Inequality and the Welfare State

Catalog description

How a society confronts and shapes socio-economic inequality depends largely on the policy tools at its disposal. A range of remedies - in areas as diverse as employment, education, health care, retirement, disability, housing, and parental leave - are available, yet different countries pursue alternative approaches to these issues. This seminar examines how politics shapes a government's social policy strategies. We will review the classic theories of welfare state variation emerging from Western Europe, how they shed light on the American approach to social policy, and to what extent they apply outside affluent democracies. We also will consider whether existing social policies can adapt to emerging issues, such as those posed by the gig economy and climate change. (GOVT-AM, GOVT-CP)