Understanding Citizens' Encounters with the Welfare State

This course provides an overview of useful theoretical perspectives when analysing citizens' encounters with welfare systems, both in the Nordic countries and internationally. The course will provide students with an introduction to theories that include a focus on individual agency, structural and social contexts, and interactional processes. Students and teachers will take part in active discussions in which theories are applied to analyse and interpret people’s experiences with the state, the market, family, and organised civil society, as well as with welfare providers.The course acknowledges the diversity of experiences that people have in their encounters with welfare systems and the welfare state. We address the importance of class, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, and sexuality and the intersectionality of these factors for people's opportunities to be full and active members of society.

The language of instruction is English.

None.

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student has

• advanced knowledge of social theories pertaining to citizen interactions with welfare institutions and the welfare state
• insight into how to critically assess these theories and their application
• thorough knowledge of how the theories may be applied to specific cases in social policy
• knowledge of how to apply one or more of these theories in a Master's thesis

Skills

The student

• can identify and discuss different theories and their application in policymaking
• can identify how practical research analysis may be conducted using these theories
• can critically discuss the empirical implications of particular social theories

General competence

The student

• can contribute to an analysis of encounters between citizens, welfare systems and the welfare state
• can transfer knowledge and skills from such an analysis to use in collective coordination and decision-making

The teaching takes place in person on campus. The course comprises a mix of lectures and active student involvement. Students will end the course with a required paper and a presentation, in which they discuss one of the theories covered in the curriculum. A meeting will be set aside for student presentations.

The following coursework requirements must be completed and approved by the given deadline for the student to take the exam.

• Course requirement 1. An individual written paper

The aim with the written paper is that student will engage in depth with one chosen theory or concept and use course litterature to discuss it. The paper will also be an important preparation for the course exam. The student presents and discusses one of the theories covered in the curriculum. The paper must be 6 pages long (Calibri, pt. 12, 1.5 line spacing).

If the individual written paper has not been approved, the student will be allowed to submit an improved version once by the given deadline.

• Course requirement 2. Individual presentation

The student presents the paper in one of the two final meetings, with feedback from lecturers and fellow students. The aim of the individual presentation of the paper is that the student learns to orally present their work, give comments to other students, and receive feedback from lecturers on their paper.

The exam in the course is an individual supervised exam of 6 hours.

No aids are permitted.

Grade scale A-F.

At least 25% of the exam papers will be assessed by two examiners. The remaining papers are assessed by one examiner. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers.

Ira Malmberg-Heimonen and Randi Wærdahl