Theory and Practice of the Welfare State
(Contemporary Political Theory and Social Policy)
POL 5273 Dan Engster
Thurs. 5:30-8:15 Office: MS 4.03.36
Classroom: HSS 3.02.26 Office hrs.: TR 1:00-3:00
Email: Office phone: 458-5645
This class offers an introduction to the theory and practice of Western welfare states. It brings together normative political philosophy and comparative welfare state research in order to help students to develop a more grounded approach to welfare state justice and a clearer grasp of the normative issues involved in comparative welfare state studies. Special attention is given to the place and viability of Western welfare states in the international economy under conditions of globalization, including the increased immigration of individuals across states. By bringing these diverse literatures into dialog, we will attempt to define more clearly what welfare states should do and can do in our contemporary political world.
The class is loosely divided into five main parts. The first segment focuses on the definition and history of welfare states and examines two of the most prominent philosophical justifications for welfare state policies (Rawls and Dworkin). The second part of the class looks at Esping-Andersen’s famous typology of comparative welfare state regimes, and his more recent writings on the need for a “new welfare state” to address the challenges of postindustrial economies. The third segment of the class looks at “the crisis of the welfare state” in comparative perspective. The goal here is to sort out welfare “crisis myths and crisis realities” so that we can better identify the realistic possibilities for future welfare state policies. The fourth part focuses on the best or most just public policies in the areas of health care and social security/old age pensions given the challenges of immigration, budget constraints, and population ageing. The last two classes are devoted to student presentations of their research on welfare state theories, policies, challenges, and practices.
Class attendance and participation are imperative. Each student will be asked to lead class discussions of assigned readings once over the course of the semester. You will also be responsible for turning in a summary of the class readings every class, and will be tested on your knowledge of the class readings with a midterm exam. Each student will also present his or her research to the class at the end of the semester.
By the end of the course, students will be able to define the main characteristics of the welfare state, offer a brief history of the welfare state’s development, discuss the major philosophical justifications for welfare state policies, identify the major categories of comparative welfare state regimes, enumerate various challenges to welfare states and assess their importance, and provide detailed discussions of the normative goals and practical constraints of unemployment, health, and social security policies. They will also complete original research and develop a particular expertise in some area of normative-comparative welfare state studies.
This course counts as three hours of elective credit for the International Politics specialization or the Political Theory and Public Law specialization.
REQUIRED BOOKS:
I have ordered most of the following books for the class, which are available at the UTSA bookstore. We will be reading large portions of these books, and thus I would encourage you to buy all or most of these books. Some of these books are expensive, though, so you might want to see if you can purchase used copies. These books are also on reserve at the UTSA library. In addition to these books, we will also be reading a number of articles or chapters that are available online through the UTSA library page or are posted on Blackboard (see course schedule below).
Francis Castles, The Future of the Welfare State: Crisis Myths and Crisis Realities, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004). *Not ordered. I would suggest that you buy a used copy through Amazon.com or a similar vendor. ISBN-13: 978-0199273928
Mel Cousins, European Welfare States: Comparative Perspectives, (London: Sage, 2005). ISBN: 9781412901734
Markus Crepaz, Trust Beyond Borders: Immigration, the Welfare State, and Identity in Modern Societies, (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2008). ISBN-13: 978-0472069767
Norman Daniels, Just Health: Meeting Health Needs Fairly, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008). ISBN : 9780521699983
Ronald Dworkin, Sovereign Virtue: The Theory and Practice of Equality, (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2002). ISBN : 9780674008106
Gøsta Esping-Andersen, The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1990). ISBN : 9780691094571
Gøsta Esping-Andersen, Social Foundations of Postindustrial Economies, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999). *Not ordered. I would suggest that you buy a used copy through Amazon.com or a similar vendor. ISBN-13: 978-0198742005
Gøsta Esping-Andersen, Why We Need a New Welfare State, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002). ISBN : 9780199256433
Robert Hudson (ed.), The New Politics of Old Age Policy, second edition, (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010). ISBN-13: 978-0-8018-9492-3
Paul Pierson (ed.), The New Politics of the Welfare State, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001). ISBN-13: 978-0198297567
John Rawls, A Theory of Justice, (Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press, 1999). ISBN-13: 978-0674017726
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1) Research Proposal, Presentation, and Paper: The central requirement for this course is to develop, write, and present a major research paper on some aspect of the justice of the welfare state, welfare state policy, comparative welfare state regimes, etc. The final product should be a 20-25 page research paper, typed and double-spaced with full citations or bibliography. There are three components to your research project:
-Paper proposal and bibliography (November 4): 5% of final course grade.
-Paper presentation (December 2 & 9): 10% of final course grade.
-Final paper (December 9): 45% of final course grade.
I will pass out more detailed instructions on the paper proposal, presentation, and final paper during the semester.
2) Midterm Exam: The midterm exam is an in-class, closed book and closed note exam on the major ideas and concepts from the class readings. It is expected that you will be able to clearly explain the central theses, arguments, ideas, and concepts from the assigned class readings. The midterm exam counts 20% toward your final grade.
3) Weekly summaries and class discussion leader: You are required to write a two-page, typed and double-spaced, summary of each week’s reading assignment. Your summary should be no less than 1 ½ pages, and no more than 2 ½ pages (i.e., it should be about two pages). For classes where multiple readings are assigned from multiple authors, you should briefly summarize the main points from each of the readings (in some cases, almost like an annotated bibliography). The summaries are due at the beginning of each class. You will receive a grade of 2, 1, or 0 for each summary based on its quality. Except in extraordinary cases (or when absences have been approved in advance), you will not receive credit for your summary unless you attend class. Each of you will also be assigned to lead the class discussion on some part of the class reading once during the semester. This involves providing a 15-20 minute objective summary of the reading(s), and then raising some criticisms and questions for class discussion. You will receive 0-5 points based on the clarity and quality of your introduction/summary/questions. Participation counts 20% toward your final grade (5% discussion leader and 15% weekly summaries).
Support services, including registration assistance and equipment, are available to students with documented disabilities through the Office of Disability Services (DSS), MS 2.03.18. Students can contact that office at 458-4157 to make arrangements.
Any student who submits plagiarized work for any assignment in the class, including weekly summaries and papers, will receive a F for the class. Plagiarism is discussed in more detail on the Plagiarism Hand-Out.
COURSE SCHEDULE:
I have listed below the assigned reading for each week. I have also provided some suggestions for further reading. The course schedule is provisional, and may be changed if necessary.
8/26: Introduction
9/2: Nature and History of the Welfare State
Mel Cousins, European Welfare States: Comparative Perspectives, (London: Sage, 2005), chapters 2 and 5.
S. B. Fay, 'Bismarck's Welfare State', Current History, Vol. XVIII (January 1950), pp. 1-7.
Asa Briggs, “The Welfare State in Historical Perspective,” in European Journal of Sociology, 11 (1961): 221-258.
T.H. Marshall "Citizenship and Social Class" in Class, Citizenship, and Social Development (on reserve).
Claus Offe, Contradictions of the Welfare State, (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1984): John Keane’s “Introduction,” and “Chapter 1: ‘Crises of Crisis Management’.”
Supplementary Readings:
Alexander Hicks, Social Democracy and Welfare Capitalism, (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2000), Introduction and Chapter 2.
Theda Skocpol and Gretchen Ritter, “Gender and the Origins of Modern Social Policies in Britain and the United States,” Studies in American Political Development, 5 (Spring 1991): 36-93).
E.P. Hennock, The Origin of the Welfare State in England and Germany, 1850-1914, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007). JC479.H46.
Anna Orloff, "The Political Origins of America's Belated Welfare State," in Weir, Orloff, & Skocpol, eds., The Politics of Social Policy in the United States, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1988).
Questions for discussion: WHY DO WE HAVE WELFARE STATES TODAY WHEN THEORISTS PRIOR TO THE 19TH CENTURY RARELY CONSIDERED THEM? WHAT”S BEHIND THE RISE OF WELFARE STATES?
9/9: Theory of the Welfare State I: Rawls
Rawls, A Theory of Justice, sections 1-5, 11-17, 20-26, 29, 32-33, 36-38, 42-43, 48.
Supplementary readings:
Will Kymlicka, Contemporary Political Philosophy, (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990), p 50-76.
Colin Farrelly, Introduction to Contemporary Political Theory, (London: Sage, 2004), chapter 1.
Robert Goodin, Reasons for Welfare: The Political Theory of the Welfare State, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1988).
Robert Nozick, Anarchy, State, and Utopia, (New York: Basic Books, 1974).
Daniel Shapiro, Is the Welfare State Justified? (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007).
Questions for discussion: HOW USEFUL IS RAWLS’S PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH FOR DEFINING THE PRINCIPLES OF WELFARE STATE JUSTICE? DOES HE ADEQUATELY DEFINE A JUST BASIC STRUCURE FOR THE POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS OF SOCIETY, OR HAS HE OVERLOOKED IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS?
9/16: Theory of the Welfare State II: Dworkin
Dworkin, Sovereign Virtue, chapters 1-3, 8-9, 12.
Supplementary readings:
Farrelly, Introduction to Contemporary Political Theory, chapter 4.
Will Kymlicka, Contemporary Political Philosophy, (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990), p 76-94.
STUDENT PRESENTERS (2):
9/23: Welfare State Regimes
Gøsta Esping-Andersen, The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1990), complete.
Supplementary readings:
Wil Arts and John Gelissen, “Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism or More? A State-of-the-Art Report,” Journal of European Social Policy, 12 (2002):137-58.
Cousins, European Welfare States, chapters 4 and 6.
Robert Goodin et al., The Real Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999).
STUDENT PRESENTERS (2):
9/30: Why We Need a New Welfare State
Esping-Andersen, Social Foundations of Postindustrial Economies, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999), Introduction + chapters 4-6, 8-9.
Esping-Andersen, Why We Need a New Welfare State, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002), chapters 1-3.
STUDENT PRESENTERS (1):
10/7: Crisis of the Welfare State I: Globalization, Population Ageing, etc.
Francis Castles, The Future of the Welfare State: Crisis Myths and Crisis Realities, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).
Supplementary Readings:
Cousins, European Welfare States, chapters 3, 9-10.
Andrew Sobel, Challenges of Globalization: Immigration, Social Welfare, Global Governance, (New York: Routledge, 2009). [Electronic resource]
STUDENT PRESENTERS (2):
10/14: Crisis of the Welfare State II: De-Industrialization, Slower Productivity Growth, Falling Incomes.
Paul Pierson (ed.), The New Politics of the Welfare State, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001). Chapters 1-7, 13.
Supplementary Readings:
Charles Murray, “The Two Wars against Poverty,” The Public Interest, 69 (1982): 4-16.
Sheldon Danziger, “Fighting Poverty Revisited: What did researchers know 40 years ago? What do we know today?” Focus, 25, 1 (Spring-Summer, 2007): 3-11.
Jonas Pontusson, Inequality and Prosperity: Social Europe vs. Liberal America, (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2005), Chapter 7.
STUDENT PRESENTERS (2):
10/21: Mid-term Exam.
10/28: Immigration and the Welfare State
Markus Crepaz, Trust Beyond Borders: Immigration, the Welfare State, and Identity in Modern Societies, (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2008), complete.
Supplementary Readings:
Michael Bommes and Andrew Geddes (Eds.), Immigration and Welfare, (New York: Routledge 2000), Chapters 1-3.
Diane Sainsbury, “Immigrants' social rights in comparative perspective: welfare regimes, forms in immigration and immigration policy regimes” Journal of European Social Policy, Vol. 16, No. 3 (2006): 229-244.
STUDENT PRESENTER (1):
11/4: Research Paper Proposals are due outside my office in the hanging basket.
11/11: Health Care and the Welfare State
Norman Daniels, Just Health: Meeting Health Needs Fairly, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008), chapters 1-6, 9, 11.
Supplementary Readings:
Allen Buchanan, Justice and Health Care, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009).
Susan Giamo, “Who Pays for Health Care Reform?” in Pierson, The New Politics of the Welfare State.
Health Consumer Powerhouse, “Euro Health Consumer Index 2009,” available at http://www.healthpowerhouse.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=7&Itemid=54.
STUDENT PRESENTER (1):
11/18: Old Age Pensions/Social Security.
Robert Hudson (ed.), The New Politics of Old Age Policy, second edition, (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010), Chapters 1, 2, 4, 6-8, 11, 12.
Myles and Pierson, “The Comparative Political Economy of Pension Reform,” in Pierson, The New Politics of the Welfare State.
Myles, “A New Social Contract for the Elderly?” in Esping-Andersen, Why We Need a New Welfare State.
STUDENT PRESENTERS (2):
11/25: Thanksgiving – No class.
12/2: Student Presentations of Research.
12/9: Student Presentations of Research. Final Papers are due at the beginning of class/final exam period (5:00 pm).
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