Logo UAB
2021/2022

Public Administration and Policy

Code: 101114 ECTS Credits: 12
Degree Type Year Semester
2500259 Political Science and Public Management OB 2 A
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Ixchel Perez Duran
Email:
Ixchel.Perez@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
spanish (spa)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
Yes

Other comments on languages

The teaching material may be in Catalan, Spanish and/or in English

Teachers

Andrea Noferini

Prerequisites

It is taken for granted that students know, at least, the concepts and theories studied in the "Political Science" course of the first year of the Degree. It is also taken for granted that students regularly follow generalist world news press.

Objectives and Contextualisation

This subject is compulsory in the second year of the Degree in Political Science and Public Management. As an annual subject, it aims, on the one hand, to work in depth the main concepts and models that currently dominate the panorama in the analysis of public administration and public policies from a sectoral perspective. On the other hand, it also introduces the constant reference to comparative experience in administration, public management and public policies, with the study of cases in different political and cultural contexts.

Its main objective is that students know these theoretical and empirical references and that they know how to use them in the interpretation of the dynamics of functioning and change in public administrations and policies.

Competences

  • Analysing public policies, both in their elaboration and implementation processes.
  • Applying the discipline's main theories and different fields to real practical and professional problems.
  • Applying the knowledge of the Public Administrations on its various levels to practical and professional concrete cases.
  • Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  • Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  • Demonstrating the understanding of intergovernmental relationships and identifying the position of Public Administrations in the political system.
  • Describing and understanding the functioning of the Public Administration on a state, sub-state and supranational level.
  • Distinguishing the discipline's main theories and different fields: conceptual developments, theoretical frameworks and theoretical approaches underlying the discipline's knowledge and different areas and sub-areas, as well as their value for the professional practice through concrete cases.
  • Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
  • Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  • Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  • Producing and planning researches or analytical reports.
  • Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  • Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
  • Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  • Using different tools for the analysis and explanation of the formulation, decision, implementation and evaluation processes in public policies.
  • Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  • Working autonomously.
  • Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analysing public policies, both in their elaboration and implementation processes.
  2. Applying the knowledge of the Public Administrations on its various levels to practical and professional concrete cases.
  3. Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  4. Critically analysing the configuration process of the public agenda.
  5. Critically assessing some of the public policies carried out by an authority in the State of Autonomies.
  6. Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  7. Demonstrating the understanding of intergovernmental relationships and identifying the position of Public Administrations in the political system.
  8. Describing and understanding the functioning of the Public Administration on a state, sub-state and supranational level.
  9. Distinguishing the phases of public politics: formulation, decision, implementation and evaluation.
  10. Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
  11. Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  12. Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  13. Producing and planning researches or analytical reports.
  14. Properly explaining and describing main theoretical approaches of the analysis of political sciences: cycle of politics, actor-network, institutional approaches, rational choice theory.
  15. Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  16. Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
  17. Suggesting and explaining a case study of a concrete public policy.
  18. Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  19. Using different tools for the analysis and explanation of the formulation, decision, implementation and evaluation processes in public policies.
  20. Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  21. Working autonomously.
  22. Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.

Content

 

FIRST PART: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

 

BLOCK 1. Introduction

Topic 1. Historical origins of today’s public administration.  

Topic 2. Public administration today: a comparative perspective.

 

BLOCK 2. Reforms and perspectives of analysis.

Topic 3. Reform paths of European administrations and of Europe’s administration.

Topic 4.  Theory applied to the analysis of administration.

 

BLOCK 3. Public administration in Spain and Europe.

Topic 5. State Central Administration.

Topic 6. Generalitat of Catalonia Administration

Topic 7. Local Administration in Catalonia: Provincial Administrations, Counties Administrations and Local Councils. 

Topic 8. European Administration.

 

BLOCK 4.  Human resources and their performance.

Topic 9. Models of management of public employees in Europe.

Topic 10. Human resources management policies in the public sector.

Topic 11. Public service motivatin and the role of representative bureaucracy.

 

BLOCK 5. Control systems in public administration:  Transparency and governmental accountability.

Topic 12. Transparency and evolution of electronic government

Topic 13. Govermental accountability.

 

VARIABLE BLOCK (1 of the following 2 topics will be covered) 

Topic 14. Interest groups, conflicts of interests and public ethics.

Topic 15. Public policies in the regulatory state.

 

  

SECOND PART: PUBLIC POLICIES

 

Topic 1. Expansion of state intervention: Mid-XX –Beginning of s. XXI, fields and issues.

Topic 2. Welfare state: origins, diversification, restructuring and crisis…

Topic 3. Health 

Topic 4. Education

Topic 5. Labour market (access to the labour market by youngsters and women)

Topic 6. Support to families (dependency and care)

Topic 7. Poverty and social exclusion

Topic 8. Gender policies

 

VARIABLE BLOCK (2 of the following 5 topics will be covered).

Topic 9. Housing policies 

Topic 10. Urban policies and neighbourhoods rehabilitation

Topic 11.  International action

Topic 12. European Cohesion.

Topic 13. Community Action for Health

 

 

Methodology

The subject "Administration and Public Policies" of 2nd grade, has 12 cr ECTS, that is, a total of 300 hours of student dedication (25 hours per credit). These will be structured in the following types of training activities, supported by the teaching methodology that is indicated:

Guided activities:
Lectures: exhibitions by the teacher with ICT support and debate in a large group.
Public presentation of work: Individual and group presentations and round of assessments.
Seminars for discussion of texts and cases: Introduction of the session, presentation of the text, assessment and discussion. Resolution of practical cases. Preparation of simulations. Reading controls.

Supervised activities:
Tutorials to support the completion of the work and follow-up of the course

Autonomous activities:
Reading of texts: Individual exercise of comprehensive reading of texts
Study Performing diagrams and summaries
Writing of works: Recensions, bibliographical essays (individual or in group) based on a guide for the preparation and preparation of practical cases.

Evaluation: Individual test of written tests.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures 56 2.24 14, 4, 1, 8, 9, 19
Oral presentations 8 0.32 6, 12, 17, 18
Seminars 28 1.12 14, 4, 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 18, 19, 5
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials 30 1.2 3, 6, 10, 11, 17, 18
Type: Autonomous      
Exercises and essay writing 28 1.12 14, 4, 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 10, 11, 17, 18, 21, 22, 19, 5
Reading 50 2 14, 4, 8, 9, 12, 21, 19
Study 50 2 14, 4, 2, 8, 9, 12, 11, 18, 21, 5

Assessment

 The evaluation of this subject will be done after the following deliveries by the student:
• Exams: 50% of the mark (25% each partial). It is a necessary condition but not enough to approve the two partials separately to pass the subject.
• Seminars/Reading controls: 30% of the mark
• Oral presentation of a theme of the program: 20% of the note (group work).


  Important considerations:
• To pass an exercise or reading test, you must have attended the corresponding debate.
• To pass the subject, it is a necessary condition but not enough to pass both partial exams. If one of the two exams is suspended, the subject is not approved.
• The dates of the controls will be specified within the framework of the course program (see Virtual Campus).
• There will be a semester exam and a final exam for those who have to recover some of the partial (or both)

Evidence of plagiarism in execises or exams object of evaluation will involve failing the course.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Oral presentations 20% of the final grade 15 0.6 13, 15, 16, 20
Seminar exercises 30% of the final grade 30 1.2 14, 4, 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 12, 10, 11, 17, 18, 21, 22, 19, 5
Tests/Exams 50% of the final grade 5 0.2 14, 4, 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 18, 19

Bibliography

 

FIRST PART: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 

  

Topic 1. Historical origins of today’s public administration. 

  • Ballart, X. i C. Ramió, 2000 Ciencia de la Administración, Valencia, Tirant lo Blanch, Capítol I.4.
  • Painter, M.and Peters, G. (2010). “Administrative Traditions in. Comparative  Perspective: Families, Groups and Hybrids.” In: Tradition and public administration (pp. 19-30). Palgrave Macmillan: London.
  • Colino, C. (2013). “La comparación de los gobiernos y las administraciones públicas”. En Parrado, S. y Olmeda, J.A. (2013). Gobiernos y administraciones públicas en perspectiva comparada. Tirant lo Blanch.

Topic 2. Public administration today: a comparative perspective.

  • Chandler, J.A. 2000 Comparative public administration. London: Routledge.
  • OECD 2019 Government at a Glance
  • Peters, G2001 The politics of bureaucracy. London: Routledge.
  • Parrado, S. (2013). “Las estructuras organizativas”. En Parrado, S. y Olmeda, J.A. (2013). Gobiernos y administraciones públicas en perspectiva comparada. Tirant lo Blanch.

Topic 3. Reform paths of European administrations and of Europe’s administration.

  • Ballart, X. i C.Ramió, 2000 Ciencia de la Administración, Valencia, Tirant lo Blanch, Capítol I.3.
  • Barzelay, M. i R. Gallego 2010, Symposium issue on the Politics of  Public Management Policy Change in France, Italy and Spain in Governance 23 (2).
  • Peters, G. i J. Pierre, 2001. Politicians, Bureaucrats and Administrative Reform. London: Routledge.
  • Pollit, C. i G. Bouckaert, Public Management Reform,Oxford University Press, 2004
  • Ongaro, E. Public Management Reform and Modernization: Trajectories of Administrative Change in Italy, France, Greece, Portugal and Spain. Edward Elgar (Cheltenham, UK, Northampton, MA; USA)

Topic 4.  Theory applied to the analysis of administration

  • Barzelay, M. 2001. The new public management. Improving research and policy dialogue. Berkeley. University of California Press.
  • Ramió, C. 1999 Teoría de la Organización y Administración Pública. Madrid: Tecnos (Capitulo 2)
  • Barzelay, Michael and Raquel Gallego (2010) “The Comparative Historical Analysis of Public Management Policy Cycles in France, Spain, and Italy: Symposium Introduction”, Governance 23(2): 209-224.
  • Barzelay, Michael and Raquel Gallego (2006) “From ‘new institutionalism’ to ‘institutional processualism’: Advancing knowledge about public management policy change”, Governance, 19(4): 531-558. ISSN: 0952-1895.

Topic 5. State Central Administration.

  • Ballart, X. i C. Ramió, 2000 Ciencia de la Administración, Valencia, Tirant lo Blanch, Capítol IV.
  • Colino, C. (2008)  “The Spanish model of devolution and regional governance: evolution, motivations and effects on policy making”, Policy & Politics vol 36 no 4: 573-86

Topic 6. Generalitat of Catalonia Administration

  • Ballart, X. i C. Ramió, 2000 Ciencia de la Administración, Valencia, Tirant lo Blanch, Capítol V.

Topic 7. Local Administration in Catalonia: Provincial Administrations, Counties Administrations and Local Councils. 

  •  Ballart,X. i C. Ramió, 2000 Ciencia de la Administración, Valencia, Tirantlo Blanch, Capítol VI.

  • Colino, C.. (2013). “Los gobiernos y las administraciones locales”. En Parrado, S. y Olmeda, J.A. (2013). Gobiernos y administraciones públicas en perspectiva comparada. Tirant lo Blanch.

Topic 8. European Administration.

  • Olsen, J. 2003, 'Towards a European Administrative Space', Journal of European Public Policy, Vol.10, Issue 4, pp. 506-531

 Tema 9. Models de gestió dels empleats públics a Europa.

  • Ballart, X. i C. Ramió, 2000 Ciencia de la Administración, Valencia, Tirant lo Blanch, Capítol VII.
  • Bekke, H. i van de Meer 2000 Civil service systems in Western Europe. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
  • Bossaert, D., C. Demmke, K. Nomden y R. Polet, 2001, Civil Services in the Europe of Fifteen. Trends and New Developments. Maastricht, European Institute of Public Administration.
  • Parrado, S. (2013). “La función pública”. En Parrado, S. y Olmeda, J.A. (2013). Gobiernos y administraciones públicas en perspectiva comparada. Tirant lo Blanch.

 Topic 10. Human resources management policies in the public sector.

  • Longo, F. 2004 Mérito y flexibilidad. La gestión de las personas en las organizaciones del sector público. Barcelona: Paidós.
  • Farnham, D i S. Horton 2000. Human resources flexibility in the public services. London: Macmillan.

Topic 11. Public service motivatin and the role of representative bureaucracy.Perry, J.L. and A. Hondeghem .2008. Motivation in Public Management: the call of public service. Oxford. Oxford University Press.

  • Nicholson-Crotty, S.; Nicholson-Crotty, J.; Fernandez, S. (2017) “Will more black cops matter? Officer Race and Police-Involved Homicides of black citizens”, Public Administration Review, 77(206-216).

Topic 12. Transparency and evolution of electronic government

  • Kosack, Stephen and Archon Fung (2014). Does Transparency Improve Governance?. Annual Review of Political Science. 17(1): 65-87
  • Esteller-Moré, Alejandro & Polo-Otero, José  (2012). Fiscal Transparency, Public Management Review, 14:8, 1153-1173, DOI:10.1080/14719037.2012.65783

Topic 13. Govermental accountability.

  • Bovens, Mark (2010). Two concepts of accountability: accountability as a virtue and as a mechanism. West European Politics. 33(5): 946–967.

 

VARIABLE BLOCK (1 of the following 2 topics will be covered)

Topic 14. Interest groups, conflicts of interests and public ethics.

  • Villoria, M. 2000. Ética Pública y Corrupción: Curso de ética administrativaMadrid: Tecnos-UPF.
  • Baumgartner, Frank R., Berry, Jeffrey M., Hojnacki, Marie, Kimball, David C. and Leech, Beth L. (2014) Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy.13(1): 194-209

Topic 15. Public policies in the regulatory state.

  • Majone Giandomenico (1994). The rise of the regulatory state in Europe. West European Politics .17(3): 77–101
  • Jordana,Jacint, Levi-Faur, David and Fernández i Marín, Xavier (2011). The Global Diffusion of Regulatory Agencies: Channels of Transfer and Stages of Diffusion. Comparative Political Studies. 44(10): 1343–1369
  • Jordana, Jacint.2019.Barcelona, Madrid y el Estado. Ciudades globales y el pulso por la independencia en Cataluña.Madrid:Catarata.

  

SECOND PART: PUBLIC POLICIES 

Topic 1. Expansion of state intervention: Mid-XX –Beginning of s. XXI, fields and issues.

  • Gallego, R.; Gomà, R.; Subirats, J. (eds) 2003 Estado de Bienestar y Comunidades AutónomasLa descentralización de las políticas sociales en España. Madrid: Tecnos-UPF. (capítols 1, 2)
  • Del Pino E.; Rubio, J. M. (eds.) (2013) Los estados de bienestar en la encrucijada. Políticas sociales en perspectiva comparada. Madrid: Tecnos. Capítulo 1.

Topic 2. Welfare state: origins, diversification, restructuring and crisis…

  • Esping-Andersen, G. 1990 The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism. Cambridge: Polity.
  • Esping-Andersen, G. ed. 1996 Welfare States in Transition.London: Sage.
  • Bonoli, G. (2007). Time Matters: Postindustrialization, New Social Risks, and Welfare State Adaptation in Advanced Industrial Democracies. Comparative Political Studies, 40(5), 495–520.
  • Gallego, Raquel (dir.)  (2016) Descentralización y desigualdad en el estado autonómico. Valencia: Tirant lo Blanch. ISBN: 978-84-9086-329-9. (Capítulos 1 i 11).
  • Gallego, Raquel; Ricard Gomà; JoanSubirats (2003) “Las dinámicas de cambio en las políticas sociales: España en perspectiva comparada”, in Gallego, Raquel; Ricard Gomà; Joan Subirats (eds.) Estado de bienestar y Comunidades Autónomas. Madrid: Tecnos-UPF (pg.46-80). ISBN: 84-309-3941-5.
  • Subirats, Joan and Raquel Gallego. (eds.) (2002) Veinte años de autonomías en España: Leyes, políticas públicas, instituciones y opinión pública. Madrid: Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas. ISBN: 84-7476-341-X 

Topic 3. Health 

  • Gallego, R. i Subirats, J (dirs.) (2011) Autonomies i desigualtats a Espanya: Percepcions, evoluciósocial i polítiques de benestar.Barcelona: Institut d’Estudis Autonòmics. (Capítols 8 i 9). https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/llibres/2011/194392/autdesesp_a2011.pdf
  • Health at a Glance 2019: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/4dd50c09-en.
  • Pérez Durán, Ixchel (2016). Health Care Inequality in Spain, the Health Delivery System and the  Public Private Sector Mix. Global Social Welfare. 3 (3): 179-191 (Link) 
  • Gallego, R.; Barbieri, N.; González, S. (2017) “Explaining cross-regional policy variation in public sector reform: Institutions and change actors in the health sector in Spain”, Public Policy and Administration, Vol 32(1): 24-44. DOI: 10.1177/0952076716637897 (first published online 2016).
  • Gallego, R. (dir) (2014) Descentralització i autonomia política: L’impacte de la ideologia i el finançament territorial en els models sanitaris de Catalunya i Andalusia. http://www.gencat.cat/governacio/pub/sum/iea/IEA_92.pdf

Topic 4. Education

  • Murillo, F.J., Martínez-Garrido, C. (2018) “Magnitud de la segregación escolar por nivel socieconómico en España y sus Comunidades Autónomas y comparación con los paises de la Unión Europea”, Revista de Sociología de la Educación (RASE), 11(1): 37-58. https://ojs.uv.es/index.php/RASE/article/view/10129/10853
  • Gallego, R.; Gomà, R.; Subirats, J. (eds) 2003 Estado de Bienestar y Comunidades AutónomasLa descentralización de las políticas sociales en España. Madrid: Tecnos-UPF. (Capítol 3)
  • Gallego, R.; Subirats, J. dir. 2011. Autonomies i desigualtats a Espanya: Percepcions, evolució social i polítiques de benestar. Barcelona: Institut d’Estudis Autonòmics. (Capítols 4, 5, 6)
  • OECD 2019 Education at a glance. OECD Indicators 2019. 

Topic 5. Labour market (access to the labour market by youngsters and women)

  • Salido, O. (2011) ‘Female employment and policies for balancing work and family life in Spain’ in Guillén and León (eds) The Spanish Welfare State in the European Context. Surrey and Burlington: Ashgate, pp. 187-208.
  • BBVA (2011) (varios autores) Desempleo juvenil en España: causas y soluciones Documento Trabajo 11/30http://www.bbvaresearch.com/KETD/fbin/mult/WP_1130_tcm346-270043.pdf
  • Dolado, J. Et al (2013) “Youth Labour Market Performance in Spain and its Determinants: a micro-level perspective” OECD Working Papers No 1039;

Topic 6. Support to families (dependency and care)

  • Barbieri., N. I Gallego, R. (2016) “El despliegue de la Ley de Dependencia en el País Vasco y la Comunidad de Madrid (2007-2012): el margen de la autonomía política”, Zerbitzuan – Revista de Servicios Sociales, 60, 93-111.
  • Bernardi, F. (2005) “Public policies and low fertility: rationales for public intervention and a diagnosis for the Spanish case” Journal of European Social Policy” 15(2) 123-138.
  • León, M. & Salido, O. (2012) “Las políticas de protección a las familias en perspectiva comparada: Divergencias Nacionales frente a desafíos compartidos” en Del Pino, E. Y Rubio, M. J. Los Estados de Bienestar en la Encrucijada. Políticas Sociales en Perspectiva Comparada Madrid, Tecnos: 291-306

Topic 7. Poverty and social exclusion

  • Aguilar, M. (2009) “Servicios Sociales: las tribulaciones de un sector emergente” en Moreno, L. (ed.) (2009) Reformas de las politicas del bienestaren España, Madrid, Siglo XXI
  • Laparra, M y Pérez, B. (2012) (coord) Crisis y fractura social en Europa. Causas y efectos en España Obra Social La Caixa (pdf disponible online) Capítulos II y III

Topic 8. Gender policies

  • Espinosa-Fajardo, J. y Bustelo, M. (2019). ¿Cómo evaluamos el éxito de las políticas de igualdad de género? Criterios y herramientas metodológicas. Revista Española de Ciencia Política, 49, 151-172.
  • Lombardo, E. y León, M. (2014). Políticas de igualdad de género y sociales en España: origen, desarrollo y desmantelamiento en un contexto de crisis económica. Investigaciones feministas, 5, 13-35

 

VARIABLE BLOCK (2 of the following 5 topics will be covered).

Tema 9. Housing policies 

  • Donat, C. (2017) "Els set reptes dels nousplans i polítiques locals d'habitatge",a DDAA, Repensar la metropoli: noves claus per a un projecte col·lectiu. Barcelona: IERMB-AMB. 
  • Leal, J. (coord.) (2010) La política de vivienda en España. Ed. Pablo Iglesias
  • Trilla, C. (2001) La política de vivienda en una perspectiva europea comparada. Barcelona: Obra Social La Caixa.

Tema 10. Urban policies and neighbourhoods rehabilitation

Topic 11.  International action

  • Colino C., 2007, La acción internacional de las comunidades autónomas y su participación en la política exterior española, Fundación Alternativas, Madrid (Ch. 1, 2, 3)
  • Panara C. and De Becker, A. (eds), 2011,  The Role of the Regions in EU Governance, Springer
  • Noferini, A.,2012, The participation of sub-national governments in the Council of the EU: some evidence from Spain, Regional and Federal Studies, Vol. 22, N.4

Topic 12. European Cohesion.

  • Morata, F. and L. Popartan, “Cohesion Policy in Spain”, in M. Baun (ed.),EUCohesion Policy After the Enlargement (2008)
  • J. Jordana, F. Mota, Noferini, 2010, La Política de Cohesión Europea en dos regiones españolas: configurando las redes de políticas y el capital social, in Gestión y Análisis Políticas Públicas, Instituto Nacional Administración Publica, Madrid
  • Mota, F., Noferini A, Evidence from Structural Funds implementation in two Spanish Regions in Simona Milio, 2010, From Policy to Implementation in the European Union: The Challenge of a Multi-Level Governance System, I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd., London

Topic 13. Community Action for Health

Tema 14. Polítiques publiques a escala local. El rol de les Ciutats en la implementació dels Objectius de l'Desenvolupament Sostenible.

 

Journals

European Journal of Political Research

Governance –An International Journal of Policy, Administration and Institutions

International Journal of Public Administration

International Journal of Public Sector Management

International Public Management Journal

Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis

Journal of European Public Policy

Journal of European Social Policy

Journal of South European Society and Politics

Journal of Policy Analysis and Management

Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory

Journal of Public Policy

Public Administration –An international quarterly

Public Management Review

Software

.