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860-0001-00L 3 Credits DS , MSC D-GESS , D-ARCH
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Public Institutions and Policy-Making Processes

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Thomas Bernauer, Prof. Dr. Frank Schimmelfennig, Prof. Dr. Stefan Bechtold
Number of participants limited to 25. Priority for MSc Science, Technology, and Policy.
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:41:48

Abstract

Students acquire the contextual knowledge for analyzing public policies. They learn why and how public policies and laws are developed, designed, and implemented at national and international levels, and what challenges arise in this regard.

Objective

Public policies result from decision-making processes that take place within formal institutions of the state (parliament, government, public administration, courts). That is, policies are shaped by the characteristics of decision-making processes and the characteristics of public institutions and related actors (e.g. interest groups). In this course, students acquire the contextual knowledge for analyzing public policies. They learn why and how public policies and laws are developed, designed, and implemented at national and international levels, and what challenges arise in this regard. The course is organized in three modules. The first module (Stefan Bechtold) examines basic concepts and the role of law, law-making, and law enforcement in modern societies. The second module (Thomas Bernauer) deals with the functioning of legislatures, governments, and interest groups. The third module (Frank Schimmelfennig) focuses on the European Union and international organisations.

Content

Public policies result from decision-making processes that take place within formal institutions of the state (parliament, government, public administration, courts). That is, policies are shaped by the characteristics of decision-making processes and the characteristics of public institutions and related actors (e.g. interest groups). In this course, students acquire the contextual knowledge for analyzing public policies. They learn why and how public policies and laws are developed, designed, and implemented at national and international levels, and what challenges arise in this regard. The course is organized in three modules. The first module (Stefan Bechtold) examines basic concepts and the role of law, law-making, and law enforcement in modern societies. The second module (Thomas Bernauer) deals with the functioning of legislatures, governments, and interest groups. The third module (Frank Schimmelfennig) focuses on the European Union and international organisations.

Resources

Lecture Notes

Reading materials will be distributed electronically to the students when the semester starts.

Literature

Baylis, John, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (2014): The Globalization of World Politics. An Introduction to International Relations. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Caramani, Daniele (ed.) (2014): Comparative Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Gilardi, Fabrizio (2012): Transnational Diffusion: Norms, Ideas, and Policies, in Carlsnaes, Walter, Thomas Risse and Beth Simmons, Handbook of International Relations, 2nd Edition, London: Sage, pp. 453-477. Hage, Jaap and Bram Akkermans (eds.) (2nd edition 2017): Introduction to Law, Heidelberg: Springer. Jolls, Christine (2013): Product Warnings, Debiasing, and Free Speech: The Case of Tobacco Regulation, Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics 169: 53-78. Lelieveldt, Herman and Sebastiaan Princen (2011): The Politics of European Union. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Lessig, Lawrence (2006): Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace, Version 2.0, New York: Basic Books. Available at http://codev2.cc/download+remix/Lessig-Codev2.pdf . Schimmelfennig, Frank and Ulrich Sedelmeier (2004): Governance by Conditionality: EU Rule Transfer to the Candidate Countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in: Journal of European Public Policy 11(4): 669-687. Shipan, Charles V. and Craig Volden (2012): Policy Diffusion: Seven Lessons for Scholars and Practitioners. Public Administration Review 72(6): 788-796. Sunstein, Cass R. (2014): The Limits of Quantification, California Law Review 102: 1369-1422. Thaler, Richard H. and Cass R. Sunstein (2003): Libertarian Paternalism. American Economic Review: Papers & Proceedings 93: 175-179.

General Information

Language
English
Levels
DS , MSC
Frequency
Yearly recurring

Examination

Type
end-of-semester examination
End-of-semester test.

Registration & Places

Max Places
25
Priority: Registration for the course unit is until 10.02.2020 only possible for the primary target group

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture with exercise Public Institutions and Policy-Making Processes
Change of semester: This lecture was offered until 2018 in autumn semester. From 2020 on it will be offered in spring semester. The first 3 lectures 17.02. - 04.03.2020 will take place 10-12. The lectures 11.03. - 29.05.2020 will take place 10-13.
  • Wed 10:15-12:00 (UNO B 11)
  • Wed 10:15-13:00 (UNO B 11)
2.8 h weekly

Offered In