Course Catalogue

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This course explores the interconnected spheres of paid employment, unpaid labour, care and welfare in order to understand the politics of contested UK reforms in international and comparative perspective.

One Hour Weekly lecture

One Hour Weekly tutorial

Mandatory Entry Requirements

Entry to Honours Social & Public Policy requires a grade point average of 12 (grade C3) over Social & Public Policy 2A and 2B (formerly Public Policy 2A and 2B) as a first attempt.

Direct entry to Social and Public Policy Honours may also be allowed for students who achieve an average (mean) grade B or higher across the Social and Public Policy 1A and Social and Public Policy 1B courses (formerly Public Policy 1A and 1B).

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One book review of 1000 words, weighted at 15%;

One policy briefing paper of 2000 words, weighted at 25%; and

One exam, weighted at 60%.

This course aims to:

■ explore contemporary theoretical understandings of work (paid and unpaid), care and welfare;

■ understand the politicised policy-making processes of welfare reform in the UK;

■ understand UK welfare reform from a range of ideological perspectives; and

■ compare cross-nationally the contested processes of welfare reform in the UK with selected country cases.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ question taken-for-granted assumptions about the meanings and significance that paid and unpaid work hold for people living in capitalist societies;

■ identify and explain different patterns of engagement in paid employment and unpaid work in the UK, in relation to social divisions such as gender and disability;

■ describe the causes and consequences of these patterns and their connections with entitlements for a selection of welfare benefits and services;

■ relate these patterns of work and welfare to wider economic, social and political systems;

■ understand the contested nature of welfare reform in different country contexts;

■ understand the relevance and competing theories and perspectives in explaining these issues;

■ evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of UK approaches to work and welfare reform in relation to examples of other 'types' of welfare state; and

■ develop an understanding of work, welfare and the politics of reform.