Development and Reform of the Welfare State

Why do some countries have a large and developed welfare state and others do not? Why is the welfare state in the Nordic countries more comprehensive than in most other European countries? What explains the variety of welfare regimes in Europe? 

In view of global competition and ageing populations, experts often emphasize the need for reform of welfare states and labour markets. At the same time the public goes to the streets to demonstrate against what they see as untimely or unwarranted reforms. This course investigates what happens when the irresistible pressures of needs for reform meets the immovable institutions of the welfare state. What is the politics of reform? The focus is on the origins, development and reforms of welfare state institutions. The approach is multi-disciplinary with an emphasis on history and political science. The course investigates the drivers for change, the constraints, and the room for manoeuvre for central actors.

More formally, the course covers the following three broad themes: 

- The historical development of the welfare state, particularly in Europe;

- Various theoretical approaches that have been developed in the academic literature to understand the varieties of welfare states; 

- Various approaches to explain the dynamics of contemporary welfare states and labour markets reforms.

The course builds on the knowledge about key concepts and welfare state regimes acquired in the parallel course, 'Comparative welfare state policies’. Where ‘Comparative welfare state policies’ explain the challenges of the welfare state, this course investigates the political dynamics of reforms, the translation of challenges into policy reforms. The course lays the fundament for more advanced analysis of the politics of reform at the second and third semester.

- The origins and development of welfare states and its political: Historical phases in welfare state development 

- Major explanations for welfare state development 

- The role of political parties, institutions and socio-economic context in welfare state reforms 

- Cutting-edge explanations of contemporary welfare state reforms

Account for different theoretical explanations for the historical development of the welfare state in Europe

Account empirically for the on-going European reforms of welfare states and labour markets 

place events and discussions into the historical context

discuss and analyse the historical preconditions for present-day problems and challenges

reflect on the merits and drawbacks of various theoretical approaches in explaining contemporary reforms

communicate and discuss the politics of contemporary reforms

outline main features of different theoretical approaches applied to a prior unknown issue related to reforms of welfare states and labour markets 

Christopher Pierson/Francis G. Castles/Ingela K. Naumann, eds, 2013, The Welfare State Reader, 3rd edition, Polity Press.

Additional book chapters and articles will be provided in a compendium or via blackboard

Total number of pages: max. 1,200.

Lectures around main themes and active participation of students (15 times 2 hours) and exercises with various issues of blended learning. 

Confrontational classes (lectures,

team classes)                                        30

Preparation                                           100

Blended lessons                                    10

Preparation of blended lessons             20

Exam preparation                                  109

Exam                                                      1

Total                                                      270

Used examination attempts in the former identical course will be transferred.

Courses that are identical with former courses that are passed according to applied rules cannot be retaken.

The student is automatically registered for the first examination attempt when the student is registered for a course or course element with which one or more examinations are associated. Withdrawal of registration is not possible, and students who fail to participate in an examination have used one examination attempt, unless the University has made an exemption due to special circumstances. 

If a student does not meet the established university prerequisites for taking the exam, he or she has used one examination attempt, unless the University has made an exemption due to special circumstances.