UVSSPUK008 Social Policy I

Faculty of Public Policies in Opava
Winter 2026
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Pavel Bareš, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Ing. Ladislav Průša, CSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Ing. Ladislav Průša, CSc.
Institute of Public Administration and Social Policy – Faculty of Public Policies in Opava
Contact Person: Ing. Lucie Wedlich Kamrádová, Ph.D.
Timetable
Fri 2. 10. 15:35–19:40 C208, Fri 27. 11. 8:05–12:10 C203
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce students to social policy as a practical activity and as a field of study from selected key perspectives. The course will focus on selected theoretical aspects and approaches to social policy, and students will have the opportunity to learn more about social policy as a field that in many ways significantly shapes and frames the possibilities of a number of other social science disciplines and practices in other fields (social work, social pedagogy, social administration, especially in the area of employment, etc.).
Learning outcomes
Students will acquire basic knowledge in the field of social policy theory, particularly the processes of implementation, objectives, and functions of social policy in the Czech Republic. They will become familiar with the key principles and fundamental approaches to social policy, as well as the possibilities and limitations of its implementation and they will gain a deeper understanding of the nature and functioning of selected areas of social policy.
Syllabus
  • 1.   Introduction to Social Policy
  • 2.   Actors, Functions, Principles, and Instruments of Social Policy
  • 3.   The Development and Traditions of Social Policy in the Czech Republic
  • 4.   The Genesis of Social Policy
  • 5.   Causes of Different Approaches and Models of Social Policy
  • 6.   Creation of Social Policy Programs
  • 7.   Social Security as the Basis of Social Policy
  • 8.   The Concept of the Welfare State
  • 9.   Crises and Revivals of the Welfare State
  • 10. The Emergence and Types of Social Events
  • 11. The Role of Social Policy and Its Perception in the European Context
  • 12. European Social Legislation and Key Documents of European Social Policy. 
  • 13. Modernization of Social Systems
Literature
    required literature
  • BAREŠ, P. Sociální politika. Distanční studijní text. Opava: Fakulta veřejných politik v Opavě, 2025.
  • MERTL, Jan a kol. Sociální politika. Praha: Wolters Kluwer, 2023. ISBN 978-80-7676-675-4.
  • KACZOR, Pavel. Sociální systém ČR. Praha: Oeconomica, nakladatelství VŠE, 2022. ISBN 978-80-245-2443-6.
  • TOMEŠ, I. Úvod do teorie a metodologie sociální politiky. Praha: Portál, 2010. ISBN 978-80-7367-680-3
    recommended literature
  • ONDRÁŠEK, Stanislav, KOZLOVÁ, Lucie, HRICOVÁ, Alena, URBAN, Da-vid. Sociální politika. Praha: Grada, 2024. ISBN 978-80-271-5138-7.
  • ŠÁMALOVÁ, Kateřina, VOJTÍŠEK, Petr (Eds.). Sociální správa: organizace a řízení sociálních systémů. Praha: Grada, 2021. ISBN 978-80-271-2195-3.
  • PRŮŠA, L., VÍŠEK, P. a JAHODA, R. Alchymie nepojistných sociálních dávek. Praha: Wolters Kluwer, 2014. ISBN 978-80-7478-528-3
  • PRŮŠA, L. Vývoj sociálních příjmů obyvatelstva v letech 2010 – 2022. In: Demografie č. 1/2024. ročník 66 (1), s. 87–107. Praha: Český statistický úřad. ISSN 0011-8265 (Print), ISSN 1805-2991 (online)
Teaching methods
Lectures, independent work with texts and completion of assigned tasks by students
Assessment methods
- completion of correspondence tasks as assigned
- written test
Language of instruction
Czech
The course is also listed under the following terms Winter 2022, Winter 2023, Winter 2024, Winter 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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