ESPAnet Doctoral Workshop

Date: 14-15 May, 2009
Title: Understanding Changing Welfare States and Social Policies: Causes, Processes and Consequences
Location: Trinity College Dublin

Both quantitative and qualitative studies of social policies and welfare states can bring to light similarities and differences and highlight convergence or divergence between systems. Examination of the causes and consequences of these similarities and differences is the mainstay of comparative social policy research.

This workshop seeks to bring together a group of advanced doctoral students who are investigating changes in welfare states and social policies, and the causes and consequences thereof. Papers can also address the various putative mechanisms of policy influence/policy transfer where such transfer can be demonstrated to have taken place; papers that seek to understand the balance between national and supra-national forces and actors in influencing social policy developments are particularly welcome.

We invite papers that adopt a strong comparative dimension in addressing the issues of similarities/differences, convergence/divergence and policy transfer or diffusion between systems. Possible areas of investigation include, but are not restricted to, employment, pensions, care, health and housing policies, as well as systems-level studies of aggregate change or stability in broader policy areas and across welfare states.

The presenters should be in their final year of doctoral study and hence in a position to present the overall framework, research questions and methodology of their projects, as well as some preliminary/indicative findings in the light of their (largely) completed data collection.

Senior staff present at the workshop include:

• Jochen Clasen, University of Edinburgh
• Tony Fahey, University College Dublin
• Traute Meyer, Southampton University
• Amilcar Moreira, Oslo University College
• Brian Nolan, University College Dublin
• Julia O'Connor, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
• Wim van Oorschot, Tilburg University
• Virpi Timonen, Trinity College Dublin

For further information on ESPAnet please see www.espanet.org

Senior academics and students pictured at the ESPAnet workshop in Trinity College Dublin on 14-15 May