This course equips you with the skills to understand the new challenges of our increasingly interdependent world.
It is no longer possible to study national social policies in isolation. Global interconnections are multiplying and intensifying across a range of fields, including economics, politics and the natural environment. This course provides an introduction to comparative social policy and recent developments in welfare reforms from around the world.
Social policy is concerned with questions such as:
- How can we create a good society?
- How much money should we spend on welfare services?
- Is the current distribution of income and wealth socially just?
- Should we be charged individually for using welfare services?
- Should free markets and profit motives play a central role in service delivery?
- What are the causes and consequences of poverty?
You will compare welfare models of developed welfare states, such as European countries, and explore the relevance of recent developments and debates for developing countries. This course also considers the future of social policies and comparative analyses.
Training in research methods allows you to evaluate policy outcomes, not only in terms of their effectiveness and efficiency, but also their wider socio-economic and political contexts.
The school's teaching and research focuses on the fields of social policy, criminology, sociology, cultural studies, health studies, social work and public policy. You will be taught by researchers with world-leading reputations in these subjects, and our research-led culture allows you to develop your interests in particular themes and topics.
