Vernardakis Christoforos

The aim of the course is to acquaint students with the mechanisms of state action from the perspectives of new institutionalism and public policy analysis. Τheo course is divided into two parts.
The first part is devoted to theory. More precisely, the main theoretical approaches of the formulation, implementation, evaluation and change of public policies at supranational, national and subnational level, are examined. Particular emphasis is placed on the analysis of neo-institutionalist approaches (rational choice, historical, sociological, discursive), as well as on the discussion of the impact of globalisation and Europeanisation.
In the second part, the course focuses on the sudy of public policy in Greece. First, the main views and assumptions presented in the litterature on Greece are discussed. The final step is the study of two distinct cases: a) national and regional development pοlicies and b) social and employment policy (and the crisis of the Greek welfare state in particular).

Course modules

First part: theory
1.Introduction: main concepts
2.Public policy as a political process – main theories
3.Theoretical approaches of public administration
4.The neoinstitutionalist approach of public policy
5.Τhe public policy cycle: a) agenda-setting, b) policy formulation, c) decision-making, d) policy implementation, e) policy evaluation
6.Reformist tendencies in the field of public policy
7.Exogenous factors: globalisation and Europeanisation

Second part: public policy in Greece
8.The Europeanisation of public policy in Greece
9.A neoinstitutionalist anaylsis of public pocies in Greece
10.Case study: national and regional development policies in Greece
11.Case study: the welfare state and social policy in Greece

Upon successful completion of the course, studens will:
-aquire a comperhensive view of the methodological problems and dilemmas accompanying public policy formulation and implementation
-recognise and assess the thematic and political linkages underpinning the actions of public actors in a globalized environment and in the context of the European Union
– be able to follow and/ or evaluate specific public policies and/or actions in a consistent and theoretically informed manner

Additional bibliography for study
-Ανδρέου, Γ. (επιμ.). (2013), ‘Θεσμοί, Δημόσιες Πολιτικές και Μεταρρυθμίσεις στην Ελλάδα’ (Ειδικό Αφιέρωμα), Ελληνική Επιθεώρηση Πολιτικής Επιστήμης, τχ. 40, σ. 5 -137.
-Featherstone, K. (επιμ.) (2007), Πολιτική στην Ελλάδα: η Πρόκληση του Εκσυγχρονισμού, Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Οκτώ.
-Featherstone, K. και Δ. Παπαδημητρίου (2010), Τα όρια του εξευρωπαϊσμού. Δημόσια πολιτική και μεταρρυθμίσεις στην Ελλάδα, Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Οκτώ.
-Λαδή, Σ. και  Β. Νταλάκου (2016), Ανάλυση δημόσιας πολιτικής (2η έκδοση), Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Παπαζήση ΑΕBΕ.
-Λιαργκόβας, Π. και Γ.  Ανδρέου (2007), Η Νέα Πολιτική Συνοχής της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και η Ελλάδα, Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Παπαζήση ΑΕBΕ.
-Ματσαγγάνης, Μ. (2011), Η κοινωνική πολιτική σε δύσκολους καιρούς, Αθήνα:  Εκδόσεις Κριτική ΑΕ.
-Σπανού, Κ. (2001), Ελληνική Διοίκηση και Ευρωπαϊκή Ολοκλήρωση, Αθήνα:  Εκδόσεις Παπαζήση ΑΕBΕ.
-Surel, Y. και P. Muller (2002), Ανάλυση των Πολιτικών του Κράτους, Ανάλυση των Δημόσιων Πολιτικών, Αθήνα: Γ. Δαρδανός – Κ. Δαρδανός Ο.Ε.