Dr Kitty Stewart OLD2.36

This course is available on the MSc in Social Policy (European and Comparative Social Policy), MSc in Social Policy (Research) and MSc in Social Policy (Social Policy and Planning). This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

The course analyses the purposes, design and impact of social security policies, meaning policies that protect and support household income at times when income from the labour market does not suffice. The need for social security arises both from demographic factors that affect nearly everyone during their life course – childhood, parenthood, old age – and from risk factors that will end up affecting only some – unemployment, sickness and disability. The course takes a comparative approach, examining differences in the design of social security policies across welfare regimes and drawing on examples from different countries. The focus is largely on industrialised countries, but the course also touches on issues arising in delivering social protection in other parts of the world. 

10 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the MT. 2 hours of seminars in the ST.

Seminar members will be expected to make one presentation to the seminar group and submit one written paper during the course of the term. Students will also be expected to come to seminars each week prepared to present on and debate the week's key readings.

Basic reading for the course includes: R Walker, Social Security and Welfare: Concepts and Comparisons, Oxford University Press, 2005; J Millar (Ed), Understanding Social Security, 2nd ed. The Policy Press, 2009; J Dixon, Social Security in Global Perspective, Praeger, 1999; J Hills, Good Times, Bad Times: The Welfare Myth of Them and Us, Policy Press, 2014; ILO, World Social Protection Report 2014/15: Building Economic Recovery, Inclusive Development and Social Justice.

Exam (75%, duration: 2 hours) in the main exam period.
Essay (25%, 1500 words) in the LT.