Master
2021/2022
Social Policy in Post-Soviet Countries
Category 'Best Course for Career Development'
Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'
Type:
Elective course (Comparative Politics of Eurasia)
Area of studies:
Political Science
When:
1 year, 3, 4 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Instructors:
Anna Tarasenko
Master’s programme:
Comparative Politics of Eurasia
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
6
Contact hours:
48
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The aim of the course is to introduce the key developments in social policies in post-Soviet countries and approach them from the angle of societal transformations and policy implementation challenges. This combination of societal and policy perspectives will help students to translate the acquired knowledge into policy papers which will be produced as an outcome of the course. Five social policy spheres will be scrutinized: (1) pension systems, (2) deinstitutionalisation of care for elderly and children left without parental care, (3) outsourcing of social services to private companies and non-profits, (4) penitentiary systems and (5) abortion regulation. Interdisciplinary nature of the course is ensured by looking at social policy implementation through the lenses of policy analysis, while also drawing on scholarly contributions from other relevant disciplines. The selected social policies will be analysed drawing on experience of several post-Soviet countries.
Learning Objectives
- The aim of the course is to introduce the key developments in social policies in post-soviet countries and approach them from the angle of societal transformations and policy implementation challenges.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- ULO8: Able to efficiently communicate based on the goals and communication situations
- ULO9: Able to think critically and interpret the experience (personal and of other persons), relate to professional and social activities
- ULO7: Able to work in team
- PLO8: Student is capable of executing applied analysis of the political phenomena and political processes
Course Contents
- Introduction and policy analysis perspective
- Post-soviet welfare state trajectories and welfare regimes: political ideologies and societal expectations
- Pension reform in Russia: interest groups in decision-making
- New public management approach: public sector reforms and outsourcing of social services to nonprofits and social enterprises
- Outsourcing in Russia: policy compliance problem
- Deinstitutionalisation of care: the impact of global shifts in ideals of care and country specifics
- Penitentiary systems and models of resocialization of former prisoners, the role of NGOs and international regulations
- Drug regulation: policy transfer between criminalization and health care
Assessment Elements
- Seminar presentation based on reading materials.In exceptional cases, it is possible that two students give a presentation, but then they should give a talk on two academic pieces.
- Written policy paper
- In-class participation
Interim Assessment
- 2021/2022 4th moduleThe interim assessment includes (1) the in-class participation and (2) individual presentation
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- !Bien dicho!, Pinilla, R., 2005
- Ageing and Pension Reform Around the World : Evidence from Eleven Countries, edited by Giuliano Bonoli, Toshimitsu Shinkawa, 279 p., , 2005
- Human resources outsourcing : solutions, suppliers, key processes and the current market : a case..., Hunter, I., 2007
- International social policy : welfare regimes in the developed world, , 2001
- New public management : the transformation of ideas and practice, , 2002
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Consuming health : the commodification of health care, , 2002
- Pension reforms in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe : from post-socialist transition to the global financial crisis, Guardiancich, I., 2013
- Reasserting the public in public services: new public management reforms, , 2010
- Regressive taxation and the welfare state : path dependence and policy diffusion, Kato, J., 2010