Social Europe

European integration is reshaping national welfare states rooted in distinct historical trajectories thus raising questions of identity, democracy, justice and solidarity. More specifically, the EU has become an important arena for (de)regulating social policy, providing rights to European citizens and organising limited redistribution. This course introduces students to the EU’s social dimension by focusing on its actors, mechanisms, and the different approaches that have been developed to make sense of ‘Social Europe’. Is the EU taming or courting capitalism? Does it support or undermine national welfare states? What effects do European social policies have on citizens? What are the politics of social policy in Brussels? The course is interactive and consists of lectures, student presentations and discussions.

1.  Introduction. What is “Social Europe”?
2. Approaching Social Europe: Actors and theories
3. Social regulation in the Single Market The impact of liberalisation on social policy
4.  European Social Dialogue
5. Cohesion funds  
6.  The Open Method of Coordination and EU Economic Governance
7.  Covid-19 and the future of Social Europe

• Develop specific knowledge about concepts and theories relevant to the EU’s action in the social domain
• Develop specific knowledge about the relevant policy making procedures and actors
• Understand ongoing policy issues facing national governments, the EU institutions and civil society/citizens
• Analyse, present and discuss political developments in social policy  

Required and Corequired knowledge and skills

This course requires at least a basic knowledge of the EU political system.

This course unfolds over 8 sessions of a three-hour duration.

The sessions will be as interactive as possible: Lecturing time is limited/replaced by student input on textbook chapters, debates, as well as student presentations.

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

Compulsory (textbook)

Crespy, A. (2022) The European Social Question. Tackling Key Controversies, Newcastle: Agenda.

NB: For those unable or unwilling to purchase the textbook, a copy can be borrowed from the professor. All books are also available at the library.

Other key references

Anderson, Karen (2015) Social Policy in the European Union, London: Palgrave.

Crespy, A. (2019) L’Europe sociale. Acteurs, politiques, débats, Bruxelles: PUB.

Copeland, P. (2020) Governance and the European Social Dimension, Milton Park: Routledge.

Kennet, P. & Lendvai-Bainton, N. (2019) Handbook of European Social Policy, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

Kyriazi, A., Miró, J., Natili, M. Ronchi, S. (2024) Social Policy and EU Polity-Building Through Crises and Beyond, Milton Park: Routledge (OPEN ACCESS)

Pochet, P. (2019) A la recherche de l'Europe sociale. Paris: PUF.

Vandenbroucke, F., Barnard, C. and De Baere, G. (eds) (2017), A European Social Union after the Crisis, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Course notes

• Université virtuelle

Contacts

Bastian Kenn: bastian.kenn@ulb.be

Office: Institut d'études européennes, S.RT39.2.305

Office hours: Please make an appointment by email.  

Campus

Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• written examination
• Oral presentation

written examination

• Open question with developed answer

Oral presentation

Written exam and oral presentation (case study and reading report)

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

Oral presentation in class (10-15 minutes): 30% of final mark

Reading report (5 minutes): 10% of final mark

Written exam (2 hours): 60% of final mark : Short essay in open book format (choice between two questions, for example “Is there such a thing as a European social model?”)

Language(s) of evaluation

• english