Master 2021/2022

Policy Analysis

Type: Elective course (Comparative Politics of Eurasia)

Area of studies: Political Science

Delivered by: Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Where: Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences

When: 1 year, 2 module

Mode of studies: distance learning

Online hours: 13

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Andrey Starodubtsev, Denis Stremoukhov

Master’s programme: Comparative Politics of Eurasia

Language: English

ECTS credits: 3

Contact hours: 24

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course examines the policy processes in the contexts of post-Soviet countries. The course combines theoretical foundations of public policy studies (how policy problems are identified and framed, and how interventions are formed and evaluated) with the discussion of specific factors of policy making in Russia and other countries of the post-Soviet space.

Learning Objectives

• Students will learn about the main characteristics of the making and implementation of public policy in the countries of the post-Soviet space.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• characterizes business actors' roles in countries of post-Soviet areas
• characterizes the dynamics of international influence on policy making process in the post-Soviet countries
• knows main arguments of authoritarian modernization theory and its opponents
• knows the main concepts that are used to analyze policymaking
• predicts the effects of institutional designs on the policy making process
• understands the role and the limits of the influence of NGOs and civil society in the post-Soviet countries

Course Contents

• Intro: governance and public policy in the post-Soviet space
• Institutional design
• Political regime
• Business interests
• NGOs and civil society
• International influence

Assessment Elements

• Seminar participation
  Students are expected to attend each seminar and regularly participate in discussions. The instructor grades the participation during the seminars based on the quality of answers, demonstration of engagement with the assigned readings and home tasks, and overall quantitative involvement in the in-class activities.
• Low-stakes writing
• Exam

Interim Assessment

• 2021/2022 2nd module
  0.5 * Seminar participation + 0.1 * Low-stakes writing + 0.4 * Exam

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Cairney, P. (2011). Understanding Public Policy : Theories and Issues. Palgrave Macmillan.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Weible, C. M., & Sabatier, P. A. (2017). Theories of the Policy Process (Vol. Fourth edition). Boulder, CO: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1451128

Authors

• STREMOUKHOV DENIS ALEKSANDROVICH
• STARODUBTSEV ANDREY VLADIMIROVICH