This five-day course is tailored toward World Bank staff and Government counterparts working on middle-income countries interested in learning about the design and implementation of social safety nets (SSNs) in developed countries. Lessons for Developing Countries
Part I: Conceptual Issues Session 1: Is the Welfare State Mortal or Exportable? Peter Lindert‘s lecture inquires whether social policies that redistribute income impose constraints on economic growth. Lindert argues that, contrary to the intuition of many economists and the ideology of many politicians, social spending has contributed to, rather than inhibited, economic growth. The lecture is based on his recent book “Growing Public: Social Spending & Economic Growth since the 18th Century,” an economics best-seller in the United States.  "Growing Public: Is the Welfare State Mortal or Exportable?"
Presentation in English (2.4mb pdf) ◘ Русский (292kb pdf)
Paper in English (166kb pdf)
Session 2: Fighting Poverty in the U.S. & Europe: A World of Difference
Edward Glaeser presents his research (together with Alberto Alesina) on the factors behind the different welfare systems operating in the U.S. (and, to certain extent, in the U.K.) versus continental Europe. His research stresses the importance of political institutions in determining the size and characteristics of the welfare state (type of political representation, federalism, the system of checks and balances, ethnic heterogeneity, and beliefs about the nature of poverty), vs. economic factors postulated as important by different theories (such as differences in pre-tax inequality; efficiency of the tax system, or social mobility). "Fighting Poverty in the U.S. and Europe: A World of Difference" Presentation in English (155kb pdf) ◘ Português (115kb pdf) ◘ Русский (903kb pdf)
Part II: Overview of Social Safety Nets Programs in the U.S. & E.U.
Session 3: Overview of Social Safety Nets Programs in the United States The material on U.S. welfare policy was prepared by an experienced team of researchers from the Urban Institute, consisting of Martha Burt and Demetra Nightingale. Their lectures introduce the main social assistance (welfare) programs operating in the U.S.: Food Stamps; the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program; Medicaid; and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Social Safety Nets in the United States - Briefing Book in English (204kb pdf) ◘ Русский (461kb pdf) "Safety Net Programs in the United States: Overview of U.S. Programs"
Presentation - Part 1 in English (930kb pdf) ◘ Português (235kb pdf) ◘ Русский (414kb pdf)
Presentation - Part 2 in English (508kb pdf) ◘ Português(184kb pdf) ◘ Русский (304kb pdf)
Session 4: Implementing Social Assistance Programs – Lessons from the United States
The material on the U.S. welfare policy was prepared by an experienced team of researchers from the Urban Institute, consisting of Martha Burt and Demetra Nightingale. The lecturers review recent innovations in delivery and financing of social assistance programs in the U.S.: service integration (or one-stop shops); the practice of contracting-out social services; the introduction of performance management arrangements; and financing options under centralized or decentralized systems. "Safety Net Programs in the United States: Implementing SSN Programs – Lessons for the U.S."
Presentation in English (768kb pdf) ◘ Português(125kb pdf) ◘ Русский (254kb pdf)
"Safety Net Programs in the United States: Financing SSN Programs in the U.S."
Presentation in English (327kb pdf) ◘ Português (98kb pdf) ◘ Русский (184kb pdf)
Session 5: Recent Reforms of European Social Assistance Policies
The material on E.U. social assistance policies was prepared by Chris de Neubourg, academic director of the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance. Professor Neubourg describes the diversity of approaches toward social assistance systems in European Union, and analyzes them along a number of key dimensions (generosity; duration; central versus local control; universal versus targeted; activation measures; family obligations versus collective solidarity; recipients’ duties; institutional and financial arrangements). The lecture also presents the recent social assistance reforms in the European Union. "Social Safety Nets and Targeted Social Assistance: Lessons from the European Experience" Paper in English (317kb pdf) ◘ Português (356kb pdf) ◘ Русский (742kb pdf) "Social Assistance Programs in the EU: Its Role within Social Protection, Differences and Similarities and Coverage"
Presentation in English (118kb pdf) ◘ Português (134kb pdf) ◘ Русский (315kb pdf) "Recent Reforms of the European Social Safety Net Policies"
Presentation in English (153kb pdf) ◘ Português (200kb pdf) ◘ Русский (414kb pdf) "Lessons from Europe in Social Assistance Design"
Presentation in English (160kb pdf)
Part 3: Thematic Areas
Session 6: Monitoring Program Performance Harry Hatry presents a step-by-step approach to develop a result-based monitoring system. The first part of his presentation focuses on obtaining performance information: identifying the most relevant information based on the program logic model, defining indicators and identifying the sources of data. In the second part of his presentation, he reviews a menu of analytical and presentational techniques to make performance information useful for both program managers and other stakeholders. "Monitoring Program Performance Part 1: Obtaining Performance Information"
Presentation in English (713kb pdf) ◘ Русский (864kb pdf) "Monitoring Program Performance Part 2: Making Performance Information Really Useful"
Presentation in English (746kb pdf) ◘ Русский (920kb pdf) "Performance Management: Making Outcome Information Useful" Presentation in English (209kb pdf)
Session 7: Comprehensive Program Evaluation
Martha Burt argues for the development of a comprehensive program evaluation plan, including implementation or process evaluation, impact evaluation and cost-benefit analysis. The presentation is intended to guide the use of implementation analysis to investigate if all the parts of the intervention are operational and work as intended. The techniques of ex-post impact evaluation are also investigated to determine program impact on the outcomes it tries to influence. In addition, the optimal conditions for evaluability assessments are described. "Evaluation 1: Focus on Impact Evaluation"
Presentation in English (58kb pdf) ◘ Русский (179kb pdf) "Evaluation 2: No Real Understanding Without Process"
Presentation in English (63kb pdf) ◘ Русский (176kb pdf)
Session 8: Evaluating the Effects of United States Welfare Reform
During the last decade, the U.S. implemented a major reform in the social assistance system. Professor Rebecca Blank assesses the impact of the 1996 Welfare Reform on low-income households in U.S. and the emergence of what she considers “a new generation of welfare programs,” with proven record on reducing welfare dependency and poverty and increasing household earning and incomes. "Evaluating the Effects of U.S. Welfare Reform" Presentation in English (34kb pdf) ◘ Português (53kb pdf) ◘ Русский (166kb pdf)
"What Did the 1990s Welfare Reform Accomplish?" Paper in English (301kb pdf)
Session 9: Designing & Implementing Household Targeting Systems: Lessons from the United States and Latin America
Kathy Lindert reviews the experience in designing and implementing household targeting systems from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and the U.S. in order to: (a) identify main aspects involved in designing and implementing household targeting systems; (b) construct a summary evaluation of these household targeting systems according to specific criteria for judging “good practice”; and hence (c) draw practical lessons regarding experiences (both positive and negative) with household targeting systems in six countries. Household targeting systems are targeting mechanisms where an official (usually a government employee) directly assesses, household by household, whether the applicant is eligible for the specific program(s).  "Designing and Implementing Household Targeting Systems: Lessons from Latin America and the United States"
Presentation in English (790kb pdf) ◘ Русский (952kb pdf)
Paper in English (605kb pdf) ◘ Русский (1.31mb pdf)
"Implementing Means-Tested Welfare Systems in the United States"
Presentation in English (78kb pdf) ◘ Русский (184kb pdf)
Paper in English (277kb pdf) ◘ Русский (615kb pdf) 
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