| CODE | PPL2226 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | The Public Policy Environment | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Public Policy | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will act as a foundation in policy sciences. Theoretical frameworks relating to policy-making will be presented. Students will explore what influences policy-making and the various actors present in the policy environment. These theoretical considerations will be applied to practical policy issues which will be debated. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit is intended to: - Provide students with an understanding of key theoretical concepts relating to policy-making and which will act as a foundation for the policy sciences; - Provide students with an appreciation of factors that influence policymaking both at a national and at an European level; - Present the different actors present in the policy environment, explore their diverse roles and how they interact; - Debate, using scholarly literature, real life issues in public policy. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Cite different theoretical approaches to public policy and present a critique; - Identify the varying factors that influence policymaking and examine how the level of influence of these factors is changing over time both nationally and at an European level; - Appreciate the role and structure of the public service, its functioning and ethical considerations; - Identify the different actors and varying perspectives and assess the level of power and influence; - Apply the theoretical concepts to real life issues in public policy, presenting different perspectives relating to public policy issues. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Adopt particular approaches to understanding a particular policy issue; - Examine a particular policy issue and identify factors and actors that influence the development of that policy field; - Critically appraise the functioning of the public service; - Identify opportunities and constraints for policymaking. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Cairney, Paul. (2012), Understanding Public Policy-Theories and Issues, Palgrave Macmillan. - Hague, Rod and Harrop Martin (2010), Comparative Government and Politics: An Introduction, 8th ed., Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 367 – 385. - Hill, Michael (2010), Comparative Government and Politics: An Introduction, 8th ed., Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 367 – 385. - Howlett, Michael et al. (2009), Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystems, 3rd ed., OUP Canada. - Kay, Adrian. (2006), The Dynamics of Public Policy: Theory and Evidence, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. - Klein, Rudolf and Marmor, Theodore, R. (2006) Reflections on Policy Analysis: Putting it Together Again, in Goodin, R.E. et al., (eds) The Oxford Handbook of Public Policy, pp. 892 – 910. - Little, Ian M.D. (2004), Ethics, Economics and Politics: Principles of Public Policy, Oxford University Press. - McConnell, John, (2010), Understanding Policy Success – Rethinking Public Policy¸ Palgrave Macmillan. - Moran, M. et al. (eds), (2006). The Public and its Policies, in The Oxford Handbook of Public Policy, pp. 3 – 38. - Peter, John. Analyzing Public Policy, Routledge, 2012. - Boston, Jonathan et al. (eds)., (2011) Ethics and Public Policy: Contemporary Issues, Victoria University Press. - Cochrane, Charles L. and Malone Eloise F., (2010) Public Policy – Perspectives and Choices, 4th ed., Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc. |
||||||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
|
||||||||||||
| LECTURER/S | Solange Ignatia Bonello Adrian Dalli Marie Louise Mangion (Co-ord.) |
||||||||||||
|
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
|||||||||||||