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Public Policy

Class at Faculty of Social Sciences |
JSM501

Syllabus

Course website: http://martinpotucek.cz/vyuka_vp.html Course Master: Professor Martin Potůček, Ph.D., CSc. MSc. http://martinpotucek.cz; Course duration 2/2 No. of credits: 9 Goals: This basic course introduces students to public policy as a practice and scientific discipline. Delineation of public policy, its cognitive traditions, concepts, methods, functions and values. Public policy as a structure and process. Regulation of social life by means of the market, state, civil sector, and media. Implementation and evaluation of public policies. Capacities to govern in the contemporary world in general, and the Czech Republic in particular. Students will be encouraged to study on their own, to critically approach relevant books and articles, to produce their own texts, and to actively interact at the seminars. Conditions of registration: The student has enrolled in any MSc. field taught at the Faculty of Social Sciences or in the Civic Sector Studies at FHS. Conditions of meeting student obligations: The conditions of admission to a written examination in this field include the presentation of a paper on a preselected topic, of a summary and critical analysis of an English-language treatise, and assessment obtained at the seminar. The recommended themes of papers and English-language treatises will be offered to students at the start of the semester. Other topics or texts could be selected upon an agreement with the lecturers. Overall evaluation will be carried out according to the following key: Collected points: Evaluation: 181 and more Excellent 160-180 Very good 145-159 Good 144 and less Failed Points can be accrued by: a. providing summary and critical analysis of an English-language treatise ? max 30 points; b. presenting a paper on a set theme ? max 35 points (plus a special five-point bonus for early submission of a form with paper theme); c. assessment of the student's performance at the seminars ? max 65 points (plus a special five-point bonus for exceptional performance); d. written examination ? max 60 points. LECTURES Topics of lectures: No. Topic

1. Introduction.

2. Public policy as a social practice. Social problems. Public interests.

3. Public policy as a scientific discipline.

4. Ethics and public policy. Normative models of public policy.

5. Public policy as a structure and process.

6. Market, state and civic sector as the regulators of society's life.

7. Market and state. Institutional framework of economy.

8. Dysfunctional relationships between policy and economics. Global markets vs. nation states. Corruption and mafia.

9. Civic sector between the state and the market. Corporatism.

10. Implementation and evaluation of public policies.

11. How to recognize a public policy.

12. Final recapitulation, preparation for exam. A Conceptual base of strategic governance. B Governance in the Czech Republic in the period of globalization and European integration. C Capacities of Governance in Central and Eastern Europe. Elementary reading:

1.Colebatch, H.K.B.: Úvod do policy. Praha: Barrister & Principal

2005.

2.Potůček, M. et al.: Veřejná politika. Praha, Sociologické nakladatelství

2006.

3.Potůček, M. a kol. Strategické vládnutí a česká republika. Praha, Grada

2007.

4.Potůček, M. a kol.: Jak jsme na tom. A co dál? Strategický audit České republiky. Praha, Sociologické nakladatelství

2005.

5.Fiala, P. - Schubert, K..: Moderní analýza politiky. Uvedení do teorií a metod policy analysis. Praha, Barrister & Principal

2000. Other recommended literature:

6.Arrow, K.J.: Společenský výběr a individuální hodnoty. Praha, Svoboda

1973. (Anglicky: Social Choice and Individual Values, Westford, The Murray Printing Company

1963. 2nd edition.)

7.Dahl, R.A.: Demokracie a její kritici. Praha, Victoria Publishing

1995.

8.Demokracie a ústavnost. Praha, Karolinum

1996.

2. vydání

1999.

9.Etzioni, A.: Morální dimenze ekonomiky. Praha, Victoria Publishing

1995.

10.Howlet, M. ? Ramesh, M.: Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystems, Oxford, Oxford University Press

1995.

11.Keller, J.: Sociologie byrokracie a organizace. Praha, Slon

1996.

12.Lindblom, Ch.E.: Politics and Markets. New York, Basic Books

1977.

13.Parsons, W.: Public Policy. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing

1995.

14.Potůček, M.: Křižovatky české sociální reformy. Praha, Slon

1999.

15.Potůček, M.: Nejen trh. Role trhu, státu a občanského sektoru v proměnách české společnosti. Praha, Sociologické nakladatelství

1997. 188 s. (Anglicky: Not Only the Market, Budapest, CEU Press

1999.)

16.Potůček, M.: Sociální politika. Praha, Sociologické nakladatelství

1995.

17.Simon, H.: Administrative Behavior. New York, The Free Press

1965.

18.Soubor studií vydaných v řadě Veřejná a sociální politika. Praha, ISS FSV UK 1994-1999.

19.Weimer, David L. - Vining, Aidan R.: Policy Analysis, Concepts and Practice. Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall

1992.

20.Mlčoch, L. ? Machonin, P. ? Sojka, M.: Ekonomické a společenské změny v české společnosti po roce

1989. Praha, Karolinum

2000.

21.Ochrana, Fr.: Veřejný sektor a efektivní rozhodování. Praha, Management Press

2001.

22.Winkler, J.: Implementace. Institucionální hledisko analýzy veřejných programů. Brno, Masarykova univerzita

2002.

23.Říchová, Bl.: Přehled moderních politologických teorií. Praha, Portál

2000. Additional reading will be recommended in relation to individual themes. Students are also expected to read newspapers and magazines dealing with public policy issues.

Annotation

The course offers a basic orientation in the field of public policy (theory, solved problems, relationship to practice). The core of lectures lays in the interpretation of approaches and concepts, while seminars are focused on application.

The course is concluded by the written exam.