To give an overview of different welfare states’ models in West- and East European countries and to analyse welfare reforms of the last decade. The course provides skills to analyse the development of postmodern welfare states and relate it to all European trends.
Contents
The course focuses on the notion of welfare states that emerged in Europe in the early 1950s. The main accent of the course is on the different models of post-modern welfare states with a specific emphasis on a paradigmatic difference between West-European and East-, Central European welfare states. The background of each model and of the more general, e.g. East-West, difference is analyzed and explanations to the variations of models are given departing from the strategic directions of development of the post-modern welfare state. Three basic welfare state models are analyzed in detail with examples of both national specific and general convergence between models. The course's apogee is the analysis of the latest welfare reforms in Europe, with a closer look at the actions and roles of major actors of reforms.
Teaching methods
28 hours of lectures and seminars, 100-120pp reading, essay (approx. 10 pages) and an exam.
Teaching language
English
Modes of study
Active participation, reading and an essay.
Evaluation
Numeric 1-5.
Recommended year of study
Autumn 2008
Study materials
Pierre Pestieau: The Welfare State in the European Union. Economic and Social Perspectives. Oxford University Press 2006.