B7769 - Welfare Systems and Local Policies

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide in-depth knowledge of the conceptual and methodological tools to analyse, also from a comparative perspective, welfare systems in advanced economies as well as their historical evolution and potential future development in relation both to new social risks and the processes of territorialisation of social policies. At the end of the course, students will be able to: a) know and independently use the conceptual and analytical tools for the study, including comparative methods, of welfare systems and processes of territorialization; b) analyse and elaborate the institutional design of local welfare systems, identifying their strengths and weaknesses both from the point of view of the recipients and of the institutions; c) examine the processes of implementation of welfare policies at a local level, the role of different actors operating in the field of local-level social policies, and identify critical points and areas for improvement.

Course contents

The course is structured into lectures and seminars, according to the following program.

An initial section consists of lectures (16 hours) aimed at introducing students to the acquisition of the conceptual and theoretical tools necessary for analyzing the characteristics and dynamics of change in welfare systems, as well as the processes of implementation of welfare policies at the local level and the role of the various actors involved.

A second section, organized in seminar format (12 hours), focuses on the application and deepening of the acquired knowledge. Particular attention will be given to the consequences of citizen and Third Sector actor involvement, to emerging logics, and to the tools of shared administration in the field of local welfare innovations.

Students will be divided into two groups for the seminar section. The total duration of the course is 28 hours.

Readings/Bibliography

• Ranci C., Pavolini E. (2015), Le politiche di welfare, il Mulino, cap. 2 e cap. 3.
• del Pino, E., Hernández-Moreno, J., & Moreno, L. (2022). Territorial welfare governance changes: Concepts and explanatory factors. In Y. Kazepov, E. Barberis, R. Cucca, E. Mocca (a cura di), Handbook on Urban Social Policies. International Perspectives on Multilevel Governance and Local Welfare (pp. 101-116). Cheltenam: Edward Elgar Publishing (pp. 39-54).
• Andreotti, A., Mingione, E., Polizzi, E. (2022). The Transformation of the Local Welfare System in European Cities. In Y. Kazepov, E. Barberis, R. Cucca, E. Mocca (a cura di), Handbook on Urban Social Policies. International Perspectives on Multilevel Governance and Local Welfare (pp. 101-116). Cheltenam: Edward Elgar Publishing.
• Kazepov, Y. A. K., & Barberis, E. (2017). The territorial dimension of social policies and the new role of cities. In P. Kennett, & N. Lendvai (Eds.), Handbook of European Social Policy (pp. 302-318)
• Gori, C. (2022). Le politiche del welfare sociale. Mondadori, cap. 1, cap. 2, cap. 4, cap. Cap. 8, cap. 9, cap. 12.
• Fung A., 2006, Varieties of Participation in Complex Governance, in Public Administration Review (pp. 66-75).
• Brandsen, Taco. "Governments and self-organization: a hedgehog’s dilemma." Critical Reflections on Interactive Governance. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2016. 337-351.

Teaching methods

First part of the course (16 hours): Lectures

This section consists of traditional lectures in which the core content of the course is presented and discussed. The aim is to provide students with foundational knowledge, including key concepts, theories, tools/procedures, and relevant facts or events.

Second part of the course (12 hours): Seminars

The seminar section is designed to actively engage students in interaction with both the instructor and their peers. For this reason, students will be divided into two groups, based on those who attended the lecture sessions.

Students will be expected to participate in structured classroom activities aimed at consolidating and critically reflecting on the assigned readings. They are required to come to class having already read the assigned materials and be prepared to discuss and elaborate on them. Specifically, students will be asked to develop their critical thinking skills through the analysis of empirical case studies of innovation, identifying the roles and logics of action of various actors involved in local welfare systems, as well as the potential challenges of policy tools and measures.

Seminar sessions will include the following activities:

• In-class writing of a short individual summary (max 600 words) based on the assigned readings
• Peer review of summaries: each student will evaluate a peer’s work, providing reasoned feedback on comprehension, clarity, structure, and synthesis
• Instructor-led discussion to assess students’ understanding of the readings (graded)
• Individual presentations and structured discussions of the assigned readings, following a pre-established schedule (graded)
• Introduction of the following week’s readings by the instructor

Afterward, each student will be required to create a concept map related to the topics discussed during the seminar. The map should highlight the main concepts, the logical relationships between them, and the hierarchical structure of the topic.

Each seminar group will attend one session per week. This schedule allows students sufficient time to read, reflect on, and study the materials provided by the instructor in preparation for class.

Assessment methods

For attending students:

- At the end of the first part of the course (Lecture section), students will take a written exam consisting of open-ended questions based on the content of the lectures and the materials used during the sessions (40% of the final grade). These questions will require relatively extensive answers on broad and cross-cutting topics, aimed at assessing the ability to organize complex content, critically engage with the themes discussed, and correctly apply analytical categories.

- For the seminar section, each student will be assessed on the following components: class participation, presentation of a selected article or book chapter, and discussion of a text presented by another student. This component also accounts for 40% of the final grade.

Evaluation criteria include: understanding of the text and key concepts, clarity and structure of the presentation, ability to synthesize information, ability to connect with the theoretical part of the course, use of relevant and up-to-date examples to clarify and deepen understanding, and critical thinking skills demonstrated through the formulation of thought-provoking questions for class discussion.

- At the end of the course, the final oral exam will assess students’ knowledge of the texts presented and discussed during the seminar sessions (all articles and chapters selected by students will be included in the exam). The exam will also evaluate the ability to relate these texts to the main concepts and issues addressed in the course, including those covered in the lecture section. This final exam accounts for 20% of the final grade.

Students who do not regularly attend classes will be assessed through an oral examination. They are encouraged to contact the instructors in advance to arrange the exam.

Assessment Criteria for Oral Exams

- 18–21: Basic knowledge of the topic and/or not always accurate; limited argumentative and re-elaboration skills.

- 22–25: Satisfactory knowledge of the topic; fairly solid argumentative and re-elaboration skills.

- 26–29: Good or very good knowledge of the topic; good or very good argumentative and re-elaboration skills.

- 30: Precise knowledge of the topic; excellent argumentative and re-elaboration skills.

- 30 with honors: Precise knowledge of the topic; excellent argumentative and re-elaboration skills; relevant and original personal elaboration of the content.

Teaching tools

Slides and readings uploaded to virtual.unibo.it.

Meetings with experts and practitioners

Office hours

See the website of Nicola De Luigi