Globalisation, Inequalities & Power

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Be better able to evaluate the appropriateness of different methods in social research.
• Have improved your ability to critically probe concepts and arguments.
• Have knowledge and understanding of the main agents with the power to affect inequalities: states, businesses, non-governmental organisations, the third sector, non-state organised political actors (trade unions, social movements).
• Have knowledge and understanding of how these inequalities influence the distribution of life chances and wealth in societies.
• Have broadened your understanding of comparative methods as a tool for knowledge creation.
• Have knowledge and understanding of the main types of social inequalities.
• Have knowledge and understanding of the concepts of globalisation, inequality and power in the social science literature.
• Have further developed your analytic skills through critical engagement with different theoretical and empirical approaches.

In the first part of the module we will explore the meaning of globalisation, inequality and power in the social science literature. We will then study the impact of globalisation on inequality, using case studies and examples from around the world. In the final part of the module we will establish why states, businesses, third sector organisations, international organisations and non-state organised political actors are important actors that can increase or ameliorate inequalities, again using case studies. Illustrative examples of case studies:

• Global inequalities: child labour and the corporate social responsibility of global businesses
• States and in/equalities: welfare states around the world
• The development of anti-poverty policies around the world
• Globalisation and welfare retrenchment in highly developed nations

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include:

This module is taught by means of a twice-weekly lecture and a fortnightly seminar.

Learning activities include:

Discussions, data and text analysis, reading and writing

All teaching and assessment methods are designed with the above learning outcomes in mind, so that for students the steps are transparent that needs to be taken to achieve them

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Deacon, B. (2013). Global Social Policy in the Making. Policy Press.

Yeates, N.; Holden, C. (eds.) (2009). The Global Social Policy Reader. Policy Press.

Holton, R. (2014). Global Inequalities. Palgrave Macmillan.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External