HEPL

Bachelor.

The course aims at giving students the analytical tools for understanding and analyzing the initial development and contemporary transformations of Belgian and European social policies. The focus will be put on the interactions between the policies initiated or implemented at the different governance levels.

The general aim of the course is twofold:

- the acquisition of a knowledge of the key features of social protection systems, in a comparative perspective;

- the development of the students ability to use this knowledge in order to analyze specific social policies.

The course is divided in two parts.   

First, lectures will be given on the following themes:

A. Belgian perspective

- The construction of Belgian social policies;

- The institutions and actors of Belgian social policies;

- The different contemporary reform dynamics.

B. European perspective

- The construction of European social policies;

- The institutions and actors of European social policies;

- General presentation of European social policies and case studies.

C. Comparative perspective

-       The history of social protection systems in Europe: the incremental construction of distinct « worlds of welfare », based upon distinct principles and institutions;

-       Economic, socio-demographic and political pressures on social protection systems;

-       The different contemporary reform dynamics;

-       The impact of the European Union on national social protection systems.

During the following sessions, students will present case studies of Belgian or European social policies. Those case studies can be proposed by the students. The teacher will submit a list of themes and allocate them if need be.

Power Point slides

Portfolio of readings 

A. Kermen, F.-X. Merrien et R. Parchet, L'Etat social. Une perspective internationale, Paris, Armand colin, 2005.

The course is organized in two sequences.

During the first sessions, the teacher will give lectures using slides. The approach is interactive and students will be asked to intervene regularly. A "question time" takes place at the end of each session.

During the last sessions, students will make short oral presentations and engage in discussions of the topics presented.

The time allocated to "apprentissage autonome permanent" will be devoted to readings and the preparation of the oral presentation and the final paper.

First session: evaluation is based on the oral presentation (2/5 of the mark), a paper (10 pages, 2/5 of the mark) and the active participation of the student (1/5 of the mark).

Second session: oral exam.