This course have got three aims: to specify the current stakes of the social policies in economic, cultural and social terms, to locate those in their historical and theoretical context and finally to develop a critical analysis of the decision-making processes and reforms either current or in project. From the data elements and analysis contained in the course, the students will increase their capacity of judgement necessary to the comprehension and the development of proposals for change as regards social policy.
Main themes
- Presentation of the historical, theoretical and cultural framework of contemporary social policies;
- Compared analysis of the various social protection systems in Europe;
- Analysis and discussion of the Welfare States position concerning the current challenges: financing of social protection, income redistribution, privatization or socialization of social protection, demographic ageing and relation with the active policies of the labour market.