Sociology for sustainability and analysis of global processes

The course Welfare, Labour Policies and Social Innovation examines the transformations of welfare systems and labour market policies in the era of the dual transition – green and digital – with a focus on the processes of social innovation that are reshaping protection, participation, and inclusion. The aim is to provide students with a critical and comparative understanding of public policies and institutional models regulating the relationship between welfare, labour, and economic development. Special emphasis is placed on the structural changes currently affecting Europe and Italy: the crisis of the traditional welfare state, the emergence of new inequalities, the activation of social protection systems, and the growing role of enterprises and the third sector in new welfare ecosystems. Specific topics include: the historical evolution of European welfare systems and employment regimes; labour market and social inclusion policies, between activation, flexicurity and conditionality; the challenges of digitalisation, ecological transition and labour precarisation; new multi-level and territorial governance models of social and employment policies; social innovation practices and collaborative models between public, private and third-sector actors. The course encourages students to connect changes in the labour market with the evolution of welfare systems, interpreting innovation not only as a technological process but also as a social and institutional one — capable of generating collective value and new opportunities for inclusion.

Ciarini A. 2020, a cura di, Politiche di welfare e investimenti sociali, il Mulino, Bologna (in alternativa per gli studenti che hanno frequentato il corso di Sociologia economica: Saraceno C. 2021, Il welfare: tra vecchie e nuove disuguaglianze, Bologna, il Mulino) Ciarini A. 2025, Verso un nuovo patto sociale. Lavoro, welfare e sostenibilità ecologica nella doppia transizione, Roma, Carocci due testi a scelta tra: Ciarini A. Fracassa C. Padula D. 2024, I programmi di Job Guarantee. Una analisi comparativa delle esperienze pilota in Francia, Austria, Belgio. La Rivista delle Politiche Sociali, n. 1, pp. 139-166 Di Carlo D. Ciarini A. Villa A. (2024), Between export-led growth and administrative Keynesianism: Italy’s two-tiered growth regime, New Political Economy, pp. 1-22 Ciarini A. Luppi M. Sacchi S. (2023), Make them work! In-work benefits after the pandemic in the reform of Italy’s minimum income scheme, Stato e Mercato, n. 3 Ciarini A. Villa A. (2021), Contrasto alla povertà e politiche del lavoro in Italia prima e dopo la pandemia. Quali effetti a seguito dell’introduzione del Reddito di Cittadinanza?, Rivista Economica del Mezzogiorno, n. 4

The course combines lectures, case study discussions, policy document analysis, group work, and seminars with experts, policymakers and representatives of the third sector. The teaching approach integrates theoretical perspectives with empirical analysis, fostering active student participation.