Social Policy and Development

This subject investigates the linkages between social policy and development within lower-middle income countries. The November availability of this subject is taught as a University of Melbourne Overseas (UMOS) Subject in Indonesia, with a special focus on social policy in Indonesia. By learning 'in-country', the subject draws from the experience of Indonesia to understand the roles played by different actors (government, civil society organisations, international organisations, the private sector, and communities) in responding to complex social policy issues related to poverty, welfare and wellbeing. This includes considerations of environmental change; access to livelihoods, employment, health and education opportunities; and the ways that challenges and opportunities may vary for different social and identity groupings. The subject examines examples of multi-stakeholder approaches to responding to complex social policy challenges in large states like Indonesia, often through collaboration and innovation. The subject also explores debates on the relationship between social and economic development and the implications for social policy in multi-level and decentralised governance structures. Students learn from their experience examining these issues in Indonesia during the teaching period and apply this in their first assessment. The broader readings for the subject also examine similar social policy issues in other countries in the Asia Pacific. Students then use both their Indonesia experience and broader learning from the reading and their own research to investigate similar social policy challenges and responses in other country contexts in the Asia-Pacific for their second assessment.