Public Institutions and Policy-Making Processes

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 mainly from decision-making processes that take place within formal institutions of the state (parliament, government, public administration, courts) or inter-/supranational organizations (e.g., EU, UN, World Bank). That is, policies are shaped by the characteristics of decision-making processes and the characteristics of public institutions and related actors (e.g., citizens, interest groups, news media). In this course, students acquire the contextual knowledge for analyzing public policies – hence this course is complementary to the ISTP course on concepts and methods of policy analysis. Students learn why and how public policies and laws are developed, designed, and implemented at national and international levels.

Content

The course is organized in three modules. The first module (taught by Stefan Bechtold) examines basic concepts and the role of law, law-making, and law enforcement in modern societies. The second module (taught by Thomas Bernauer) deals with political behavior (including elections and electoral systems), and the functioning of legislatures, governments, and interest groups. The third module (taught by Frank Schimmelfennig) focuses on the European Union and international organizations.

Resources