Department of Political Science and Public Administration

The present course focuses on investigating main questions and issues concerning the comparative analysis of social policy systems, as well as the changes within these systems. Against this backdrop, emphasis is being placed on the following: first, understanding key concepts and methodological issues related to comparative social policy, as a subfield of social policy; second, describing the historical development of comparative social policy; third, delving into selected theoretical approaches regarding social policy formulation and the development of the welfare state; fourth, discussing both established and emerging models of welfare states; fifth, presenting examples of comparative analysis in the field of social policy; and, sixth, providing an overview of the debates on social reform over the course of the last decades, as well as of the most important challenges faced by the modern welfare state, including how these challenges question the boundaries of the existing welfare state theories.

Main objectives

1. Delving into key concepts and theories of comparative social policy.
2. Understanding the main factors that played a role in the origin and development of the welfare state.
3. Offering an analysis and synthesis of different theoretical approaches as a means to explain the development of social programmes and welfare states.
4. Understanding the rationale behind the comparative analysis of social programmes, social problems and welfare states.
5. Delving into the main features of different social policy models and welfare states.
6. Understanding the debates on social reform over the course of the recent decades, as well as some of the modern challenges faced by the welfare state, including their effects.

Course content

1. Introduction to Comparative Social Policy
2. Theoretical Approaches to the Welfare State
3. Typologies of Welfare States
4. Examples of Comparative Study in the Field of Social Policy
5. Debates on Social Reform & Challenges Faced by the Modern Welfare State

Intended learning outcomes

1. Getting to know key concepts concerning comparative social policy.
2. Understanding the great scientific, social and political importance of the comparative study of social programmes and welfare states.
3. Getting to know the main theoretical approaches related to the development of the welfare state.
4. Delving into the key features of different welfare states and different models of social policy implementation.
5. Being able to use data from primary and secondary sources for the comparative study of social benefits, social programmes and welfare states.

Textbooks

1. Lalioti, V. (2018), Aspects of Comparative Social Policy, MOTIVO PUBLISHING S.A. [Book Code in Eudoxus: 77109733] (in Greek).
2. Esping-Andersen, G. (2013), The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, MOTIVO PUBLISHING S.A. [Book code in Eudoxus: 33133639] (in Greek).