| CODE | PPL5011 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Comparative and Theoretical Aspects of Public Policy | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 10 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Public Policy | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit addresses the following themes: - Approaches to understanding policy-making: ideas about the influence of power, institutions and social groups; - Theories and models of policy-making: systems theory, incrementalism, elitist models, policy networks and policy communities, institutional theory, game theory; - Policy-making in the light of the changing role and configuration of the State; - Relations between the state and markets; - Relations between the state and civil society; - Intra-state relations: sub-national governments; regional challenges to the nation-state; changes to the constitutional order; developments in the machinery of government; - The rise of supra-national government: Policy-making in the European Union – institutions, processes, trends; the national co-ordination of EU policy-making; - Leading issues in contemporary public policy. Study-unit Aims: Policy-making entails taking decisions within a framework which consists of ideas, values, traditions, economic resources, group interests, institutions, laws, processes and international obligations. These elements determine the policy options available and shape both the content of policy as well as the policy instruments. Thus, this study-unit sets out to provide a solid, advanced theoretical foundation for a graduate programme of studies on policy-making and public policy leadership, by: - Identifying the disciplinary antecedents of public policy as a field of study (political science, political economy, political sociology); - Reviewing the principal theoretical approaches to understanding public policy-making, the State, and the State's relationships with markets, civil society, sub-national units and supra-national institutions. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Identify and appraise the forces shaping governing institutions, policy agendas and policy-making processes; - Analyse the origin and the influence of stakeholder interests; - Analyse issues that are in search of policies, and the discourses through which debates about policy are transacted; - Compare the formulation, substance and implementation of public policy across countries and policy spheres. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Conduct research on complex case studies of policy-making, analysing data in the light of the theoretical frameworks covered by the study-unit; - Present the findings of academic research in high-level academic and policy seminars, defending the findings and conclusions against expert criticism; - Engage in extended policy debates, both in writing and in oral interaction. Main Text/s: - Howlett, M., & Ramesh, M., (2003), Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystems, (2nd Edition), Oxford University Press, UK. - Newton, Kenneth & Jan W van Deth. 2010. Foundations of Comparative Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. - Parsons, Wayne. 1995. Public Policy: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Policy Analysis. Aldershot, UK: Edward Elgar. Supplementary Text/s: - Blunden, B., and Dando, M., (eds.). 1995, Rethinking Public Policy-making. Sage Publications, UK. - Bovaird, Tony & Elke Loffler (eds). 2003. Public Management and Governance. London: Routledge. - Budd, L., Charlesworth, J., Paton, R.. 2006. Making Policy Happen. Routledge, UK. - Collins, Paul (ed). 2000. Applying Public Administration in Development. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. - Considine, Mark, (2005), Making Public Policy, Polity Press, UK. - Dye, Thomas R. 2005. Understanding Public Policy. New Jersey: Pearson Education. - Hague, Rod & Martin Harrop. 2013. Comparative Government and Politics: An Introduction. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. - Hajer, M.A., & Wagenaar, H., (eds). 2003. Deliberative Policy Analysis, Cambridge University Press, UK. - Kooiman, Jan (ed). 1993. Modern Governance: New Government-Society Interactions. London: Sage. - Rose, Richard (2005), Learning from Comparative Public Policy, Routledge, UK. - Richardson, J. (ed). 2001. European Union: Power and Policy-making. London: Routledge. - Warrington, Edward & David Milne. 2007. ‘Governance’ in Baldacchino, G (ed). A World of Islands: An Island Studies Reader, Canada: Institute of Island Studies, UPEI & Malta: Agenda Academic, 327-425. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Seminar and Tutorial | |||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Marie Louise Mangion (Co-ord.) Jason Zammit |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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