Globalization and public policy

Contents

It is a commonplace in contemporary political and academic debates that globalization affects the state and its policies. Nevertheless, the actual repercussions of globalization on the state, public decision-making, and public governance remain one of the most contested issues in social sciences. The key theoretical debates and related empirical research cluster around at least four controversial questions. Is globalization really happening and is it a unique process that is unprecedented in history? Does the state retain agency and influence in domestic and international governance or does it loose autonomy and authority in decision-making? Are public policies becoming less stringent (race to the bottom) or more stringent (race to the top)? Do patterns of public governance converge or diverge across countries? Along the lines of these debates, the course will introduce students to theoretical approaches to globalization and its possible impacts as well as to related empirical research in different public policy fields, such as social, fiscal, environmental, and monetary policies.

Study programs

Master Political Science

Master Public Administration

Master International Relations

Master of Public Managment (Specialisation: Global Public Policy)