Social and Labour Market Policies
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide the basic knowledge and conceptual tools to understand the functioning and evolution of the Italian welfare state from a comparative perspective. The course intends to shed light on reforms introduced and implemented in recent years to cope with demographic and socio-economic transformations in response to socio-economic and political-institutional challenges considering both prospects and territorial (local) dimensions. From a historical-comparative evolution of welfare systems, the primary concepts about social policies will be introduced for these purposes. Through an in-depth examination of some policy areas, it is proposed to develop students' ability to understand the most recent transformations in the welfare state. Analyzing the main political reforms - pension, health, and social assistance policies - will allow a deep analysis of the main challenges policy and decision-makers must nowadays face. The proposed framework will consider both political dynamics and the role of institutional and noninstitutional actors in the transformation process of the national welfare system. Within the analytical perspective of the "welfare mix" (or "second welfare"), the contribution of non-public stakeholders will be illustrated through the analysis of contractual and territorial corporate-based, philanthropic, and proximity welfare. Finally, the course aims to provide students with basic tools and knowledge for evaluating public policies, especially those implemented in the local area. More particularly, specific importance will be given to data production, collection, and validation processes to analyze new risks and social needs better.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to describe the actual configuration and evolution of the Italian welfare system from a comparative perspective and identify concerning the policy areas considered (old age and pensions, health, social assistance, second welfare, and its local drivers), which are the main socio-demographic and economic challenges. Students are also expected to understand the main peculiarities of Italian reforms, concerning those reforms undertaken in the last two decades and in the light of the recent economic and health crisis. Furthermore, they will be able to use the acquired knowledge to frame - in a critical way - the current policy choices linked to the functioning of the Italian welfare system, even if these have not been directly addressed during the lessons. Finally, students will acquire basic notions and tools for the evaluation of public policies, in particular the social ones of territorial competence.
Lesson period: Third trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Third trimester
Course syllabus
The course aims to analyze the evolution of the Italian welfare state from a comparative perspective, with particular attention to recently adopted reforms - aimed at tackling demographic, socio-economic, and politico-institutional challenges - and future prospects. To this end, the course is structured into three parts. After introducing some basic concepts and notions on social policies, the first part outlines - from a comparative perspective - the historical evolution of welfare systems: the significant features of the Italian welfare model are illustrated. The comparative exploration of the Italian case is then developed, and three social policy sectors are investigated in-depth: pension, health care, and LTC. The focus will be placed on the challenges addressed by policy-makers and on recent reforms, with particular attention to identifying the major political dynamics and the role of social and political actors in the recalibration processes of the national welfare system. The course also examines the ongoing transformations of the Italian social protection system in light of the "second welfare" perspective by considering - with specific reference to the local welfare - the role played by non-public actors in the following areas: corporate, philanthropic, and community welfare.
The first part introduces the welfare state and its historical evolution, the study of pension, health, long-term care, and the second welfare.
The second part of the course is introduces and discusses an emerging paradigm in comparative welfare state research: the "social investment" approach. The module first identifies three complementary functions that diverse social policies should pursue from a social investment perspective: (1) increasing and maintaining the stock of human capital throughout the life course; (2) facilitating the flow of transitions in the labour market and over the life course, with attention to gender equality; (3) ensuring inclusive social buffers. We then delve deeper into two of these functions: the guarantee of inclusive buffers, with a focus on social assistance and anti-poverty policies, outlining the main characteristics of the Italian welfare model and of EU interventions in this policy area from 2000 to the present day; and reconciling work-family flows, with a second focus on new social needs and reconciliation policies. The module concludes with a mention of the social implications of the ecological transition, that is, the emergence of a third wave of risks and needs that experts identify as 'eco-social' risks. In sum, the lessons cover the following topics:
- Social assistance policies in Europe: Italy in a comparative perspective
- Reforms of anti-poverty policies in Italy
- Political competition dynamics and anti-poverty policies
- The European Union and policies against social exclusion
- New needs, reconciliation, and social services
- Eco-social risks: a third wave of social risks?
The first part introduces the welfare state and its historical evolution, the study of pension, health, long-term care, and the second welfare.
The second part of the course is introduces and discusses an emerging paradigm in comparative welfare state research: the "social investment" approach. The module first identifies three complementary functions that diverse social policies should pursue from a social investment perspective: (1) increasing and maintaining the stock of human capital throughout the life course; (2) facilitating the flow of transitions in the labour market and over the life course, with attention to gender equality; (3) ensuring inclusive social buffers. We then delve deeper into two of these functions: the guarantee of inclusive buffers, with a focus on social assistance and anti-poverty policies, outlining the main characteristics of the Italian welfare model and of EU interventions in this policy area from 2000 to the present day; and reconciling work-family flows, with a second focus on new social needs and reconciliation policies. The module concludes with a mention of the social implications of the ecological transition, that is, the emergence of a third wave of risks and needs that experts identify as 'eco-social' risks. In sum, the lessons cover the following topics:
- Social assistance policies in Europe: Italy in a comparative perspective
- Reforms of anti-poverty policies in Italy
- Political competition dynamics and anti-poverty policies
- The European Union and policies against social exclusion
- New needs, reconciliation, and social services
- Eco-social risks: a third wave of social risks?
Prerequisites for admission
In order to better understand the content of this course, students should be familiar with the basic concepts of political science addressed in Political and Administrative Systems course.
Teaching methods
Lessons, class discussions, group exercises.
Teaching Resources
Readings and requirements - Part I
- M. Ferrera (ed.), Le politiche sociali, Bologna, il Mulino, 2019, Chapters 1 and 4 (è fondamentale acquistare la nuova edizione del manuale, pubblicata nel 2019). Chapter 2 is strongly raccomended.
- F. Maino (ed.), Agire insieme. Coprogettazione e coprogrammazione per cambiare il welfare. Sesto Rapporto sul secondo welfare, Milano, Percorsi di secondo welfare, 2023, Capitoli 1, 2, 5 e 10 (scaricabile qui: Agire-insieme-coprogettazione-coprogrammazione_6R2W.pdf).
- F. Longo e F. Maino (eds.), Platform Welfare. Nuove logiche per innovare i servizi locali, Milano, Egea, 2021, Chapters 3, 4, 6, 7 (download here: https://www.secondowelfare.it/studio/platform-welfare/).
- Slides will be made available on the course webpage and are part of the course's compulsory readings.
Further short readings may be suggested during lessons to complete the program.
Readings and requirements - Part II
- M. Ferrera (a cura di), Le politiche sociali, Bologna, il Mulino, 2019, cap. 5.
- S. Ronchi e L. Cigna, Non è un Paese per investimenti sociali? Una reinterpretazione della traiettoria di riforma del welfare e della politics del social investment in Italia, Social Policies, 2024.
- M. Natili, Gli schemi di reddito minimo nei paesi dell'Unione Europea, in F.R. Pizzuti (a cura di), Rapporto sullo Stato Sociale, 2019, Sapienza Università Editrice.
- Sacchi, S., Ciarini, A., Gallo, G., Lodigiani, R., Maino, F., & Raitano, M. (2023). La riforma del Reddito di Cittadinanza: una prima valutazione. Social Policies, 10(3), pp. 469-494.
- M. Naldini e C. Saraceno (2022), Changes in the Italian work-family system and the role of social policies in the last forty years, in "Stato e Mercato", 1, pp. 87-115.
- Additional readings will be communicated at the beginning of the course.
There are no differences in the program between attending and non-attending students.
- M. Ferrera (ed.), Le politiche sociali, Bologna, il Mulino, 2019, Chapters 1 and 4 (è fondamentale acquistare la nuova edizione del manuale, pubblicata nel 2019). Chapter 2 is strongly raccomended.
- F. Maino (ed.), Agire insieme. Coprogettazione e coprogrammazione per cambiare il welfare. Sesto Rapporto sul secondo welfare, Milano, Percorsi di secondo welfare, 2023, Capitoli 1, 2, 5 e 10 (scaricabile qui: Agire-insieme-coprogettazione-coprogrammazione_6R2W.pdf).
- F. Longo e F. Maino (eds.), Platform Welfare. Nuove logiche per innovare i servizi locali, Milano, Egea, 2021, Chapters 3, 4, 6, 7 (download here: https://www.secondowelfare.it/studio/platform-welfare/).
- Slides will be made available on the course webpage and are part of the course's compulsory readings.
Further short readings may be suggested during lessons to complete the program.
Readings and requirements - Part II
- M. Ferrera (a cura di), Le politiche sociali, Bologna, il Mulino, 2019, cap. 5.
- S. Ronchi e L. Cigna, Non è un Paese per investimenti sociali? Una reinterpretazione della traiettoria di riforma del welfare e della politics del social investment in Italia, Social Policies, 2024.
- M. Natili, Gli schemi di reddito minimo nei paesi dell'Unione Europea, in F.R. Pizzuti (a cura di), Rapporto sullo Stato Sociale, 2019, Sapienza Università Editrice.
- Sacchi, S., Ciarini, A., Gallo, G., Lodigiani, R., Maino, F., & Raitano, M. (2023). La riforma del Reddito di Cittadinanza: una prima valutazione. Social Policies, 10(3), pp. 469-494.
- M. Naldini e C. Saraceno (2022), Changes in the Italian work-family system and the role of social policies in the last forty years, in "Stato e Mercato", 1, pp. 87-115.
- Additional readings will be communicated at the beginning of the course.
There are no differences in the program between attending and non-attending students.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam takes place in written form and includes open questions and some multiple choice tests, both aimed at ascertaining the acquisition of basic skills for the analysis of social and labour market policies. One or more open questions will be aimed at verifying the ability to consciously and critically use the key concepts at the basis of social policies.
Students who obtain a mark of at least 27/30 in the written examination can request to take an oral exam (concerning all the topics covered in the course) to improve the final evaluation. Taking the oral exam, however, does not necessarily lead to an improvement in the final mark.
The exam aims to verify that students have learned the concepts and notions covered by the course, they know how to express them clearly (using the correct terminology), and they are able to apply them to the analysis of new phenomena and case studies.
A website (on the Moodle platform) is available where students can find information and materials for the exam preparation. It can be accessed from the the following link http://ariel.ctu.unimi.it.
Students who obtain a mark of at least 27/30 in the written examination can request to take an oral exam (concerning all the topics covered in the course) to improve the final evaluation. Taking the oral exam, however, does not necessarily lead to an improvement in the final mark.
The exam aims to verify that students have learned the concepts and notions covered by the course, they know how to express them clearly (using the correct terminology), and they are able to apply them to the analysis of new phenomena and case studies.
A website (on the Moodle platform) is available where students can find information and materials for the exam preparation. It can be accessed from the the following link http://ariel.ctu.unimi.it.
SPS/04 - POLITICAL SCIENCE - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professors:
Maino Franca, Ronchi Stefano
Professor(s)
Reception:
From January to Mid-March: Monday from 10.00 to 13.00. During the rest of the year: Monday from 14.00 to 17.00. I am available by appointment. I can be contacted by e-mail and MS Teams.
Department of Social and Political Sciences, Room no. 17, second floor