Social Economics and Economy

Teachers

Included in study programs

Teaching results

The course provides students with an overview of social economics as an interdisciplinary scientific discipline. It introduces the position, importance and identification of the social economy sector and its subjects. It clarifies the benefits of the social economy and its tools for society. It analyzes the individual approach to the social economy in the countries of the European Union and in Slovakia.
Knowledge and understanding:
- To acquire theoretical and practical knowledge of third sector areas in relation to the social economics and social economy.
- To analyse and professionally process theoretical and practical issues of functioning of social economy subjects, social entrepreneurship, alternative tools of social economy, volunteering and corporate social responsibility.
Skills:
- To analyse, compare and evaluate models of functioning of social economy instruments in the context of economic development of Slovakia and selected countries of the European Union.
- To critically evaluate the application of the social economy in Slovakia.
Competencies:
- To acquire specific and core competencies for the needs of socio-economic practice, as well as further study, with an emphasis on systemic competencies in the field of functioning of the civic sector in relation to the social economy.
- To discuss current social problems and possibilities of their solution in the area of social economy.

Indicative content

Within the course, students will get acquainted with the concept of social economy and its possibilities in the process of solving social, societal and community problems or challenges. We will focus on the tools of the social economy and their mission in the context of social responsibility.
1. Definition of social economy. The place and importance of the social economy in the teaching of social sciences
2. Socio-economic inequalities and new social risks in relation to the social economy.
3. Theoretical background, goals and tasks of the social economy.
4. Socio-economic preconditions for the development of the social economy.
5. The importance of the non-profit sector in society with a focus on the position in the system of social policy.
6. Volunteering and economy of volunteering.
7. Green economy: concepts, principles and key conditions for development.
8. Social economy and social entrepreneurship as a form of solving social exclusion and a tool of regional development.
9. Social economy and work integration social enterprises.
10. Trends of the social economy in the European Union.
11. Alternative models of social economy.
12. Financing of social economy activities. Community investment.
13. Social responsibility and social economy.

Support literature

1. KORIMOVÁ, G. a kol. Predpoklady rozvoja sociálnej ekonomiky. Banská Bystrica: UB, 2007. ISBN 978-80-8083-399-2
2. LUBELCOVÁ, G. Sociálna ekonomika: koncepty, príležitosti, riziká. In Sociológia : časopis pre otázky sociológie. - Bratislava : Sociologický ústav SAV, 2012. ISSN 0049-1225, 2012, roč. 44, č. 1, s. 83-108
3. PONGRÁCZ, E. a kol.: Sociálna ekonomika. Bratislava: EKONÓM, 2015. ISBN 978-80-225-4149-7
4. AMIN, A. The Social Economy – International perspectives on economic solidarity. London: Zed Books, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84813-252-5
5. ROGER D. J. Rediscovering Social Economics. Springer-Verlag GmbH, 2017. ISBN 9783319512648

Requirements to complete the course

Active participation in seminars – 10%
Project elaboration – 15%
Continuous written test – 15%
Written final exam – 60%

Student workload

156 hours: participation in seminars 26 h., preparation for seminars 13 h., processing of the semester project 26 h., preparation for the continuous written test 24 h., preparation for the exam 67 h.

Language whose command is required to complete the course

Slovak, English

Date of approval: 12.03.2024

Date of the latest change: 10.11.2023