Module SOCI3421: SOCIAL POLICY:PRINCIPLES AND CURRENT ISSUES

Department: Sociology

SOCI3421: SOCIAL POLICY:PRINCIPLES AND CURRENT ISSUES

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To provide students with an understanding of:
• The major theories, concepts and principles that inform the study of social policy.
• The nature of comparative analysis in social policy, particularly as this relates to understandings of welfare regime types.
• Key themes in politics and political economy of particular relevance to social policy analysis.
• Core issues relating to the nature of policy-making and implementation in the context of the changing shape and nature of social policies.
• The ‘experience’ of welfare as this relates to the impact of social policies on a range of social groups.

Content

• TERM 1 – The ‘Theory and Concepts’ term
• Introduction, module overview and module approach.
• Dominant post-war ideological perspectives.
• Critical perspectives; Marxism, feminism, anti-racism and environmentalism.
• Post-Fordism and postmodernism.
• Social control, regulation and resistance.
• Social constructionism.
• Needs.
• Citizenship.
• The Worlds of Welfare Capitalism.
• TERM 2 – The ‘Applying the Concepts’ term
• Three themed series of lectures:
• Theme one: Spatial social policy – weeks 11-13. Topics will include: place; community; housing; inequalities; education and health.
• Theme two: Health and well-being – weeks 14-16. Topics will include: health, social care, and well-being (with a specific focus on child well-being).
• Theme three: Equality and social justice – weeks 17-19. Topics will include: Equality; social justice; crime; education and social security.
• Lecture reading in term one:
• The key reading will be Lister, R. (2010), Understanding Theories and Concepts in Social Policy, Policy Press. The lecture titles fit with chapters from the book.
• Lecture reading in term two:
• The key readings will be distributed on DUO in advance of the lectures and seminars.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module students will:
• Be able to understand key concepts in the context of the provision of welfare and health services by the state, the market and the occupational, voluntary and informal sectors.
• Be able to understand explanatory frameworks in social and health policy and practice.
• Be able to understand the causes and experiences of social and health problems.
• Be able to understand the role of institutions and institutional mechanisms in the delivery of policy and practice.
• Be able to understand relationships between social trends and policy and practice.
• Be aware of relationships between economic, social and health policies.
• Be able to understand the impact of politics on policy and practice.
• Be able to understand the origins and impacts of discrimination and oppression.

• Be able to apply key concepts and contribute to key conceptual and practice debates in social policy.
• Be aware of and able to apply cross-national and comparative perspectives as well as national perspectives.
• Be able to apply knowledge in the subject to specific research contexts, including investigating concepts and issues in depth.

• Be able to evaluate critically evidence and ideas.
• Be able to deal with complex issues and communicate conclusions to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems.
• Work autonomously in planning and implementing tasks, exercising initiative and personal responsibility.
• Be able to continue to advance their knowledge and understanding.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Weekly lectures will be used to communicate subject knowledge and its interpretation.
• Fortnightly seminars will focus on subject and key skills, and provide the opportunity to discuss topics and problems, work through examples of problems and questions in a collaborative way, and make formative presentations.
• Learning outcomes are tested by a summative essay and an examination

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Optional. One essay of 1000-1500 words (maximum) or an optional group work project of a total of 2,000 words (maximum),

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University