• Understand the key theoretical approaches to different models of capitalism and welfare state regimes in advanced industrialised economies.
• Apply such theoretical approaches in synchronic and diachronic comparative analyses of different advanced industrialised economies, primarily through research from the student’s independent reading
• Explain the main trends and dynamics in the transformation of advanced industrial economies and welfare regimes

The course covers the main theoretical approaches in the field of comparative political economy, including the ‘varieties of capitalism’ approach as well as constructivist and critical political economy theories. To assess the strengths and weaknesses of these theoretical approaches they are discussed in relation to concrete advanced industrialised economies.

The course takes both a synchronic and a diachronic comparative perspective on national economic systems, and focuses for instance on how various external pressures upon such systems are mediated by domestic actors.

The course also covers the transformation of the welfare state and different ways of classifying and comparing welfare regimes. Finally various concrete policy areas and topics of relevance to state-business relations are dealt with in a comparative perspective.

Important: You must read the Essential Readings prior to the lectures in order to engage in discussions!