SPOL41060

Learning Outcomes:

1. Understand how administrative systems have evolved and operate, as a key context for and instrument of contemporary public policy-making;
2. Be able to critically evaluate the main elements of academic debate on different module themes, such as agencification, network governance, implementation, and public sector reform generally;
3. Be able to apply findings and theories to real-world policy issues.

Indicative Module Content:

Topics include, for example:
- Why public administration matters
- Public Administration and Policy-Making
- Agencification, Autonomy and Control in Public Administration and Policy
- Network Forms of Governance
- Sub-national public administration
- Transnational public administration

Student Effort Hours:

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:

Core readings to be done each week prior to the class.
A short lecture reviewing key themes and issues is followed by group discussion, both small-group and full-class discussions.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not taught nor used in this module. In line with the UCD Academic Integrity Policy, generative AI may only be used in assignments if transparently reported (e.g. in the Method section) outlining for which tasks AI was used.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.

Module Requisites and Incompatibles

Equivalents:
Public Administration & Policy (CSSL40010)


 

Assessment Strategy

 

Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Comments online via Brightspace

CORE READINGS
1) Introduction: From public policy to public administration
o Knill, C. and Tosun, J. (2020). Public policy: A new introduction, second edition. Macmillan Education UK. Chapter 1 (‘Introduction’) and Chapter 2 (‘The Nature of Public Policies’). [the first edition from 2012 is also available]
o Cairney, P. (2019) Understanding public policy: Theories and issues. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. Chapter 1 (‘Introduction to Policy and Policymaking’) and Chapter 2 (‘What is Policy and Policymaking?’).
o Peters, B.G. and J. Pierre (2012 and 2003) ‘The Role of Public Administration in Governing’ in B.G. Peters and J. Pierre (eds) The SAGE Handbook of Public Administration, London: Sage.

2) The role of Public Administration – Why it Matters
o Hague, R., M. Harrop and J. McCormick (2019) Comparative Government and Politics, 11th edition. London: Red Globe. (Chapter 10 ‘Bureaucracies’).
o Hardiman, N. and C. Scott (2012) ‘Ordering Things: The Irish State Administration Database’, Irish Political Studies, Vol. 27(1), pp. 1-22.

3) The Reform Tradition in Public Administration: From Weber to Public Choice to NPM
o Pollitt, C. and S. Dan (2011) ‘The Impacts of the New Public Management in Europe: A Meta-Analysis’, COCOPS research report, Work Package 1 – Deliverable 1.1 (available on Brightspace) [also available via https://repub.eur.nl/pub/40668/COCOPS%20WP%203.pdf]
o Lynn, L.E. (2012) ‘Public Management’ in B.G. Peters and J. Pierre (eds) The SAGE Handbook of Public Administration, London: Sage.

4) Comparative Public Administration
o Pollitt, C. and G. Bouckaert (2017) Public Management Reform. Oxford: Oxford University Press (Chapter 3) (available on Brightspace).
o Chandler, J.A. (ed) (2000) Comparative Public Administration. London: Routledge (Chapter 1) (available on Brightspace).

5) Public Administration and Policy-Making
o Johnston Miller, K. and D. McTavish (2014) Making and Managing Public Policy, London: Routledge (Chapter 1)
o Cairney, P. (2020) Understanding Public Policy: Theories and Issues, Basingstoke: Palgrave (Chapter 4, and other chapters on specific frameworks)
o Hill, M. and F. Varone (2017) The Public Policy Process, Harlow: Pearson (Chapters 9 and 10 on ‘agenda setting’ and ‘policy formation’ on classical frameworks and discussing the role of civil servants) (available on Brightspace)

6) Public Administration and Implementation
o Hill, M. and P. Hupe (2014) Implementing Public Policy, third edition, London: Sage (Chapters 3 and 7) (available on Brightspace).
o Matland, R.E. (1995) ‘Synthesizing the Implementation Literature: The Ambiguity-Conflict Model of Policy Implementation’, Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, Vol. 5(2), pp. 145-174.

7) The Public and Public Administration: User Involvement, Co-Production & Participation
o Loeffler, E. and T. Bovaird (2016) ‘User and Community Co-Production of Public Services: What Does the Evidence Tell Us?’, International Journal of Public Administration, Vol. 39(13), pp. 1006-1019.
o Brannan, T., P. John and G. Stoker (2006) ‘Active Citizenship and Effective Public Services and Programmes: How Can We Know What Really Works?’, Urban Studies, Vol. 43(5-6), pp. 1083-1101.

9) Agencification, Autonomy and Control in Public Administration and Policy
o Verhoest, K., P.G. Roness, B. Verscheure, K. Rubecksen and M. MacCarthaigh (2010) Autonomy and Control of State Agencies: Comparing States and Agencies, Basingstoke: Palgrave (Chapters 2 and 3) (e-book).
o Van Thiel, S. (2012) ‘Comparing Agencies across Countries’, in K. Verhoest, S. Van Thiel, G. Bouckhaert and P. Lægreid (eds) Government Agencies: Practices and Lessons from 30 Countries, Basingstoke: Palgrave (available on Brightspace).

10) Public Administration, Sub-National Administration and Network Forms of Governance
o John, P. (2001) Local Governance in Western Europe, London: Sage (Chapter 1) (available on Brightspace).
o Callanan M. and J. Loughlin (2021) ‘A thematic approach to the research agenda for regional and local government’, in M. Callanan and J. Loughlin (eds.) A Research Agenda for Regional and Local Government, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar (available on Brightspace).
o Hooghe, L. and G. Marks (2003) ‘Unraveling the Central State, but How? Types of Multi-level Governance’, American Political Science Review, Vol. 97(2), pp. 233-243.

o Rhodes R.A.W. (1997) Understanding Governance: Policy Networks, Governance, Reflexivity and Accountability, Buckingham: Open University Press (Chapters 2 and 3) (available on Brightspace).
o Börzel, T.A. (1998) ‘Organizing Babylon: On the Different Conceptions of Policy Networks’, Public Administration, Vol. 76(2), pp. 253-273.
o Klijn, E.H. and J. Koppenjan (2012) ‘Governance network theory: past, present and future’, Policy & Politics, Vol. 40(4), pp. 587-606.

11) The role of the EU and International Organizations in National Public Policy and Administration
o Dolowitz, D. and D. Marsh (2000) ‘Learning from abroad: The role of policy transfer in contemporary policy making’, Governance: An International Journal of Policy and Administration, Vol. 13(1), pp. 5-23.
o Sahlin-Andersson, K. (2002) ‘National, International and Transnational Constructions of New Public Management’, in T. Christensen P. Lægreid (eds.) New Public Management: The transformation of ideas and practice, Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing (available on Brightspace).
o Knill, C. and D. Lehmkuhl (2002) ‘The national impact of European Union regulatory policy: Three Europeanization mechanisms’, European Journal of Political Research, Vol. 41(2), pp. 255-280.

12) Accountability in Public Administration
o Behn, R. (2001) Rethinking Democratic Accountability. Washington D.C.: Brookings Institution Press (Chapters 1 and 3).
o Bovens, M. (2010) ‘Two Concepts of Accountability: Accountability as a Virtue and as a Mechanism’, West European Politics, Vol. 33(5), pp. 946-967.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.