The approach I adopt, not only in my little book ('Social Policy' in the Polity Press Short Introductions series) but when I teach, is to emphasise that Social Policy:
1) Is not just about social problems and burdens (negative stuff) but about human wellbeing (positive stuff).
2) Is MASSIVE. In terms of what is spent on it, it's big bucks. In terms of scope, it's about every aspect of our lives. In terms of context, it's global.
3) Is both creative (because it's concerned with policy making or 'invention') and genuinely inter- and multidisciplinary (because it promiscuously borrows from across the social sciences).
4) It's a subject that goes to the heart of what matters: how do we as human being care for and about each other?
But, admittedly, none of this cuts much ice with students who are only interested in making loads of money when they graduate.
Hartley Dean
Department of Social Policy
London School of Economics
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
Tel: +44 (0)20 7955 6184
Fax: +44 (0)20 7955 7415
Email: [log in to unmask]
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From: Social-Policy is run by SPA for all social policy specialists on behalf of Nick Ellison
Sent: Tue 08/04/2008 11:00
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Getting students interested about social policy
From: Paul Henman
Sent: Monday, 7 April 2008 11:44 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: getting students interested about social policy
Hi colleagues
I am emailing the SPA e-list to see what other social policy teaching
staff do to get students excited about social policy. What have people
found successful? Has anyone written about their experiences?
I am teaching social policy to mainly social work students who think
social policy is irrelevant and dull. Any pointers?
Thanks for any feedback.
Paul
(Dr) Paul Henman
BSW Honours Coordinator
Senior Lecturer, Social Policy Unit
School of Social Work and Human Services
University of Queensland QLD 4072
Phone: +61 7 3365 1845
Fax: +61 7 3365 1788
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