90899 - Comparative Labour Market Policies

Learning outcomes

The students have a good knowledge in analysing the current characteristics of labour market policies in a comparative perspective. This knowledge will allow them to have a good expertise as regards to the definition and planning of active and passive labour market policies.

Course contents

The course focuses on labour market policies adopting a comparative and interdisciplinary approach. The analysis is organized as follows: a first descriptive provides information on labour market policies (definition, programs, analytical dimensions), a second depicts their evolution interpreting the emerging regimes in the vast international panorama. An explanatory third dimension identifies the causal mechanisms of change based on political, economic and social factors.

The course will address the following topics:

- Labour market policies: definition, characteristics and comparative aspects

- Labour market policies: programs

- Labour market policies in Europe and the United States: from the origins till the 1990s

- The emerging regimes of labour market policies in the 2000s

Readings/Bibliography

Labour market policies: definition, characteristics, programs and comparative aspects

- Sjöberg O., Palme J., Carroll E. [2010], Unemployment Insurance, in Castles F., Leibfried S., Lewis J., Obinger H., Pierson C., (eds) The Oxford Handbook of the Welfare State, Oxford University Press.

- Kenworthy L. [2010], Labour Market Activation, in Castles F., Leibfried S., Lewis J., Obinger H., Pierson C., (eds) The Oxford Handbook of the Welfare State, Oxford University Press.

- Hemerijck A., [2012], Changing Welfare States, Oxford, Oxford University Press, (Chapter 2:The New Politics of the Welfare State Revisited)

Dingelday, I. [2007], Between workfare and enablement. The different paths to transformation of the welfare state: A comparative analysis of activating labour market policies, in «European Journal of Political Research», 46, pp. 823-851.

 

Labour market policies in Europe and the United States: from the origins till the 1990s

Required readings:

- Clasen, J., Clegg, D. (eds) [2011], Regulating the Risk of Unemployment: National Adaptation to Post-Industrial Labour Markets In Europe, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Chapters: J. Clasen and D. Clegg: Unemployment Protection and Labour Market Change in Europe: Towards 'Triple Integration?; G. Bonoli: Active Labour Market Policies in a Changing Economic Context; J. Clasen and D. Clegg: The Transformation of Unemployment Protection in Europe

The emerging regimes of labour market policies in the 2000s

Required readings:

- Hemerijck A., [2012], Changing Welfare States, Oxford, Oxford University Press, (Chapter 3: Challenges to Twenty-First Century Social Policy Provision)

- Thelen K. [2014], Varieties of Liberalization and the New Politics of Social Solidarity, Cambridge University Press (Chapters 3: Vocational Education and Training; 4: Labour Market Policy).

- Dolvik J., Martin A. [eds] [2015], European Social Models from Crisis to Crisis, Oxford, Oxford University Press, selected chapters: Carlin W. et al., The Transformation of the German Social Model; Le Cacheux J. Ross G., France in the Middle; Mayhew K., Wickham-Jones M., The U.K.'s Social Model; Perez S., Rhodes M., The Evolution and Crisis of the Social Models in Italy and Spain;

 

Required readings and assignments for students not attending classes 

- Sjöberg, O., Palme, J., Carroll, E. [2010], "Unemployment Insurance", in Castles, F., Leibfried, S., Lewis, J., Obinger, H., Pierson, C., (eds) The Oxford Handbook of the Welfare State, Oxford University Press.

- Kenworthy, L. [2010], "Labour Market Activation", in Castles, F., Leibfried, S., Lewis, J., Obinger, H., Pierson, C., (eds) The Oxford Handbook of the Welfare State, Oxford University Press.

Dingelday, I. [2007], "Between workfare and enablement. The different paths to transformation of the welfare state: A comparative analysis of activating labour market policies", European Journal of Political Research, 46, pp. 823-851.

Bonoli, G. [2011], "Active Labour Market Policies in a Changing Economic Context"; in Clasen, J., and Clegg, D.: The Transformation of Unemployment Protection in Europe, Oxford University Press.

Thelen, K. [2014], Varieties of Liberalization and the New Politics of Social Solidarity, Cambridge University Press (Chapter 4: "Labour Market Policy").

Dolvik J., Martin A. [eds] [2015], European Social Models from Crisis to Crisis, Oxford, Oxford University Press, Chapters: Le Cacheux J. Ross G., "France in the Middle" ; Perez S., Rhodes M., "The Evolution and Crisis of the Social Models in Italy and Spain".

 

 

 

 

Teaching methods

The course is divided into modules and complementary activities. Lectures will be alternated with group discussions and case studies aimed at deepening the topics covered in class. Presentations will be conducted by students on the topics covered in class.

Assessment methods

Written examination of the duration of 2 hours, during which it is not allowed the use of books, notes, and electronic media. The test consists of 3 questions that refer to some topics addressed in class and in the reference book.

The written test is aimed at assessing the critical and methodological skills of the students and their ability to confront the texts and the topics covered during the course. The supplementary activities carried out in class and the presentations are part of the final evaluation.

For those not attending classes the exam is oral.

Teaching tools

Videos, essays and articles not included in the texts, but particularly significant for the topics covered in class. Slides and other teaching materials will be available to the students in electronic format on the IOL platform. Username and password are reserved for students enrolled at the University of Bologna.

Office hours

See the website of Roberto Rizza