Saint-Louis University - Bruxelles
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SPOL1310 - Labour, employment and social protection



Credits : 5

Lecturer :
Mode of delivery :
Face-to-face , second term, 30 hours of theory.

Timetable :
Second term
Friday from 10:45 to 12:45 at 119 Marais 3200

Language of instruction :
French.

Learning outcomes :
The general aim is to familiarize the students with a general approach of political sociology that focuses on a major social issue in the Western world: the inclusion/exclusion role of labour in society and the evolution of mechanisms of social protection set up by states in relation with employment.

This topic will be studied in the Belgian context through a general perspective of political sociology that has drawn on the scientific work, which has addressed this subject in terms of "social question". This expression marks a double analytical ambition: contextualize the current problems linked to work in a historical perspective, and relate their existence to the general processes of integration, especially through work, which are implemented in the modern Western societies in order to insure their cohesion.
At the end of the lectures, it will be hoped that students have acquired a global framework of analysis of the multiple current socio-economic issues in Belgium as well as in the Western countries.


Prerequisites :
For the Bachelor in Law :

For the Bachelor in Information and Communication :

For the Bachelor in Political Sciences: General :

For the Bachelor in Sociology and Anthropology :


Co-requisites :
For the Bachelor in Law :


Course contents :
Lectures are based on a course syllabus and PowerPoint presentations.

The course is divided into 3 more or less equal parts.

In the first part, we will first introduce briefly to the analytical framework. Then we will give a general overview of the contemporary situation in Belgium in a sociological as well as in a legal perspective. Phenomena as employement/unemployment, incomes, poverty, social dialogue, social protection will be scrutinized.

The second part will focus on the first social question that has been addressed in the 19th century, during the industrialization. It is concerned with the nature of the then problematic phenomena, with their relation to work, with the main ways that have been proposed to solve them and with the social, political and legal processes that have lead to their structural resolution thanks to the institutionalization of the Welfare State, at the end of the Second World War and during its expansion during the « Trente Glorieuses ».

The third part of the course will focus on the resurgence of problematic phenomena related to work during the last fourty years. These show characteristics that are partially similar to those of the problems that aroused the original social question, and justify therefore the fact that some political sociologists call it « the new social question ». After having determined the importance and the origins of these new problems related to work in our society, we will discuss the measures that have been adopted against it by public power and the main solution mode that are currently taken into account and/or effectively implemented to curb these new problems.



Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
Even if this course is a lecture, it is open to any debate and students' participation. To stimulate its, lecture notes and the ppt presentation will be at the disposal of students at the beginning of the course. Students are invited to read previously the pertinent sections of the lecture notes and so that the interactions in the classroom can focus itself on their own specific questions and topics.

For the personal homework, students must monitor by themselves a topic in relation with a question determined by the lecturer. At the exam, students have to be able to answer to a large scope question about this topic. More indications about the homework will be available on the class Moodle Page.


Assessment methods and criteria :
The final assessment is a written examination that lasts three hours. It is made of two large scope questions, each one counting for ten points, the first one is dedicated to the course material and the second one, to the personal homework.

The two questions require an analysis of discourses, facts or current devices in relation with labour and social protection in the western countries. The students have to show their capability to use appropriately the general elements of knowledge that have been developed in this course, but also in other courses or contexts (personal general knowledge of the students). This analysis must be as rich as possible.

Each question should be answered on 2-3 pages maximum.
More details on the course website.
Rules remains similar for the second session of examination.


Recommended or required reading :
No other reading than the lectures notes and the PowerPoint presentations is required.
For the students wishing to go further, the course syllabus contains a significative number of bibliographical suggestions.

The course's general approach is based on the following works :
Robert CASTEL, Les métamorphoses de la question sociale. Chronique du salariat, Paris, Gallimard (Folio. Essais 12, n°349), 1999.
Jacques COMMAILLE, Les nouveaux enjeux de la question sociale, Paris, Hachette, 1997.
Andrea REA, La société en miettes. Épreuves et enjeux de l'exclusion, Bruxelles, Labor (Quartier libre), 1997.
Pierre ROSANVALLON, La nouvelle question sociale. Repenser l'Etat-providence, Paris, Seuil, 1995.


Other information :
The class has a Moodle webpage on which the students will find, amongst other things, the following documents: the up-to-date version of the Power Point slides' portfolio, copies of previous years' examinations, a set of guidelines for the exam and the homework. An online forum is also available for the students to ask any question, provide some answers to their co-students, and communicate with the professor.