SN4000 The Nordic Welfare Model in Comparative Perspective Course description

This course introduces students to the Nordic welfare model and the most important concepts, theories, and debates within the field of comparative social welfare with a particular focus on the notion of a Nordic welfare model.

The course will be centered around the following issues: The Nordic model’s basic features, such as welfare rights, industrial relations and labour market regulations, and its basis, such as solidarity, democracy, equality, trust, and high levels of labour force participation. How can we conceptualize and measure variation in welfare states, and what (if any) are the common distinctive features of the Nordic welfare states? How do the Nordic welfare states perform in comparison with other advanced welfare states with respect to economic and social outcomes? How and why have the Nordic welfare states evolved historically? In what sense and to what extent is the experiences of Nordic welfare states relevant for policy debates and developments outside of the Nordic realm?

None.

A candidate who has completed his or her qualification should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate

• has advanced knowledge of the Nordic welfare model and similarities and differences between the Nordic welfare states
• has advanced knowledge of how social policy in the Nordic countries is interlinked with labour market policy and labour market performance and regulation
• has advanced knowledge of key concepts in the theory and comparative analysis of social welfare policies
• has advanced knowledge of explanatory models, such as the logic of industrialism, institutional and state-centered approaches, and power resource theory and how they apply to the Nordic welfare states in particular
• has advanced knowledge of normative perspectives on social welfare policy
• has advanced knowledge of concepts that are relevant for assessing the outcomes of social welfare policies
• has advanced knowledge of the challenges to mature welfare states and the Nordic welfare states from long-term megatrends, shocks and crisis.

Skills

The candidate

• can apply relevant analytic concepts, normative perspectives and explanatory theories in the analysis of social policies
• is able to critically assess the notion of a distinctive Nordic welfare state model
• is able to critically assess claims about the economic and social outcomes of social policies
• can engage in academic debates on the sensitivity of mature welfare states and the Nordic welfare states to the external shocks and structural changes they face.

General competence

The candidate

• can critically evaluate the use of concepts and theories in academic, as well as political debates, about social policies in general, and about the Nordic welfare model in particular
• can critically evaluate the normative foundations of Nordic welfare policies

After completion of the course, the students will have acquired the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

Students have knowledge of and insight into:

• political ecology in general and political ecology of education in particular
• green transformation alternatives and how they are or are not reflected in education approaches (including ecomodernism, the UN’s Agenda 2030 with the Sustainable Development Goals, and degrowth)
• approaches to reduce climate emissions and approaches of climate education, (ranging from mainstream to critical approaches)
• critical pedagogy / critical education (including the tradition following the work of Paulo Freire)

Skills

Students demonstrate their capacity to:

• competently understand, explain and critically discuss topics covered by the course
• competently examine how various development strategies and change options are aimed at different goals
• critically discuss consequences and alternatives to what students in a particular education are taught about sustainable or carbon-low transformation alternatives
• produce a paper relevant to course topics in accordance with the required academic standards

General competence

Students demonstrate their capacity to:

• explain and discuss the various approaches (and possible combinations) that are highlighted in the course
• further enhance their academic writing and presentation skills, leveraging feedback from both senior academic colleagues and early-career research peers

Students are expected to have read the syllabus before meeting at OsloMet for a four-day seminar.

At the seminar, lectures and keynotes will be given by leading contributors to the various course contents. In addition, PhD students will participate in three breakout sessions, during which they will receive feedback on course papers from designated lecturers and their peers. One of the teaching sessions will take place as a walk-and-talk along the river Akerselva. A final plenary event (open also to other participants) will entail a keynote presentation by an internationally recognised contributor to elements of the course content. This will be followed by a roundtable discussion. The course will entail approximately 20-25 hours of teaching and seminar exercises.

The student's learning outcome will be assessed on the basis of an individual six-hour written school examination.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

The grades are "pass" or "fail". The requirement for "pass" is that the paper builds on insights from the course and that it meets ordinary academic standards for a course paper at PhD level.

Each exam paper will be evaluated by a committee of two examiners.

Target group

We aim to bring together course participants with a broad range of different backgrounds. On the one hand, we want participants who before the course either have studied or started a PhD project with empirical studies concerning questions about sustainability, climate or the environment. On the other hand, we welcome participants who come from the field of education and/or do their PhD project within an education department. Moreover, we invite applicants from various parts of the world.

Admission requirements

1. The admission will require a five-year master’s degree (three years + two years) or equivalent qualifications in social sciences, teacher education or in any other subjects or fields for which the course is seen as relevant for the applicant.
2. All applicants must submit a brief summary of their PhD project (about ½ - 1 page).
3. All applicants must submit a text of 250 - 500 words (+ eventual literature references) about their motivation and background for taking part in this course, and how they consider the course to be relevant for their PhD project.
4. Up to five seats will be reserved for applicants who are enrolled as PhD students at OsloMet’s Faculty of Education and International Studies.