SS4006 - Social Policy and Society (2017/18)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2017/18 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Module title | Social Policy and Society | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Module level | Certificate (04) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| School | School of Social Sciences | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total study hours | 300 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Assessment components |
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| Running in 2017/18(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
The module introduces students to the academic field of social policy: The study of the sociology, politics and economics of the welfare state, covering the origins, implementation and impact of policy in key areas of basic needs and injustices.
Module aims
To explain the development and functioning of different models of social policy in the West and to explore key themes and issues in social policy in the UK over recent decades, mapping the ascendance of the neoliberal model and the decline of the classic welfare state.
Syllabus
I. CONTEXT AND CONCEPTS
1. Social Policy and the Welfare State
2. Needs, Rights, Outcomes
3. Policy Making and Government
4. Economic Policy and Resources
5. Production, Provision, Delivery, Implementation
II. CORE PROVISIONS
6. Benefits and Pensions
7. Healthcare
8. Social Care
9. School Education
10. Housing
III. HISTORICAL, INTERNATIONAL
11. Social Policy before 1900
12. 1890s to 1930s
13. 1940s to 1970s
14. 1980s to the present: The Neoliberal Era
15. Welfare States Beyond the UK
16. Social Policy and ‘Developing Societies’
IV. POLICY CASE STUDIES
17. Race Equality
18. Disability
19. Gender Equality
20. Childcare, Child Protection
Learning and teaching
Teaching: weekly lectures followed by exercises and reflexive discussion in seminars, based on data and key texts
Learning: Learning is supported by the WebLearn site for the module which includes lecture notes, seminar exercises, newspaper articles and longer articles and links to relevant web sites.
The lecture notes and seminar exercises are used as the initial basis for tackling a topic, but students are encouraged to go beyond these in preparing coursework and examination answers
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
1. analyse reflectively the concepts of ‘social policy’ and the ‘welfare state’
2. identify and describe origins and features of different welfare regimes in the West
3. identify and describe the impact of social movements and ideologies on social policy outcomes in addressing inequalities and injustices
4. describe and analyse the shift from a public service model of delivery towards a quasi privatised model
Assessment strategy
- Coursework addressing learning outcome 1 due in week 7: four short answers, 250 words each
- 1500-word essay due week 14 addressing learning outcome 2
- Coursework addressing learning outcome 3 due week 22: four short answers, 250 words each
- Seen examination in week 28 addressing learning outcome 4: two answers in two hours
The examination will assess students’ ability to think quickly without resort to copying from other material. The exam will be designed to rely less on memorising empirical data and more on theoretical content.
Bibliography
Alcock, P. et al (2016) Student’s Companion to Social Policy, 5th edition, Wiley
Alcock, P. (2014) Social Policy in Britain, 4th edition, Palgrave Macmillan
Bochel, H. et al (2009) Social Policy: Themes, Issues & Debates, 2nd edition, Pearson
Bochel, H and G. Daly (2014) Social Policy, 3rd edition, Routledge