This course introduces students to the study and practice of public administration (PA) as a discipline, within a broader context of the development of contemporary societies. The course is anchored in European and British Commonwealth public administration. The course is open to students of Public and Social Policy Studies programme and other students interested in problems of public administration and enrolled in Master-level study programmes.
Last update: Witz Petr, PhDr., Ph.D. (26.11.2025)
Learning outcomes
The course aims to introduce students to some of the main challenges that modern public administration systems face and help them navigate through a landscape of potential approaches leading to solutions. Students will get to learn some of the techniques and methods from the toolboxes used by government analysts and PA managers.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Conceptual Understanding
Explain and compare major theoretical approaches to public administration, including classical bureaucracy, New Public Management (NPM), Neo-Weberian State, and contemporary public governance paradigms.
Analyze the political role of bureaucracy and the relationship between bureaucratic institutions, democratic accountability, and political leadership across different administrative systems.
Identify key drivers of public management reform, including fiscal constraints, political ideology, administrative traditions, and global reform diffusion.
2. Comparative and Analytical Skills
Compare public administration systems across countries and regions, using institutional, cultural, and historical perspectives drawn from comparative public administration literature.
Critically assess public management reforms (e.g., performance management, agencification, austerity-driven reforms) in terms of their design, implementation, and outcomes.
Evaluate governance arrangements involving networks, collaboration, and co-production, and assess their implications for effectiveness, legitimacy, and accountability.
3. Critical Thinking and Evaluation
Critically engage with scholarly debates on the strengths and limitations of bureaucratic governance, managerial reforms, and governance-based approaches.
Assess the normative implications of public administration models, including their effects on democratic values, equity, transparency, and public trust.
Reflect on unintended consequences of reforms, such as fragmentation, depoliticization, or accountability gaps.
4. Application and Problem-Solving
Apply theoretical frameworks from the course to real-world public sector cases, including reform initiatives and governance challenges.
Formulate evidence-based policy and management recommendations that account for political, institutional, and governance constraints.
Analyze contemporary public sector challenges, such as austerity, complexity, and cross-sector collaboration, using comparative and governance-oriented perspectives.
5. Research and Communication Skills
Interpret and synthesize academic literature in public administration and governance.
Develop structured written and oral arguments that clearly link theory, empirical evidence, and policy analysis.
Use comparative reasoning and appropriate analytical concepts in essays, case studies, or policy briefs.
