Information Package / Course Catalogue
Comparative Theories of the Social State
Course Code: ÇEİ509
Course Type: Area Elective
Couse Group: Second Cycle (Master's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 3
Prt.: 0
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 5
Objectives of the Course

This course aims to provide students with a comparative perspective on how the welfare state has been conceptualized within different theoretical frameworks, how it has evolved historically, and how it has been transformed in the contemporary era. Within the scope of the course, students will analyze Esping-Andersen’s welfare regime typology and explore feminist, postcolonial, and regulationist critiques of the model. They will also critically evaluate the institutional forms of welfare states in different countries and the ways in which these systems respond to crises.

Course Content

This course examines the theoretical foundations, historical development, and institutional configurations of welfare states in a comparative framework. Taking Esping-Andersen’s welfare regime approach as a starting point, the course engages with feminist, regulationist, and Global South critiques of welfare state theory. Students will discuss contemporary issues such as neoliberal transformation, the social investment paradigm, universal basic income, and ecosocial policy, with the aim of exploring potential alternatives for the future of the welfare state.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Atilla GÜLER
Learning Outcomes
1.Can explain the historical development, core principles, and theoretical approaches of the welfare state.
2.Can compare welfare regime typologies (e.g., Esping-Andersen, Ferrera, Gough) and relate them to the practices in different countries.
3.Can analyze structural processes such as neoliberalism, globalization, demographic change, and digitalization that influence the transformation of the welfare state.
4.Can critically evaluate the labor market policies, social assistance mechanisms, and public services of different welfare states.
5.Can discuss future scenarios of the welfare state within the context of social justice, inequality, and sustainability.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Buğra, A. & Keyder, Ç. (2018). Sosyal Politika Yazıları. İletişim Yayınları.
2.Güler, M.A. (2020). Birikim, Düzenleme ve Sosyal Devletin Dönüşümü. TAEM Yayınları.
3.Güler, M.A. (2023). İnsani Gelişme ve Sosyal Devlet: Seçilmiş Ülkeler Üzerine Bir Sınıflandırma. Üçüncü Sektör Dergisi, 58(3).
4.Koray, M. (2005). Avrupa Toplum Modeli. İmge Kitabevi.
5.Koray, M. (2022). Sosyal Politika. İmge Kitabevi.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
Definition and Historical Origins of the Welfare State
Week 2 - Theoretical
Fordism and the Rise of the Welfare State
Week 3 - Theoretical
Esping-Andersen and Welfare State Regime Models
Week 4 - Theoretical
Feminist Critiques of Esping-Andersen’s Typology
Week 5 - Theoretical
Global South and Postcolonial Critiques
Week 6 - Theoretical
Regulation Theory and Critiques of Welfare
Week 7 - Theoretical
The Social Investment State Paradigm
Week 8 - Theoretical
Universal Basic Income and Post-Welfare State Debates
Week 9 - Theoretical
Ecosocial Critiques of the Welfare State
Week 10 - Theoretical
Crises of the Welfare State and Neoliberal Adaptation
Week 11 - Theoretical
European Social Models: Conflicts and Convergence
Week 12 - Theoretical
The Development of the Welfare State in Türkiye
Week 13 - Theoretical
Alternative Conceptions of Welfare
Week 14 - Theoretical
General Evaluation and Student Presentations
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Midterm Examination1%40
Final Examination1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory142370
Midterm Examination120121
Final Examination130131
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)122
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
PÇ-11
PÇ-12
OÇ-1
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
OÇ-2
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
OÇ-3
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
OÇ-4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
OÇ-5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026