Markets and Welfare in Contemporary Society: Local and Global Perspectives

The course is offered as a freestanding course. The course is an advanced course at the first-cycle level.

Minimum 30 ECTS insocial sciences are required for participation in the course. Good knowledge of English is a requirement: English B/ English 6/English level 2 in the Swedish highschool or similar level in the internationally accepted examination in English such as TOEFL or IELTS.

This course aims to create broad knowledge about sociological perspective on relations between capitalist markets and welfare. Welfare is approached here in the broad sense as domains that traditionally were supported and regulated by the welfare states, and that has been extensively marketized in the recent decennia. Actual research topics developed at the department comprise the core themes to reflect the relations between markets and welfare: varieties of capitalism and welfare regimes, labour markets and relations, financialization and economization of pensions, healthcare and education, commercialization of intimacy and emotions, economization and marketization of environment, welfare crime and securitization. Course participants are expected to actively participate in all forms of teaching – independent individual preparations, literature search and presentation, groupwork before and during the seminars, group presentations and individual critical reflections, peer-review.

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• Identify the central topics that frame theoretically and empirically relations between capitalist markets and welfare states in contemporary societies, describe and systematize theoretical perspectives and contemporary empirical research in this area.
• Define, explain, and analyze varieties of capitalism and welfare regimes, critique of classical approaches, and their connection to different domains of welfare states.
• Summarize and present updated empirical research directed to the analysis of marketization, economization, and financialization of different spheres in welfare economies and their social consequences. 

Competence and skills

• Orally and in written discuss and analytically scrutinize central concepts and theories of the course.
• Apply concepts and theories in the independent argumentation and analysis of empirical findings.
• Formulate possible research ideas within courses different topics individually and in group and develop a written research project plan individually. 

Judgement and approach

• Identify and evaluate the need for new knowledge regarding the relations between capitalist markets and welfare states. Critically reflect on the choice of research method, societal relevance, and ethics of research in the individual written project plan.
• Present, evaluate and critically discuss theoretical and empirical ideas of course participants.
• Critically discuss the positions of authors of the course theories and concepts in relation to the societal challenges – sustainability and inequality.

Primary forms of education are lectures, seminars, workshops and project work (or corresponding), other forms of teaching can also take place.

Language of instruction: English.

The course's established objectives are assessed through oral and written examination assignments.

Teaching elements requiring physical attendance and active participation may be included in the course. Absence from such compulsory elements may be replaced by alternative assignments.

Restrictions regarding the use of generative AI are specified on the learning platform or equivalent. Students are responsible for informing themselves of the current rules for examination elements such as assignments, seminar assignments and exams in the course in question.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed. The same applies to placement and internship (VFU) except that this is restricted to only one further examination session.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local Rules Regarding RIU Students at the University of Gothenburg.

The grading scale comprises: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U).

Course leader creates an opportunity for the students to participate in a written anonymous evaluation during the course or after the course is finished. If possible, students should even get an opportunity for oral evaluation. A summary of the result, and eventual propositions for changes should be available to the students and discussed in connection with the course introduction next time the course takes place.