CURRICULUM FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2011-2012
The Finnish-Nordic Society and Culture
The Finnish-Nordic Society and Culture is a multidisciplinary non-degree programme that emphasizes on the dimensions of Nordic welfare society. Students who are especially interested in gender issues, law or the health care are also offered a possibility to take extra courses and extend their knowledge in this particular area.
The programme covers one academic year (September-May). This non-degree programme accepts both undergraduate and graduate students. The language of instruction and required reading material is English.
The Programme is coordinated by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Turku.
Total amount of the credits is 25-33 for the basic module (more credits available for students who wish to take additional courses.)
Please note: Finnish credits are equal to ECTS credits.
Study period: Academic year 2011-2012
Previous studies: Studies in relevant field
Application deadline for academic year 2011-2012: 15 April (for the autumn semester/academic year) for applicants outside of EU and EEA countries and 31 May (for the autumn semester/academic year) for applicants in ERASMUS and other exchange programmes within EU and EEA countries.
for Spring semester 2012: 15 October (for the spring semester)
Please note: The amount of accepted visiting students is very restricted! Application deadlines are only for non-degree students.
Syllabus / Schedule for teaching 2011-2012
AUTUMN SEMESTER 2011
FNSC9007 FINLAND IN NORTHERN EUROPEAN CONTEMPORARY HISTORY
University and Department: University of Turku, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Political Science and Contemporary History / Contemporary History
Responsible person: Dr. Louis Clerc
Credits: 5
Level: basic/intermediate
Mode of assessment: lectures + workshop + essay
Contact hours: Tuesday, 15-16, Department of Contemporary History and Political Science, T19 on Campus Map
Aims: The course provides students with a knowledge of various aspects of Finnish contemporary history, replacing it in the background of Northern European historical developments.
Contents: The sessions will deal with Finnish history from 1809 to 1995, going through the period of autonomy under Russian rule, the 1917 declaration of independence, the Civil War of 1918, the development of Finnish democracy and the Finnish welfare state model, Finland during World War II and the Cold War, and the 1995 accession of Finland to the European Union. A first series of lectures (8 sessions of two hours) will be followed by one 2 hours workshop where the class will study, comment and contextualize archival documents and pictures.
The final grade for the course will be decided on a threefold basis: 1. Attendance: Attendance is required and will be checked using an attendance list established during the first session of the course. Exceptions to the attendance rule will be granted on a case by case basis and providing sufficient justification is given by the student. 2. Participation to the workshop. 3. A 10-pages essay written in english on a theme related to the course.
FNSC1011 / FNSC1012 NORDIC WELFARE STATE FROM A COMPARATIVE VIEW
University and Department: University of Turku, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Social Research / Social Policy
Responsible person: Ass. Merita Jokela
Credits: 5
Level: intermediate
Mode of assessment: Lectures (2 credits) AND a literature exam (3 credits)
Contact hours: 18 h lectures
Aims: The course provides students with basic knowledge of the Nordic welfare state model and comparative social policy research. During the course students will learn about different policy areas, e.g. pension and family policy. Special attention is given to comparative social policy and understanding of the factors influencing policy and outcomes of different policies.
Contents:
Lectures – 2 credits (FNSC 1011)
Lectures will start with introduction to the traditions and principles of the Nordic welfare state model and comparative social policy research. The introduction lecture is followed by seven 2 hour lectures. Each of which will concentrate on different policy area (e.g. poverty and income distribution, unemployment). Total amount of lectures equals 18 hours.
Literature – 3 credits (FNSC 1012)
Students write a literature exam on a general exam day.
Literature for literature exam:
Castles: Comparative public policy
Kangas & Palme (eds.): Social policy and economic development in the Nordic countries, pages 1-87, 118-209 and 265-298
Kautto et al: Nordic welfare states in the European context
SOSI9801 EDUCATION AND EQUALITY
University and Department: University of Turku, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Social Research / Sociology
Responsible teacher: Lecturer Arto Kankaanpää
Credits: 2 + essay 2
Level: basic
Mode of assessment: lectures (2 credits), discussions and written examination or learning journal based on lecture notes, and essay based on books (2 credits)
Contact hours: 12 hours (lectures) + 2 hours (examination)
Aims: The course aims at presenting an overall picture of the historical background, development, results and challenges of equality and equality politics, especially in the area of education, in the Nordic countries in comparison with other European and developed countries.
Contents: The course deals with the questions of the historical background, development, results and challenges of equality and equality politics, especially in the area of education, in the Nordic countries in comparison with other European and developed countries.
SPRING SEMESTER 2012
FNSC9002 / FNSC9004 FINNISH SOCIETY: STRUCTURES AND CULTURES
University and Department: University of Turku, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Social Research / Sociology
Responsible person: Dr. Hannu Ruonavaara
Credits: 5
Level: intermediate
Mode of assessment: Lectures (2 credits) + essay (3 credits)
Contact hours: 16 h lectures
Aims: The course provides students with a knowledge of the Finnish society and culture.
Contents: The course offers a sociological introduction to the Finnish society and culture. Among topics covered are post-World War II socio-structural changes, social stratification, Finnish working life, life style changes and the Finnish intoxication.
Literature: Portraying Finland : facts and insights [editorial board: Laura Kolbe (editor-in-chief) et al.] ; [English translation: Malcolm Hicks and William Moore], 2nd, rev. ed., Helsinki. Otava, 2008.
FNSC1031 / FNSC1032 THE FINNISH POLITICAL SYSTEM
University and Department: University of Turku, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Political Science and Contemporary History / Political Science
Responsible teacher: Prof. Tapio Raunio (University of Tampere)
Credits: 5
Level: basic/intermediate
Mode of assessment: lectures (2 credits) and essay on a particular aspect of the Finnish political system (3 credits). The lecture series is followed by a written exam.
Contact hours: 20 hours lectures
Aims: The Finnish political system has normally been categorized as semi-presidential, with the executive functions divided between an elected president and a government that is accountable to the parliament. However, recent constitutional reforms have transformed Finnish politics through strengthening parliamentary democracy. The new constitution, in force since 2000, completed a period of far-reaching constitutional change that curtailed presidential powers and brought the Finnish political system closer to a standard version of parliamentary democracy. The objective of the course is to introduce the students to the Finnish political system, and in particular to analyse how the Finnish system has changed since the Second World War
Contents:
Topics covered during the lecture series include:
* Voting and elections
* Party system
* The parliament and the government
* The president
* Interest groups and corporatism
* The impact of the EU on Finnish politics
* Consensual politics
FNSC1041 / FNSC1042 ETHICAL THINKING AND SOCIETY
University and Department: University of Turku, Faculty of Social Sciences/Department of Behavioural Sciences and Philosophy / Philosophy
Responsible teacher: TBA
Credits: 5
Level: basic/intermediate
Mode of Assessment: Lectures (2 credits) and an essay on one of the themes (3 credits)
Contact hours: 20 hours during
Aims: The course will provide students with basic knowledge of moral theories and political thinking is used in exploring various spheres of society, such as professional life and health care.
Contents: The course offers an introduction to ethical thinking and its relevance in society. With the help of various cases, the course illuminates the active role of ethical thinking in everyday life and political decision making.
Course outline:
a) Introduction to ethical thinking and society
b) Ethics and politics
c) Ethics, risks and society
d) Health care ethics
e) Professional ethics
SOSI9803 EMPLOYMENT AND EQUALITY
University and Department: University of Turku, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Social Research / Sociology
Responsible teacher: Lecturer Arto Kankaanpää
Credits: 2 + essay 2
Level: basic
Mode of assessment: lectures (2 credits), discussions and written examination or learning journal based on lecture notes, and essay based on books (2 credits)
Contact hours: 12 hours (lecturesd) + 2 hours (examination)
Aims: The course aims at presenting an overall picture of the historical background, development, results and challenges of equality and equality politics, especially in the area of employment, in the Nordic countries in comparison with other European and developed countries.
Contents: The course deals with the questions of the historical background, development, results and challenges of equality and equality politics, especially in the area of empolyment, in the Nordic countries in comparison with other European and developed countries.
ADDITIONAL COURSES
NAIS0080 NORDIC GENDER SYSTEM AND CULTURAL REPRESENTATIONS OF GENDER IN FINLAND
Coordinator: Taru Leppänen, PhD, lecturer (taru.leppanen@utu.fi)
ECTS credits: 5 ECTS/op. (=135 h of work: course attendance 20 h; reading (175 pages easy text in English) and preparing for the workshop and writing reading assignments 50 h; writing a learning diary 17 h; writing an essay 50 h.)
Organizing institutions: Gender Studies, Baltic Sea Region Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences
Learning outcomes: The student is able to recognise and describe some of the gendered dimensions of the Nordic welfare states. S/he is able to recognise and describe at a basic level some local aspects of representations of gender in culture.
Description: The course explores gendered, cultural and political dimensions of Nordic welfare state and its gendered meanings. It gives also an introduction to representations of women, men, femininities and masculinities in the field of media, art and other areas of expression.
Modes of teaching: Each session (Introduction & 8 x 2 h) includes lectures and seminar work, where the students are required to read articles and discuss about them on the basis of reading assignments. The lectures are based on original research conducted by experts in gender studies and feminist studies, and they introduce basic concepts of Gender studies by contextualizing them into previous and/or ongoing research. In the seminar part the concepts are discussed further, and the students learn how to critically read scientific texts and how to argument in a seminar.
Number of contact hours: 20
Level: basic studies.
Mode of assessment : learning diary (1 page/session), reading assignment (1-2 pages/article), and essay (6-8 pages). Reading assignments prepare the student for class discussion. This class is not primarily a lecture class, but is rather based upon participatory learning. By writing these papers before the class session the students will be prepared to discuss the text in class. Well prepared students are essential for a stimulating and engaging class session. The paper must cover the readings assigned for that day.
Grading: 0-5
Attendance: students are required to attend 7 classes; they can have one absence for any reason. Extra absences can be compensated only in special cases such as illness and other legitimate excuses. In case of compensations contact Taru Leppänen (taru.leppanen@utu.fi)
Schedule: spring term 2012, starting March 6, 2012
Timetable: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10-12
Venue: Gender Studies seminar room E123, Minerva, Sirkkala campus, T52 on the campus map
SOSI0194 SOSIOLOGY OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
--> * Course "Sociology of leisure and class" is CANCELLED
University and Department: University of Turku, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Social Research / Sociology
Responsible teacher: Ismo Kantola
Credits: 2 - 5: 2 (lectures) + 3 (optional: literature)
Level: intermediate/advanced
Mode of assessment: exam: short essays on lectures and literature; alternative modes negotiable. Registration to the course will take place at the first lecture.
Contact hours: 18 h lectures (9 lecture times) + 2 h exam
Aims and Contents: The course will deal with classical industrial relations theory as well as special topics such as industrial relations in the Finnish paper industry, outsourcing, large scale companies’ CEOs’ attitudes to employees; cultural industries, financial industries, IT industries, and greening in industrial relations.
Literature: TBA
The Department of Nursing Science offers annually (during autumn semester) the following courses in English in collaboration with Finnish-Nordic Society and Culture:
ETHICS IN HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION (3 credits)
and
FINNISH HEALTH POLICY IN EUROPEAN CONTEXT (2 credits)