 3. Four types of European welfare states: Conservative Corporatist, Social Democratic, Anglo-Saxon, and the Mediterranean model. Lecture 4. The principles and concepts of E.U. social policy – harmonisation, mutual recognition, cohesion and convergence Lecture 5. Two case studies: a) European Union welfare policy b) Labour mobility and the European Union Lecture 6. The Europeanisation of social policy?
Literature
    required literature
  • CASTLES, Francis Geoffrey. The future of the welfare state : crisis myths and crisis realities. 1st pub. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004, xi, 197. ISBN 0199273928. info
    recommended literature
  • Jepsen, M. and Pascual, A.S. (2005) ‘The European Social Model: an exercise in deconstruction’, Journal of European Social Policy, 15(3), pp.231-245.
  • Aysan, M. F. and Beaujot, R. (2009) ‘Welfare Regimes for Ageing populations: No Single Path for Reform’, Population and Development Review, Vol. 35, No. 4, pp.701-720.
  • Europe and the politics of capabilities. Edited by Robert Salais - Robert Villeneuve. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004, xv, 312. ISBN 0521836042. URL info
  • Resisting marginalization : unemployment experience and social policy in the European Union. Edited by Duncan Gallie. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004, xi, 291. ISBN 0199271852. info
  • The politics of europeanization. Edited by Kevin Featherstone - Claudio M. Radaelli. 1st pub. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003, xii, 351. ISBN 0199252092. info
  • KLEINMAN, Mark. A european welfare state? :European union social policy in context. 1st pub. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2002, ix, 246 s. ISBN 0-333-69892-4. info
  • MCCORMICK, John. Understanding the European Union : a concise introduction. 2. ed. New York: Palgrave, 2002, xvi, 237 s. ISBN 0-333-94868-8. info
  • Policy-making in the European union. Edited by William Wallace - Helen Wallace. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996, xxvii, 509. ISBN 0-19-878128-8. info
  • New perspectives on the welfare state in Europe. Edited by Catherine Jones. 1. ed. London: Routledge, 1993, 246 s. ISBN 0415070422. info
    not specified
  • Duina, F. and Raunio, T. (2007) ‘The open method of co-ordination and national parliaments: further marginalization or new opportunities?’Journal of European Public Policy, 14:4, pp.489-506.
  • Warleigh-Lack, A. and Drachenberg, R. (2011) ‘Spillover in a soft policy era? Evidence from the Open Method of Co-ordination in education and training’, in Journal of European Public Policy, Vol.18, no 7, pp.999-1015.
Teaching methods
Lectures, workshops (discussion groups)
Assessment methods
Essay assessment
Language of instruction
English
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2012, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Spring 2015, Autumn 2015, Spring 2016, Autumn 2016, Spring 2017, Autumn 2017, Spring 2018, Autumn 2018, Spring 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2014, recent)
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