General provisions

The course is a free-standing course of 5 points /7.5 ECTS

Can be taken as part of the Religious Studies programme 140/160 points

The course is given in co-operation with the Uppsala Institute for Diaconal and Social Studies.

The course plan was agreed by the Board of the Faculty of Theology on 2006-06-08.

The course plan is valid from 2006-09-01.

Entry requirements

University studies 20 credit points (30 ECTS).

Aims

This course sets out from a research project currently in progress: Welfare and Religion in European Perspective. A Comparative Study of the Role of the Churches as Agents of Welfare within the Social Economy (WREP). The aim of the course is to elucidate and analyse different welfare systems and the function of majority churches and related religious organisations within these in a comparative European perspective and reflect on methodological issues in relation to research on welfare and religion, from a sociological- / gender and theological perspective.

The expansion of the European Union and the regulations that this entails mean that the welfare systems of the different countries in Europe are being drawn closer together at the same time as they face huge challenges. Some of these are nationally specific while others are present over the whole of Europe. The question of whether and how Europe differs from other parts of the world (The USA for example) in terms of religion and welfare and the interaction between the two will also be studied.

Content

The course introduces the relevant issues and methodological and theoretical perspectives

The course will outline and analyse the current situation for the different welfare systems which are present in Western Europe today with particular focus on the eight countries included in the WREP project (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Greece, Italy, Germany, France and England). The starting point for the project has been the Swedish situation and the course will give the opportunity to compare the situation in Sweden to that in other countries. Focus will be on comparing and contrasting the situations in different countries with each other and particular attention will be paid to questions of what welfare can be said to mean in these different countries and how it relates to issues of health, social economy and religion.

Instruction

Teaching takes the form of lectures and seminars.

The language of instruction is English.

Assessment

Examination is through active participation in the seminars and written paper on a selected topic.

The grades Godkänd (pass) or Väl Godkänd (distinction) are given on successful completion of the course.

Other regulations

The course can be taken as a literature course within the Sociology of Religion C.

Transitional provisions

Members of a course regulated by a former version of this course plan have the possibility to be examined in accordance with that course plan within two years after the closure of the course. If there are particular reasons, such an examination can take place also later on. Normally no instruction in accordance with former versions of the course plan is given.