Public Policy Analysis

Teacher(s)

Bled Amandine; Franssen Abraham; Vertongen Youri (compensates Franssen Abraham);

Language

French

Prerequisites

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

The aims of the course are 1) to introduce students to the main paradigms, theories and concepts of public action analysis; 2) to allow students, based on the presentation of case studies, to familiarise themselves with the given tools and methodological approach for analysing public action in a specific field; 3) to favour critical and ethical thinking with regards to the contemporary mutations of public action.

Content

With the transformation of its object, with the pluralisation of its actors, instruments and intervention levels (regionalisation, Europeanization), as well as with a transformation of public action regulation modes (proceduralisation, contracting, evaluation…), the analysis of public action moves away from a state-centred, decisional and linear vision of public policies to a broader study of their construction and implementation processes. From a disciplinary point of view, the analysis of public action lies at the confluence of several approaches of Political Science and Sociology.

The issues and themes discussed in class are the following:
- Definition and delimitation of public action analysis as a discipline: history, object, research fields;
- History and historicity of public action (at a macro level: periodisation of public action and contemporary characterisation; at a meso level: sequential approach of public action);
- Types and configurations of public action actors (institutional and emerging): administration, parties, interest groups, professional and users as policy makers;
- Theoretical perspectives: “instrumental” approach, “cognitive” approach, “neo-institutionalist” approach, “actors” approach;
- Scales of public action (“multi-level governance”);
- Evaluation of public action: instruments and instrumentalisation.

Teaching methods

Description of the ex-cathedra lectures:
The lecture is taught jointly or alternately by the two professors in charge of the course. The presentation of the different approaches and dimensions of public action is illustrated by case studies, especially in the fields of social and environmental policies.

Compulsory readings are associated to each class.

Evaluation methods

The final assessment is based on a written exam. It includes questions of theoretical and conceptual knowledge, analyses of real situations related to current events and one question on the compulsory readings.

Other information

The slides are given to the students right after each session. A syllabus is available at the beginning of the course.

Bibliography

Une bibliographie spécialisée est remise aux étudiant.e.s, incluant des lectures obligatoires.
Les principaux ouvrages de référence en appui du cours sont :

- BOUSSAGUET Laurie, JACQUOT, Sophie et RAVINET Pauline. Dictionnaire des politiques publiques, Paris, Presses de Science Po, 2019.
- CANTELLI Fabrizio et GENARD Jean-Louis, Action publique et subjectivité, L.G.D.J., Paris, 2007.
- JACOB Steve et Nathalie SCHIFFINO. 2021. Politiques publiques. Fondements et prospective pour l’analyse de l’action publique. Bruylant.
- KNOEPFEL, Peter, LARRUE, Corinne, VARONE, Frédéric, Analyse et pilotage des politiques publiques, Bâle, Helbing et Lichtenhahan, 2001.
- LASCOUMES Pierre et LE GALES Patrick, Sociologie de l'action publique, Armand Colin, Paris, 2007.

Faculty or entity

ESPB