Politics, Institutions and Development

The course is an introduction to the analysis of public policy and politics in the global world. The approach is comparative (cross-country and cross-time) and will cover mainly western political systems and institutions, but it will also include discussion of a few case studies from developing countries and the Middle East. The main objective of the course is to offer students the conceptual, theoretical and methodological tools to interpret public policies and political outcomes and reforms in the contemporary world. To this purpose, the course will present the fundamental questions concerned with the policy process, will encourage the active participation of students through case studies and class presentations, and will also develop a critical and independent analysis of primary texts and sources.

The learning outcomes are as follows:
- Excellent knowledge and understanding of the political processes of democratic reforms and the public policy cycle (policy design, formulation, implementation).
-Critical analysis of governance reforms in welfare state policies, with a focus on education policies and health care systems.
- Ability to understand and critically evaluate the functioning of the main political institutions and outcomes (governments, parliaments, electoral systems, administration)
-Ability to apply theories of politics and public policies to specific cases and events in advanced countries, and in developing countries: processes of nation state building, processes of public policy reforms, decision-making and institutional processes, processes of electoral competition and cooperation or competition between the actors that take part in it, formation and dissolution of governments, institutional and administrative capacity and effects of the main political dynamics on socio-economic processes.