Contemporary social policy problems in Europe: East and West


Number of ECTS credits allocated

12 credits

Name of lecturer(s)

prof. PhDr. Tomáš Sirovátka, CSc. (lecturer)
PhDr. Imrich Vašečka, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Jiří Winkler, Ph.D. (lecturer)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The goal of the course is to advance the knowledge about contemporary Czech and European social
policy and to develop the abaility of the students of the creative application of their
theoretical, methodological amd merit knowledge gained in the other courses within analysis,
evaluation and preparation of the policies aimed to solve the current problems of social policy in
the Czech Republic. Learning outcomes - at the end of the course the student is able - to identify
key dilemmas solved in social policy today - to formulate criteria along which the approach to
these dilemmas would be assessed - operacionalize siutable indicators to these criteria - to assess
policies in different fields - to formulate and argue on own solutions of solving the dilemmas


Course Contents

Topics 1 Pension reform 2 Employment policy 3 Family policy 4 Social assistance, services and
social inclusion Each topic is discussed in three seminars: 1 General aspects. Ethical choices. 2
Analysis and evaluation of the existing and suggested solutions. 3 Elaboration and argumentation on
own proposals - solutions.


Recommended or required reading

·         Saxonberg, S., Sirovátka, T. 2006 Failing Family Policy in Post-Communist Central Europe.
Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis 8 (2): 189-206.

·         Esping Andersen, G., Gallie, D., Hemerijck, A. a J. Myles 2002. Why We Need a New Welfare
State? A New Welfare Architecture for Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

·         Gallie D., Paugam S. Welfare Regimes and the Experience of Unemployment in Europe. Oxford
Univ. Press 2000,

·         J. Myles A New Social  Contract for the Elderly ? Pp.130-172 in Esping Andersen, G.,
Gallie, D., Hemerijck, A. a J. Myles 2002. Why We Need a New Welfare State? A New Welfare
Architecture for Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

·         Van Berkel, R. W. de Graaf, T. 2011. The Governance of Active Welfare States. Pp. 1-21.
In  The Governance of Active Welfare States in Europe.  Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave,
Macmillan.

·         Castles, F.G. 2003. "The world turned upside down: below replacement fertility, changing
preferences and family-friendly public policy in 21 OECD countries." Journal of European Social
Policy 13 (3): 209-227.

·         Leitner, S. (2003), ‘Varieties of Familialism. The caring function of the family in
comparative perspective.’ European Societies 5(4), pp. 353-375.

·         Saraceno, Ch. (ed) 2002. Social Assistance Dynamics in Europe. National and Local Poverty
Regimes. Bristol: The Policy Press, pp. 81-119, 127-137, 235-258.

·         Ringen, S. 1987. The Possibility of Politics. Oxford University Press.


Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Literature and tasks imposed on the students. Presentations of the tasks on the seminar,
discussion. Feedback on seminar paper.

Assessment methods and criteria

control of home tasks for each seminar assessment of seminar paper exam - discussion on seminar
paper