Course Syllabus

 

 

Semester & Location:	Fall 2024 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Political Science, Public Policy, Sociology
Prerequisite:	None
Faculty Members:	Michael Perlt Current students use Canvas Inbox to contact
Time & Place:	Tuesdays and Fridays 11:40-13:00 Classroom: N7-A23

Description of Course

The image of Denmark and other Scandinavian countries is one of high taxation, universal welfare, and a notable level of equality. In this class we examine the reality of that image. Are the Scandinavian countries the most equal in the world? What are the characteristics that have ensured the high levels of equality? Are all people supported equally by the state? Can current levels of support be sustained in the face of economic pressures?

The class will examine current academic and political debates about equality, and explore both sociological and economic theories to understand the principles and challenges that underpin the Scandinavian welfare state. Students will also engage in comparative analysis of welfare and non-welfare states as well as learn about the political and socio-economic aspects of Denmark and its neighboring countries that influence equality and inequality in them. 

The course will look at how ‘equality of opportunity’ and ‘equality of outcome’ is shaped in relation to labor and the labor market, education, health and culture as well as how gender and ethnicity influences equality and inequality in the Scandinavian countries.  Finally, the class will consider public opinion towards ‘equality creating policies’ such as income transfer policies in the Scandinavian countries, and what the future holds for the Scandinavian welfare state. 

 When empirical studies and case-material are used, it will primarily concern Denmark.

 The course consists of three overall themes:

1. Equality – concept and current debates,
2. Building equality – characteristics of Scandinavian societies and welfare states
3. Maintaining or eroding equality - Changes in and challenges to Scandinavian societies and welfare states.

Throughout the course one of the central questions will be what other countries can learn from the Scandinavian countries and their societal model. 

 In terms of academic disciplines, the course is a combination of sociology, political science, and economics.

Learning Objectives

This course will enable students to identify the different rationales in the academic and political discussions about equality and inequality, provide them with a thorough understanding of Scandinavian welfare states, their social stratifications and the dynamics of the equality-inequality nexus as well as introduce them to current debates about welfare in Scandinavia. Students should not only gain particular knowledge of Scandinavia, but achieve more general insights into how the economy, labor markets and most policy areas interact with the social results in society. Overall, the course should enable them to make concrete comparisons of welfare systems, and to bring reflections around equity into academic areas such as sociology, economics and political sciences as well as to practical policy work, which they might engage in in the future. 

Readings

E-Textbook on Canvas under Modules: ‘Changing social equality. The Nordic welfare model in the 21st century’,  

Other readings include: 

‘The Nordic countries: The next supermodel’, The Economist, February 2 2013 (3 pages)

‘Special report: The Nordic countries - Northern lights’, The Economist, February 2 2013 (6 pages)

‘Special report: The Nordic countries – The secret of their success’, The Economist, February 2 2013 (4 pages)

‘Special report: The Nordic countries – More for less, The Economist, February 2 2013 (4 pages)

‘Special report: The Nordic countries – The ins and outs’, The Economist, February 2 2013 (4 pages)

 ‘Danes Rethink a Welfare State Ample to a Fault’, New York Times, April 20 2013 (3 pages) ‘NYT Uses News Story to Express Dislike of Danish Welfare State’, Dean Baker, Center for Economic and Policy Research, April 21 2013 (2 pages)

‘What Can We Learn From Denmark?’, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent U.S. Senator from Vermont, 05/26/2013, Huffington Post (3 pages)

‘What Americans Don’t Get About Nordic Countries’, Anu Partanen, Mar 16, 2016, The Atlantic (4 pages)

 ‘Equality’, Stuart White, Polity Press, 2006, chapter 1 (25 pages)

‘The Spirit Level. Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better’, Richard Wilkinson and Kate

Pickett, Allen Lane, 2009, chapter 1, 2, 3 (40 pages)

‘The price of Inequality’, Joseph E. Stiglitz, W.W. Norton, 2012, preface, (15 pages)  ‘Capital in the Twenty-First Century’, Thomas Piketty, Harvard University Press, page 20-35 (15 pages)

 ‘Divided We Stand: Why Inequality Keeps Rising’, OECD, Paris, 2011, only read overview, p. 21-45 (25 pages)

‘The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism’, Gøsta Esping-Andersen, Polity Press, 1990, read introduction and chapter 1 (30 pages)

‘The Copenhagen Consensus: Reading Adam Smith in Denmark’, Robert Kuttner, Foreign Affairs, March/April 2008 (17 pages)

‘The Nordic Model for Dummies, SAMAK, 2016, (6 minutes)

‘The Danish Model - a European success story’, Mogens Lykketoft, AE, 2009 (25 pages)

‘Social inequalities in health: The Nordic welfare state in comparative context’, Clare Bambra, Ch. 7 in Changing Social Equality (30 pages)

 ‘The Nordic Model in Education: Education as part of the political system in the last 50 years’, Alfred Oftedal Telhaug, Odd Asbjørn and Petter Aasenc

‘Equality in the social service state: Nordic childcare models in comparative perspective’, Gabrielle Meagher and Marta Szebehely, (20 pages) in ‘Changing social equality. The Nordic welfare model in the 21st century’, Kvist, J., Fritzell, J., Hvinden, B. & Kangas, O., Bristol: Policy Press

‘Scandinavian Welfare Policies, Gender Equality and Globalization’, Anette Borchorst (15 pages)  ‘Reassessing woman-friendliness and the gender system: feminist theorizing about the Nordic welfare model’, Anette Borchorst, in ‘Welfare State, Universalism and Diversity’, Anneli Anntonen, Liisa Häikiö, Kolbein Stefánsson. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012. p.p. 106-120. (15 pages)

‘The Nordic model – challenged but capable of reform’, Tarmo Valkonen and Vesa Vihriälä (eds.), 2014,

‘Does immigration challenge the economic sustainability of the Nordic welfare model?’, Christer Gerdes and Eskil Wadensjö, (15 pages)

‘Denmark: doubting the multi-ethnic welfare society’, Kristian Weise, forthcoming, Dietz Verlag (will be availbale on Canvas)  

‘Has the Nordic Welfare Model Been Transformed?’, Jon Kvist and Bent Greve, Social Policy &

Administration, Vol. 45, No. 2, April 2011, pp. 146–160 (15 pages)

‘Eroding minimum income protection in the Nordic countries’, Susan Kuivalainen and Kenneth Nelson (20 pages)

‘Income inequality and poverty: do the Nordic countries still constitute a family of their own?’, Johan

Fritzell, Olof Bäckman and Veli-Matti Ritakallio, (20 pages)

 ‘Misreading the Nordic Model: How American Admirers Get Scandinavia Wrong’, Nima Sanandaji, Foreign Affairs, August 2016 (5 pages)

‘Nortern Lights: Do the Scandinavians really have it all figured out?’, Nathan Heller, February 2015, The New Yorker (5 pages)

‘Nordic responses to rising inequalities’, Jon Kvist, Bjørn Hvinden and Olli Kangas, (5 pages) all in in ‘Changing social equality. The Nordic welfare model in the 21st century’, Kvist, J., Fritzell, J., Hvinden, B. & Kangas, O., Bristol: Policy Press

'A Brief History of Equality', Thomas Piketty The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press

Field Studies

• Oxfam
• The Workers Museum

 Expectations of the Students

Students are expected to have read the readings for the class and to engage in the discussions based on these. Active participation in class is central, and observations and reflections about current events related to the texts and readings will be encouraged. Students should critically assess the material that is presented to them, both in class and in exams, papers etc. that are prepared for the course.

Evaluation

Students are expected to engage actively in class, to come prepared for the different subjects and to hand in papers on time. In both discussions and papers they will be rewarded for their ability to critically absorb new knowledge, to compare different welfare systems and arrangements, to analyze different points of views and to question the rationales behind them.  

Group work and class presentations 

Each student will be part of a group presentation on one of the subjects studied. Groups will consist of 2-3 people. The presentations will be on selected subjects within the themes. Presentations will be assigned in class within the first couple of weeks.  (see more information about this at the end of the syllabus)

Online discussions

During the course, DIS’ online forum Canvas may be used for online discussions, posing of questions etc. Students will be notified about when their preparations for class include posing questions, discussing subjects etc. 

Written assignments etc.

There will be one mid-term exam, a mid-term paper (4-5 pages) and a final paper (8-10 pages). There will be a choice of different formats for the papers (e.g. articles, op-eds, concept notes, literature reviews and more traditional research papers). Precise instructions will be given during class.

Grading

To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all of the assigned work.

Assignment	Percent
Engaged Participation	25%
Mid-Term Exam	00%
Mid-Term Paper	15%
Presentations including Preparations	20%
Final Paper	40%

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

• Course Enrollment and Grading  
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code 

 

 

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