Teaching

SP231 Poverty, Inequality and Social Policy (undergraduate)

The course has two main goals. The first one is to understand the different ways poverty and inequality are conceptualised and measured, and to assess the progress nationally and globally in reducing poverty and inequality. The second goal is to examine the role of social policy in mitigating poverty and inequality. We will examine key policy areas such as taxation, social security, and policies related to early childhood education, education, labour markets, migration, climate change, and global trade. We will evaluate the characteristics of ‘good’ social policy, analyse how existing policies in various countries measure up to these ideals, and explore potential reforms. We will also assess the impact of factors like gender, age, disability, and citizenship on poverty and inequality across different locations and times. Throughout the course, we will draw on examples and evidence from a wide range of country settings – high-, middle- and low-income countries.

The course is essential for anyone interested in measuring poverty and inequality, as well as designing and evaluating social policies to address some of the most pressing challenges facing societies today. 


SP332/SP430 Social Security Policies (undergraduate and postgraduate)

The course analyses the purposes, design and impact of social security policies, i.e. policies that protect and support household income at times when income from the labour market does not suffice. The need for social security arises both from demographic factors that affect nearly everyone during their life course – childhood, parenthood, old age – and from risk factors that will end up affecting only some – unemployment, sickness and disability. The course takes a comparative approach, examining differences in the design of social security policies across welfare regimes and drawing on examples from different countries. It considers how successfully social security systems are adapting to meeting the challenges of the twenty-first century, including an ageing population, migration, and the changing nature of employment brought about by rapid technological change. The course also looks at the role of social security in protecting household incomes in times of crisis, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. 


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