The Politics of Social Welfare in Europe

Course content

The module is designed to provide an insight to European welfare and social policy, and identity the main patterns that led to its creation and evolution after the Second World War. The first part (6 weeks) focuses on the interplay between national social policy and welfare politics. After defining social policy and the notion of welfare, it goes on to analyze the link between social welfare and the ‘models of capitalism’ literature. It thus examines the principles underpinning the Continental, Anglo-Saxon, Southern Nordic and East European social policy regimes. The second part (3 weeks) is devoted to an examination of European Social Policy. It delineates its growth by examining the EU Cohesion Policy and the SEA, before discussing the European Social Dialogue and the role of the social partners.The final part (3 weeks) combines the national and pan-European elements of social welfare, discussing the challenges they face in an era of globalization.