CRESPY Amandine - The EU and the Fight against Social Inequality (25h)
Professor Crespy Amandine
Academic Assistant Sara Maria Barbaglia
The aim of this course is to familiarize the students with the political and policy issues pertaining to social inequality and EU policy making in the realm of social policy. The course will first set the scene by explaining what is to be understood by notions such as “Social Europe” or “The European social model” and how they relate to types of welfare states in Europe. The key actors and theoretical approaches relevant for the understanding of social policy making will also be presented. The key objective of the course is to shed light on how the EU is acting in the main domains pertaining to social inequality through various modes of governance, namely regulation (including case law), redistribution through funds, the European social dialogue and soft coordination. Two essential questions will provide key threads across the sessions. First, what are the policy instruments employed by the EU and how have they changed over time? Second, what are the underlying political dynamics – in terms of ideological and institutional struggles among actors – explaining the developments in the social policy area? The course will enlighten how the long-standing dynamics have been altered by the Covid-19 pandemic and policy responses especially the recovery agenda and the just green transition.
Beyond scholarly aspects, the course shall be in line with topical policy concerns. This will be reflected in the oral presentations in which students will have to tackle a specific policy case.