B8086 - Sociology of Welfare and Social Policy (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students - know the multiplicity of causes and forms of social hardship and the complexity of the variables that determine it; - know the institutions and public and private actors that intervene in the phenomenon in question and the methods of intervention; - know the conceptual and analytical tools for studying the Welfare state, know its evolution, consolidation and crisis; - know the types of Welfare State the models and regimes through which this social system has been realised in Europe, know the differences that characterise the various Welfare states and their impact on the quality of life of citizens; - know the external and internal constraints and the challenges that confront the Welfare system today and in the future, and thus the context within which social policy interventions can be correctly placed; - they are able to design socio-educational interventions, in collaboration with the various professional figures and services present in the area, placing them within the social complexity with a view to change; - they are able to engage at a local level in drawing up territorial policies and to deal with the reality of the Third Sector in its various expressions.

Course contents

The course aims to offer an overview on the assets and criticalities of the welfare systems, giving particular attention to the Italian case. In the first part we move from an historical analysis of the first presence of welfare states in Western countries and their evolution during the 20th century, the crisis of the 1970s and the more recent changes. The lectures will stress specifically the similiarities/dissimilarities between models of welfare capitalism and social regulation in different countries. Some lectures are focused on activation and labour policies. Territorial programming is then introduced.The second part of the course is focused on the evolution of welfare politics, the new social risks and the social changes occured in the recent years (as consequence of the economic crisis).

Readings/Bibliography

For all (attending and not), the following two books:

 

C. Ranci, E. Pavolini, Le politiche di welfare, 2024 (II Edizione), il Mulino, Bologna

 

Battistella, A., De Ambrogio, E., Ranci Ortigosa, E., (2015), Il Piano di zona. Costruzione, gestione, valutazione, Carocci Faber, Roma (not for students of second cycle degree programme (LM) in Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology)

Teaching methods

Lectures and classroom discussions.

Assessment methods

The exam is written with 4 open-ended questions (90 minutes).

To take the exam, students must register in Alma Esami. https://almaesami.unibo.it/almaesami/welcome.htm . Please note that for written exam registrations close one week before the exam date.

Teaching tools

Slides available in Virtuale (https://virtuale.unibo.it/).

Office hours

See the website of Marco Trentini