Course

Transnational perspectives on Nordic gender equality and welfare (GEN530)

The Nordic countries are recognised as some of the most gender equal countries in the world. This course gives an overview of how the Nordic countries work for gender equality and how this policy area is linked to policies concerning biopolitics, work-life balance, social welfare, immigration and in general the Nordic welfare state regimes. The course will improve the students' understanding of the historical development of Nordic models for gender equality and welfare, and contribute to a critical assessment of contemporary goals and challenges for gender equality and diversity in the Nordic countries.  


Dette er emnebeskrivelsen for studieåret 2018-2019

See course description and exam/assesment information for this semester (2024-2025)

Semesters

Fakta

Emnekode

GEN530

Vekting (stp)

10

Semester undervisningsstart

Autumn

Undervisningsspråk

English

Antall semestre

1

Vurderingssemester

Autumn

Content

The Nordic countries have extensive welfare states and have developed their politics for equality over several decades. This course outlines how gender equality is a particular policy area that connects to family policies, biopolitics, work-life policies and policies for social distribution. The main objective for the course is to discuss and analyse the organisation of the Nordic welfare states in light of their gender equality policies, and to make visible current goals and challenges to gender equality and diversity, such as highly a gender-differentiated labour market, economic inequalities and gender based violence. Increased immigration, multiculturalism, a wider range of family models and a broader recognition of different sexual orientations also contribute to ongoing developments of policies for equality and diversity. The purpose for this course is to critically analyse and asses questions of equality in the Nordic welfare states in a multi-dimensional perspective.

Learning outcome

Upon completion of the course, the student should:

Knowledge:

  • Have knowledge about Nordic policies for equality in relation to gender, sexuality, ethnicity and ability.
  • Have knowledge about similarities and differences between the Nordic countries.
  • Have knowledge about the historical and political processes of the Nordic models for gender equality and welfare policies.

Skills:

  • Be able to analyse and critically discuss characteristics of Nordic policies for gender equality and how these policies relate to the Nordic welfare-state model.
  • Be able to analyse and asses challenges to gender equality and diversity.
  • Be able to analyse how Nordic models of gender equality and welfare have been developed and implemented in the Nordic Countries, and how these policies have been received on a global scale.
  • Be able to analyse and discuss the Nordic approaches to gender equality and welfare in a comparative context.

General competence:

  • Be able to understand and analyse gender equality in light of politics and policy-making.
  • Be able to apply perspectives on gender equality and diversity in professional and educational situations.

Forkunnskapskrav

Ingen

Exam

Form of assessment Weight Duration Marks Aid Exam system Withdrawal deadline Exam date
Term paper 1/1 1 Semesters Letter grades Inspera assessment 15.11.2018


Vilkår for å gå opp til eksamen/vurdering

Mid-term essay, Group presentation
This course requires active participation: Students will be asked to hand in a mid-term essay (1500 words) and prepare a group presentation about a given topic, which will receive an approved/not approved assessment. Comments to the essays and the group presentations will be given in a plenary session. This two-part compulsory assignment must be approved in order to take the final exam.

Fagperson(er)

Course coordinator:

Maja Brandt Andreasen

Method of work

The course consists of weekly sessions. These sessions will include lectures, seminars, group work and individual work - adapted to different modes of study. All students are expected to read the syllabus and participate in group discussions and thereby develop analytic reflections in a productive environment with fellow students. This will be done on and off campus, and the course coordinator will facilitate a digital learning platform (Canvas). The working language for this course is English.

Overlapping

Emne Reduksjon (SP)
Transnational perspectives on Nordic gender equality and welfare (GEN530_1) , Nordic models for gender equality and welfare (MEN270_1) 10
Transnational perspectives on Nordic gender equality and welfare (GEN330_1) , Transnational perspectives on Nordic gender equality and welfare (GEN530_1) 10

Åpent for

All students on a master's programme at the University of Stavanger.

Exchange students.

Emneevaluering

Student evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the Faculty of Social Science evaluation system.

Litteratur

The literature for this course consists of books and a collection of articles. The curriculum consists of approximately 1000 pages.

Books

Sümer, S. (2009) European Gender Regimes and Policies: Comparative Perspectives, Farnham: Ashgate.

Detailed information about the article-collection and the final curriculum can be found on Canvas before the start of the course. The article-collection will be made available before the course starts.

The course description is retrieved from FS (Felles studentsystem). Version 1