Prof. Dr. habil. Jochen Franzke February 2015

Lecture "Changes and Challenges in Local Politics in Germany"

Institute of Politological Studies at Charles University in Prague (2. to 4.3.2015)

Teaching methods

· Mostly oral presentation in English in a lecture mode

· Collaborative discussions to compare the trends in local politics in Germany with the Czech case

· Written essay in German or English on a theme of the course

Goals of the course

Ø Finding out the legacies and specific role of local self-government in the modern German Federal System (specific traditional local and regional political cultures in East/West and North/South)

Ø Analysing current challenges of local politics in Germany, especially in the financial framework and demographic change

Ø Discussing ongoing administrative reforms at local level (e.g. NPM-Reforms, E-Government, Functional and Territorial Reforms) and their impact on local politics

Ø Working out different forms of local democracy in Germany, changing roles of civil society, local politicians and senior managers in local politics, Possible consequences for the local decision process and Local political culture

Ø Discussing new forms of governance in local politics, main actors in local politics and there interests resp. influence in the decision process, Local welfare formation as complicated process involving different actors

Program

Lecture I (Introduction, Local Self-Government and Autonomy in Germany. Structures and Framework Conditions)

Lecture II (Current Problems in German Local Politics. Actors in the local decision process)

Lecture III (Reforms in Local Democracy in Germany)

Lecture IV (Current Problems of German Local administrative Reforms)

Lecture V (Crisis of local finance in Germany and ways out)

Lecture VI (Conclusions)

Literature (Selection)

Ø Franzke, J. (2007): Administrative Reform in Germany: Changes and Challenges, in Killian, J. / Eklund, N., Handbook of Administrative Reform: An International Perspective, Taylor & Francis: London, New York and Philadelphia, pp. 74-94. (Public Administration and Public Policy, Vol. 141)

Ø Hoffmann-Martinot, V. / Wollmann, H. (2006): State and Local Government Reforms in France and Germany, VS Verlag Wiesbaden.

Ø Kersting, N. / Vetter, A. (2003): Reforming Local Government in Europe: Closing the Gap between Democracy and Efficiency, Springer Wiesbaden.

Ø Kuhlmann, S./ Wollmann, H. (2014): Introduction to Comparative Public Administration. Administrative Systems and Reforms in Europe, Edward Elgar Publisher.

Ø Loughlin, J. / Hendriks, F. / Lidström, A. (eds.) (2010): The Oxford Handbook of Local and Regional Democracy in Europe.

Ø Wollmann, Hellmut 2014, The directly-elected mayor in the German Länder - introduction, implementation and impact, in: Public Money & Management, issue September 2014, pp. 331-338.

Ø Wollmann, H. 2011, Local government, in: Badie, B. / Berg-Schlosser, D. / Morlino, L. (eds.). International Encyclopedia of Political Science, vol.8, SAGE: London.