2017/18 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SLSP1220 Social Policy: Poor Laws to the Present

20 creditsClass Size: 150

Module manager: Daniel Edmiston
Email: D.Edmiston@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2017/18

Module replaces

SLSP1120 Central Debates in Welfare and SLSP1130 Social Welfare and Social Change

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module explores the social, political, economic, cultural and global influences that have shaped the United Kingdom’s welfare state. It shows how the Poor Laws influenced ‘Classic Welfare State’ of the 1940s which, in turn, rested upon false assumptions about the nature of the family, of work and of nationhood. Besides examining the policy process, theories relating to poverty and social exclusion are introduced to demonstrate how policy has developed over the years. The module also articulates how the welfare state was undermined by a decline in popular deference to professional authority and, crucially, by ideological critiques of the post-war settlement. In this respect, the module examines these critiques and the work of some of the thinkers upon which they drew. Indeed, the so-called ‘Thatcherite’ (neo-liberal) and ‘New Labour’ (‘third way’) and now the (‘workfare’) welfare settlements are examined in this context, and the differences and commonalities between them are explored. In addition, the effects of globalisation, green concerns and the process of ‘othering’ are introduced in this overarching context of welfare development.

Objectives

By exploring key themes and classic and contemporary debates in the history of social policy up to the present, on completing the module students will be better able to:
- Demonstrate their understanding of the main theoretical and policy perspectives relating to the nature of welfare provision in contemporary society
- Contribute to informed debate in relation to issues surrounding key developments in social policy formulation over time;
- Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the various theories and perspectives on these issues

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of key events in the development of welfare provision in Britain since the Poor Laws and 1945 in particular.
2. Understand the impact upon welfare provision of changing political ideologies, of changes in family structure and patterns of partnering and parenting, of changes in the nature of work and the level of poverty, of social exclusion, of unemployment, of changing understandings of national identity, and of changes in the authority and status of welfare professionals.
3. Understand the policy making process.
4. Begin to evaluate the role of political and social movements, and of popular and political attitudes towards welfare and welfare claimants.
5. Make written and oral presentations on topics in these fields of study which are cogent, coherent, and logically structured
6. Undertake independent research within the structure of a guided and indicative reading list.

Syllabus

Lecture Topics
Block One: Themes Through the Ages
- The 'Deserving' Vs the 'Undeserving'
From Poverty to Social Exclusion
- Week 2 The 'Underclass' Debate
Social Divisions of Welfare
Block Two: Theoretical Ideas and Influences
- Universalism and Socialism
Paternalism and Philanthropy
- Neo-liberalism and the Third Way
Globalisation/Green Concerns
Block Three: The Policy Process
- Popular Mandates
Green and White Papers and the Parliamentary Process
- Conflict, Compromise and Uneasy Alliances
From Ideas to the Final Act
Block Four: Citizenship, Disability, Gender and Ethnicity
- The ‘Good’ Citizen and Welfare
Paternalism and Disability
- Gendered Assumptions Underpinning Welfare Provision
Race and Welfare
Block Five: Pulling the Strands Together—Political Manifestations
- From the Cradle to the Grave?
Balancing Rights with Responsibility
- Welfare-to-Work (making work pay?)
Creeping Conditionality
- ‘Othering’ and the Criminalisation Process

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	22	1.00	22.00
Tutorial	10	1.00	10.00
Independent online learning hours			12.00
Private study hours			156.00
Total Contact hours			32.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Independent reading is essential to the successful completion of the module. For each week, students are expected to undertake 12 hours of private study or independent learning (total of 132 hours for the module). This will mainly entail keeping up to date with the relevant readings for the week, but also keeping on top of media debates and commentaries. Students will have the opportunity to blog and use social media throughout the module as part of this 12 hour independent study. The remainder of the time should be spent preparing for the assessment around 36 hours in total.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Contribution at tutorials – this will typically take the form of verbal presentations and discussions. Students will also have the opportunity to gain practice in assessment by taking in part in formative exercises or by going through essay writing techniques.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2,500 words	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 25/08/2017

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