POL5731 -Comparative Public Administration and Public Policy
Study of administrative structures and public action in comparative perspective. The emergence, functioning and evolution of bureaucracies and their role within different types of institutions and political regimes. State intervention modes, the question of change and status quo in public policies, and the actors involved.
Objectives
Understand the foundations of public administration in historical and comparative perspective. Analyze public action processes through theoretical readings and empirical cases. Apply theoretical frameworks to contemporary issues and develop critical and structured thinking.
Topics Covered
- Block 1: Public Administration
- Genesis of the modern state and emergence of bureaucracies
- Organizational principles and administrative democracy
- Civil servants and senior officials
- Block 2: Public Policy
- Problem construction and agenda setting
- Policy change and implementation
- Block 3: Contemporary Themes
- Science and public policy
- Public action in authoritarian contexts
- Technology and public policy
Semester: Fall 2025 Level: Undergraduate