Global political economy and social policy

On the background of contemporary research in the field of international political economy, the course aims at providing the fundamental theoretical and analytical tools for the comparative study of welfare state development and reform. In doing so, the course will focus on cross-national and cross-regime comparisons of welfare state institutions, addressing both long-term transformations and recent developments.

By the end of the course, students are expected to acquire a basic knowledge and critical understanding of key topics in comparative welfare state research, including: the variety of welfare regimes; the political economy of European welfare capitalism; the new politics of the welfare state; the social investment turn. Through the critical review of selected case studies, students will also develop the ability to apply their knowledge and understanding to address contemporary empirical issues in the fields of welfare state reform.