The course probes the formation of social policy in the United States from its very first cultural and religious roots. Starting with the transition from hunter-gatherer groups to agrarian villages, the course will examine the passage of the Poor Laws that shaped social policy through the colonial period until the beginnings of the 20th century, when the challenge of making the industrial city livable gave rise to the development of the welfare state. As part of this transformation, the provider of social welfare shifted from the local community to the state to the federal government. The course ends with an exploration of the debate regarding the role of government in the late 20th century: should it foster entitlements or self-sufficiency? This course addresses issues of power, oppression, and white supremacy.
This course is part of the Social Policy for Social Services & Health Practitioners Specialization
Offered By
Social Policy for Social Services & Health Practitioners SpecializationColumbia UniversityAbout this Course
What you will learn
Differentiate the roots of public aid including the “deserving poor” and the “undeserving poor”
Explain technological transformation has impacted on work, incomes & families to understand the needs of those seeking services and to reform system
identify the role of privilege and White Supremacy in the social welfare systems to transform the system to a more inclusive structure
Honors: Summarize and critique readings to professionally interpret them. Develop a research plan for a professional policy analysis.
Skills you will gain
Offered by
Columbia University
For more than 250 years, Columbia has been a leader in higher education in the nation and around the world. At the core of our wide range of academic inquiry is the commitment to attract and engage the best minds in pursuit of greater human understanding, pioneering new discoveries and service to society.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Early Roots of Social Policy
In this module, you'll learn about the roots of social policy. Learners will hear about the Poor Laws and how the poor law shaped American social policy as well as the history of early activists and influencers.
Roots of US Social Policy
This module describes the development of social policy in the modern industrial city: public health, worker safety, mother's pensions and roots of the movement for racial equality.
The beginnings of the welfare state
This module explores the shift to a federal role in social policy and the development of welfare state institutions, including public works and employment, pensions, public housing and supports for families
Safety nets versus entitlement
As the US Welfare State developed, health care and social services expanded. Tensions developed over the role of safety net programs for the poor and the social policy debate centered on providing entitlements versus developing self-sufficiency.
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM US SOCIAL SERVICES: WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?
The content was presented in an interesting way that was easy to understand. Excellent course!
Excellent course on the origins of the US welfare state.
About the Social Policy for Social Services & Health Practitioners Specialization
In the U.S., social policy accounts for two-thirds of government spending. Knowing how policies are constructed, what values underlie them, and how they succeed or fail makes everyone more effective at work or in their civic role. This specialization includes an HONORS track in which learners will complete a professional social policy analysis.
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