Brno, Czech Republic

European Social Policy

Social policy influences every aspect of our lives. It influences our choices when or if we have children; who will take care of them; when we will retire; where we will live when we retire and who will take care of us when we retire. It even influences where we will live, what kind of housing we will have, whether we will live in an integrated or segregated society. It influences what happens to us if we are sick; who will treat us; what our economic situation will be when on sick leave; what kind of healthcare will we receive; what measures will take place to prevent us from being sick, etc. Social policy also influences our values and our understanding of social justice. Despite the importance of these policies, no consensus exists which policies are best. Within Europe, the range of policies on all these issues varies, despite the attempts of the EU to bring about some amount of harmony of these policies.

This course discusses variations of selected policies among European countries and their influence on society. By the end of the course, students should have a better understanding of how social policies work and what kind of influence they have on the countries where they live. Even if many students will not go on to work in the field of social policy, this course will make them better informed as voters, as social policy issues play a major role in the party competition within multi-party states.

Course leader

Steven Saxonberg, Lenka Formánková

Target group

This course is targeted for master and PhD social science students, who are interested in social issues.

Course aim

Topics included:

1) Welfare regime types

2) The Feminist Criticism and Alternative Welfare Regimes

3a) Family policy: Czech Republic and Central European Countries

3b) Balancing Work-Family Life: Comparative National Cases

4) Social Exclusion

5) Invited speaker/excursion - by NGO representatives and policymakers,

6a) International organizations and social policy: an introduction

6b) What is the EU’s social policy?

6c) The influence of the EU and international organizations on pension reforms

7) The EU and Migration policy – impact on families, Europanization as a mechanism for implementing EU policies

8) Gender mainstreaming as a mechanism for implementing EU policies

Program changes reserved.

Fee info

EUR 1200: The cost breakdowns as follows:

- Tuition fees

- Accommodation in Brno (14-27 July)

- Breakfast

- Orientation

- Daily cultural and social activities including welcome and farewell receptions

- Day trip to Vienna

- 24/7 support

Students should budget an additional €200-500 depending on their spending habits for food (lunch, dinner) and other expenses.
EUR 1100: €100 discount for students from partner universities