SPRb1126 Policy Engagement of Social Workers

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Roman Baláž, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Roman Baláž, Ph.D.
Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Mon 18. 11. 10:00–11:40 PC25, 12:00–13:40 U32, Fri 22. 11. 10:00–13:40 U42, Mon 25. 11. 10:00–11:40 U23, 12:00–13:40 U33, Fri 29. 11. 10:00–11:40 P24a
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 10/20, only registered: 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 15 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course aims to introduce students to the possibilities and limits of policy engagement of social workers in specific institutional and organizational settings. Critical reflection on the interconnection between social structure and the agency of social workers is the core of the course. Students will understand (1) the institutional and organizational settings of social work, (2) the policy process, streams, and coalition, and, finally, (3) the possible forms of how social workers can be engaged in policy-making in such an environment.
Learning outcomes
The course consists of three parts. The first part deals with general concepts explaining the nature of settings in which social work is provided, such as social institutions and organizations. The second part elucidates the nature of the policy process, policy streams, and coalitions of policy actors. Students will understand how policies are created, where, and by whom. The third part shows examples of social workers’ engagement as policy actors in policy streams and coalitions. While elaborating on the real cases of policy engagement, students will learn about the possibilities and limits of a chosen policy action in particular social work institutional and organizational settings.
Syllabus
  • The course is designed as a block of teaching (one or two-week course), which consists of 6 lectures, 6 seminars, and 1 final meeting. The structure is as follows:
  • 1. Institutions and organizations
  • 2. Policy process and policy streams
  • 3. Policy process and policy advocacy coalitions
  • 4. Policy process and ideas
  • 5. Policy engagement of social workers I. (examples of good practice)
  • 6. Policy engagement of social workers II. (examples of good practice)
  • 7. Presentation of collaborative papers
Literature
    required literature
  • Institutions and organizations : a process view. Edited by Trish Reay - Tammar B. Zilber - Ann Langley - Haridimos Tsoukas. First edition. Oxford: Oxford university press, 2019, xxi, 256. ISBN 9780198843818. info
  • ii. Almog-Bar, M., Weiss-Gal, I., & Gal, J. (2015). Bringing public policy into policy practice. Journal of Social Work, 15(4), 390-408.
  • KINGDON, John W. Agendas, alternatives, and public policies. Second Edition, Pearson New. Harlow: Pearson, 2014, ii, 235. ISBN 9781292039206. info
  • Policy change and learning : an advocacy coalition approach. Edited by Hank C. Jenkins-Smith - Paul A. Sabatier. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 1993, xii, 290. ISBN 0813316499. info
  • i. Béland, D., & Cox, R.H. (2016). Ideas as coalition magnets: Coalition building, policy entrepreneurs, and power relations. Journal of European Public Policy, 23(3), 428-445.
  • RITTER, Jessica A. Social work policy practice : changing our community, nation, and the world. Third edition. [San Diego]: Cognella academic publishing, 2022, xviii, 339. ISBN 9781793558169. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, discussions, teamwork, and presentations of students
Assessment methods
Full attendance of each student
A collaborative paper – a reflection of the possibilities and limits of policy engagement
A presentation of the collaborative paper – a team presentation
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2024/SPRb1126