Welfare Mix: From Welfare State to Welfare Complexity

Lecturer: dr hab. Ryszard Szarfenberg, prof. UW

Welfare Mix: From Welfare State to Welfare Complexity

This course explores the transition from traditional, state-centered welfare systems to today’s complex, multi-actor environments often referred to as the “welfare mix.” Students will examine how and why public services and benefits, once primarily delivered by government agencies, are now shaped and provided through increasingly diverse networks involving market actors, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and families. By investigating theoretical frameworks and real-world examples from various policy areas—such as healthcare, long-term care, education, and employment services—participants will gain insights into the evolving landscape of social policy.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding:

• Identify the key characteristics and historical evolution of the welfare state, welfare mix, and related governance models.

• Explain core theoretical frameworks (market failure, state failure, voluntary failure) and their relevance to multi-actor welfare systems.

• Understand the concepts of co-production, co-creation, and polycentric governance, recognizing how these approaches shape contemporary welfare provision.

• Grasp the principles of complexity theory and their implications for public management and welfare service delivery.

Skills:

Compare and contrast different institutional arrangements in welfare provision, assessing their advantages and limitations in various policy fields.

• Apply theoretical insights to analyze complex, real-world welfare scenarios, identifying the roles, interests, and capacities of multiple stakeholders.

• Critically evaluate how adaptive, complex governance frameworks can improve or hinder the effectiveness, equity, and resilience of social policies.

• Integrate complexity theory concepts to better understand non-linear dynamics and emergent outcomes in welfare governance.

Other Competencies:

• Collaborate effectively with peers to discuss, negotiate, and synthesize diverse perspectives on welfare systems.

• Reflect on personal assumptions and biases regarding public, private, and nonprofit sector roles in social policy implementation.

• Demonstrate openness to complexity and uncertainty, showing readiness to adapt understanding as evidence and circumstances evolve.

• Engage with complexity-informed decision-making approaches that value iterative learning, stakeholder engagement, and adaptive policy design.

Methods and Assessment Criteria

Course assessment is based on continuous evaluation using the following components:

Pre-class assignments (20% of final grade)

Students complete Google Forms assignments before each class session. These assignments verify preparation and basic understanding of course material. Assessment criteria: timely submission (24h before the relevant class session) and demonstration of engagement with assigned readings through substantive responses. Each assignment is graded on a pass/fail basis. Students must complete at least 80% of assignments with a passing grade to fulfil this component.

(Verifies outcomes: W1, W2, W3, W4)

In-class MCQ tests (30% of final grade)

Two multiple-choice tests are conducted during the semester. These tests verify knowledge acquisition and understanding of key concepts, theories and institutional arrangements. The final grade for this component is the average of both tests. A minimum score of 50% on each test is required to pass.

(Verifies outcomes: W1, W2, W3, W4, U1)

Active participation in workshops and discussions (20% of final grade)

Students are expected to actively participate in workshop activities and class discussions. Assessment criteria: quality of contributions demonstrating analytical thinking, ability to apply theoretical concepts to empirical cases, and engagement with normative questions. Attendance at a minimum of 80% of sessions is required. Students who attend but do not actively participate receive a reduced grade for this component.

(Verifies outcomes: W4, U1, U2)

Case assignment (30% of final grade)

Students prepare an individual written assignment (1500–2000 words) analysing the multi-sector provision of a selected social service in their country of origin or residence. The assignment should identify the specific roles played by public, private, voluntary and informal sectors in delivering the chosen service, examine the relationships and coordination mechanisms between these sectors, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the existing welfare mix arrangement from both practical and normative perspectives.

Assessment criteria:

• accurate identification of actors and their roles across sectors

• application of theoretical concepts from the course (welfare mix, polycentricity, co-production, public-private partnerships)

• quality of analysis regarding inter-sectoral relationships and coordination

• critical reflection on normative and ethical dimensions

• clarity of argumentation and proper use of sources

Submission deadline: to be announced in the course schedule. Late submissions receive a reduced grade unless prior arrangement has been made.

(Verifies outcomes: W1, W2, W3, W4, U1, U2)

Grading scale:

90–100% – 5 (very good)

80–89% – 4+ (good plus)

70–79% – 4 (good)

60–69% – 3+ (satisfactory plus)

50–59% – 3 (satisfactory)

Below 50% – 2 (fail)

To pass the course, students must achieve a minimum of 50% overall and fulfil the minimum requirements for each component.