MA Politics

The nature of the modern state has undergone significant transformations in recent decades.  To properly understand state power and capacity in the twenty-first century, one has to move been beyond the traditional study of state institutions alone. It requires situating central state capacity within a much wider field of multi-level governance in which power is understood as both fluid and operating across a range of loci including international organisations, regional organizations, central, regional and local governments; and the network of actors that tie them altogether.   The traditional focus on government has, in this more complex setting, been replaced by the need to widen the analytical aperture to centre on the study of ‘governance’ in its various forms.

The key challenge for those studying this field is therefore to develop multi-level theories and approaches that make sense of these new arrangements and practices of governing. The module begins by exploring the conceptual terrain within the literature on governance. The module then goes on to look at a number of developments and controversies in contemporary governance from both applied and analytical perspectives including: globalization and the state; regulation; surveillance; de-politicisation; the democratic and legitimacy challenges associated to different forms of governance, including new forms of political participation.

On completion of this unit successful students will be able to:

• Understand the theoretical and conceptual terrain and approaches to governance
• explain and evaluate recent challenges and controversies in contemporary governance;
• critically evaluate policy tools and strategies to tackle those challenges;
• work independently, identifying appropriate sources and further readings;
• develop arguments that synthesise theoretical and empirical material;
• constructively engage in discussion with others and work collaboratively in small groups;
• Précis and present key arguments and supporting evidence in both written and oral communication.

Weekly seminars (2 hours)

One essay of 2750 words (85%), presentation (15%)

Bell, S. and Hindmoor, A. (2009) Rethinking Governance, Cambridge University Press 
Cairney, P. (2020) Understanding Public Policy: Theories and Issues Palgrave: Macmillan
Smith, M.J. (2009) Power and the State Palgrave, Macmillan 
Pierre, J. and Peters, G. (2020) Governance Politics and the State,2nd ed. Bloomsbury
Chhotray, V. and Stoker, G. (2009) Governance Theory and Practice, Palgrave
Gadinger, F. and Scholte, J.A. (eds.) (2023) Polycentrism: How Governing Works Today. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hay, C, Lister, M. and Marsh, D. (2022) The State: Theories and Issues [2nd Edn] London: Bloomsbury
Hooghe, L & Marks, (2001) Multi-Level Governance and European Integration,  Rowman 
Kooiman, J. (2003) Governing as Governance, Sage 
Glasberg, D. S., Willis, A. S., & Shannon, D. (2017). The State of State Theory: State Projects, Repression, and Multi-Sites of Power, Lexington Books
Levi-Faur, D. (2014) The Oxford Handbook of Governance, Oxford University Press
Lowndes, V. and M. Roberts (2013) Why Institutions Matter, Palgrave Macmillan
6, P., Goodwin, N. Peck, E. & Freeman, T. (2006), Managing Networks of Twenty-first Century Organisations, Palgrave
Rhodes, R., (1997) Understanding Governance, Open University Press
Richards, D. and Smith, M.J. (2002), Governance and Public Policy in the UK, Oxford University Press