16916

WiSe 22/23: Health vs. Economy: introduction to the Welfare State

Daniel Louis Nethery

Comments

Subject: Since the middle of the twentieth century welfare states like Germany have experienced improved public health outcomes along with sustained economic growth. But when the outbreak of the pandemic forced governments to consider imposing lockdowns, many journalists portrayed the decision in stark terms: either protect the health of the population or the “health” of the economy. In welfare states lockdowns were only feasible, however, where governments underwrote substantial additional welfare spending, and as the pandemic unfolded other significant connections between health and economy—the importance of the biomedical industry, for instance—became patent. Program: We will look at the relationship between health and economy as a way of asking: What is a welfare state? We will compare influential contributions to the theoretical literature with the history of the German welfare state, arguably the oldest in the world, and uncover in that history connections between health and economy which standard accounts of the welfare state neglect. We will also cover topics including austerity and inequality, population ageing, IVF, prenatal diagnosis and abortion, the pharmaceutical industry, and the concept of overdiagnosis. Along the way we will discuss questions which the study of the welfare state raises and to which the pandemic has given renewed significance: What role should governments play in technological innovation? How can governments act to reduce inequality in health and economic outcomes? And how far should they intervene in our lives in pursuing these objectives? Is this course for me? This course is open to all students. There are no prerequisites. Workload and assessment: You will qualify for 5 ECTS points if you engage with the course materials, your attendance is satisfactory, and you pass the written examination at the end of the semester. close

16 Class schedule

Regular appointments

Fri, 10:00 - 12:00 16 Class schedule

Fri, 2022-10-21 10:00 - 12:00

Lecturers:
Daniel Louis Nethery