Public Governance: Theories and Dynamics

This subject examines contemporary issues in governance in Australia and internationally. In the context of complex policy problems confronting society, students will explore how governments grapple with these complexities and experiment with new approaches to regulation and public administration. Through critical engagement in both traditional and emerging governance models and paradigms, students will interrogate strengths and weaknesses of public sector reform efforts in different parts of the world and shifting power dynamics. They will focus on the implications of these changes for the accountability and legitimacy of contemporary democratic governance. The combination of theoretical work regarding the nature of contemporary governance and exploration of current debates around specific governance initiatives will give students the tools to critically analyse governance reforms. Students will do so with a critical focus on how different governance paradigms coexist and the implications that this has for key policy actors, including politicians, public officials, non-government actors and citizens.