EVS154 Political Issues and Social Policy in the European Union

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2008
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 7 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
John Frederick Wilton, B.A. (Hons), M. Soc Sc, Ph.D. (lecturer), PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Timetable
Wed 18:00–19:30 P22
Prerequisites (in Czech)
EVS104 European Integration || MVE102 European Integration || MVZ101 Introduction to Intl. Rel.
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: 0/20, only registered: 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Aims An identification and examination of key political issues in a range of social policy areas within the European Union (EU). Employing relevant concepts, models and theories, these issues will be addressed within the context of EU processes of harmonisation, mutual recognition, convergence and the overall on-going integration project. Objectives Initially, a range of theoretical models and concepts relating to the overall development of the EU, and the process of integration, will be examined against the background of the growth in importance of social policy areas in the EU project. Within that framework and process the course will then proceed to address political issues relating to specific areas of social policy, including those concerning the environment, employment and unemployment, education, the ‘demographic time-bomb’, gender, and immigration and asylum policy. The course will conclude by examining political issues relating to social policy within the EU regional policy arena, and by examining social policy within the context of the politics of the future of the EU. Students will gain information on developments of EU social policy, will improve their analytical and writing skills related to these issues.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to the course 2. The growth in importance of social policy in the European Union project 3. The E.U. integration project and the politics of social policy: theoretical perspectives – ‘spillover‘, functionalism, neo-functionalism, federalism. 4. Harmonisation, mutual recognition, and the europeanisation of social policy. 5. READING AND SEMINAR PREPARATION WEEK (no lecture) 6. Workshop 1 (see page 2) 7. Environment policy + Workshop 2 (see page 3) 8. Employment and unemployment policy 9. Education and training policy + Seminar 1 (see page 3) 10. Immigration, mobility and asylum policy + Seminar 2 (see page 4) 11. The ‘gender dimension’ and E.U. social policy + Seminar 3 (see page 4) 12. The ‘demographic time bomb’ + Seminar 4 (see page 5) 13. Regions and the E.U. policy process + Seminar 5 (a) and (b) (see pages 5 and 6)
Literature
  • Roberts, I. and Springer, B. Social Policy in the European Union: Between Harmonisation and National Autonomy, Boulder, Lynne Reiner, 2001.
  • Hantrais, L. Social Policy in the EU, Basingstoke, Macmillan, 2007 (Third edition) (or Second edition, 2000).
  • Geyer, R. Exploring European Social Policy, Cambridge, Polity Press, 2000.
  • Kleinman, M. A European Welfare State: European Union Social Policy in context, Basingstoke, Palgrave, 2002.
  • Borros, S. and Greve, B. (2004) The Open Method of Co-ordination in the European Union, special issue of Journal of European Public Policy.
  • McCormick, J. Understanding the European Union (Third Edition), Basingstoke, Palgrave, 2005.
Assessment methods
Course Assessment a) Attendance: 80% attendance at lectures (at least 8) and at the seminars/workshops (at least 6) is a requirement to pass this course. b) Seminar Presentation: All students will be required to participate in a verbal seminar presentation in English as a requirement to pass the course. The seminar presentation can be made individually or as part of a group presentation. c) Essay (maximum 2000 words/6 sides of A4 paper) Deadline: Monday 12 January 2009. To be submitted by email or through the Masaryk University Information System Students will be required to submit an essay in answer to one of the questions shown below. The essay must be of a maximum of 2,000 words/6 sides of A4 paper, be typewritten, fully properly referenced, and include a full bibliography. (i) In at least two E.U. social policy areas compare and contrast empirically and theoretically the political impact within the E.U. integration project of E.U. social policy development. (ii) Can European Union social policy be described politically as both Europeanised and regionalised? Provide empirical examples of E.U. social policy to justify your arguments
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught only once.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Předmět si nezapisují studenti 1. ročníku.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2008, recent)
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