The “social policy” area of concentration addresses global and international dimensions of social policy and social administration. It also covers regional and local social policies and their relationship with international economic and societal developments. It deals with institutional and governance issues, such as economic integration and social welfare, as well as with specific topical areas, such as poverty and social exclusion, health and long-term care or work and income.

The course “Globalisation and Social Policy I”

1. introduces/refreshes basic economic concepts in the design and implementation of social policy
2. provides deeper insights into major areas of social policy (e.g. pensions, health, labour market and poverty policy)
3. presents selected policy issues and related research strands within and across major areas of social policy 
4. discusses the interrelationships between globalization and social policy

The aim of “Globalisation and Social Policy (Part 1)” is to improve the understanding of key concepts and theories of social policy and social policy analysis in the context of globalisation, including: (a) the institutional, economic and cultural context of social policy, (b) principles of welfare systems and social policies and (c) alternative theoretical approaches to the analysis and the explanation of social problems and of social policies. After attending this course, students will be able to

• describe and analyse key concepts of social policy,
• know and understand main theories of welfare systems and social policies,
• outline the institutional context for social policies and social policy development,
• develop an awareness of the broader context for global social challenges,
• identify key challenges of globalisation for social policy and the impact social policy has on globalisation,
• articulate and compare alternative approaches to social policy analysis, and
• apply alternative theories and concepts to specific problem sets.

Brief inputs (didactic lectures) offered by the course convenor.

There will be reading assignments for each course unit. Please come prepared to be able to actively discuss the readings in the course. 

Students will be expected to prepare a brief group presentation in April or May  (Presentation slots: 13, 20 and 27 April, 4 May). Presentations need to include an interactive element.

Guest Talks will provide further opportunities for active participation.

Assessments (relative weights in the final grade): 

• active participation (30%)
• group presentation (30%)
• individual paper (40%)

Grades (point ranges)

• 1: Excellent (90-100 points)
• 2: Good (80-89 points)
• 3: Satisfactory (65-79 points)
• 4: Sufficient (50-64 points)
• 5: Fail (0-49 points)

Please note:

• AI tools may be used for brainstorming and preparation for written assignments and presentations. The use of AI tools for results, discussion, and reflection is prohibited; these are the students' own work. AI output cannot be used as evidence for content-related claims; it must be substantiated with scientific literature.
• All AI tools used must be listed in a resource directory (which is an integral part of submitted work). The entry in the resource directory must include: tool used, type of use, sections/chapters/slides for which AI was used, Documentation (shared links, prompts (stable prompt)) PLease also note expliceitely if no such tools have been used. 
• The unauthorized use of AI tools or missing evidence is considered an attempt at fraud or plagiarism.

Please log in with your WU account to use all functionalities of read!t. For off-campus access to our licensed electronic resources, remember to activate your VPN connection connection. In case you encounter any technical problems or have questions regarding read!t, please feel free to contact the library at readinglists@wu.ac.at.

For scheduling an appointment please send an email to:
ulrike.schneider@wu.ac.at