Publics, Policy and Public Services

This subject is not offered in 2013.

120 hours

Admission to the Master of Public Policy and Management

None

Political Science or Public Policy at undergraduate level.

None

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

During the twentieth century and the first decade of this century new ways of thinking about the relationship between governments and their citizens have emerged. These developments have in part been a reaction to the strict application of managerial approaches, which so dominated public administration in the US, the UK and Australia from the 1980s. It also partly reflected a deeper concern regarding the apparent decline in citizens' attachment to and respect for the practice of politics. This subject will provoke a wide ranging discussion about the role of ‘publics’ (citizens, users, communities etc) in public policy and public services. The emergent paradigm of citizen-centric governance, sometimes called Government 2.0, is networked, collaborative and flexible, with service delivery arrangements which are personalised, choice-based and delivered through multiple channels. Significantly it envisions the citizen as an active participant in service design and delivery rather than a passive recipient. This subject will critically examine the theoretical underpinnings of this emergent paradigm, and assess its utility both as theory and practice, while questioning whether the delivery measures up to the promise. It will draw on a number of local and international case studies critically examining reasons why some succeeded and others failed. The course will also include sessions with practitioners who have sought to re-think the way they have led their organisations to make them more responsive to the needs of their clients.

On completion of the subject students should have developed:

• a clear understanding of the theoretical literature which underpins new approaches to citizen-centric public administration;
• a framework which they can apply to thinking about how organisations can become more responsive to their clients;
• an understanding of the institutional and cultural constraints of this approach to public administration;
• insights into its practical application in different organisational settings.

A 2,000-word essay (40%) due in Week 4, and a 3,000-word essay (60%) due in week 11.

Hurdle Requirement: As this is an Intensively-taught subject, seminar attendance is compulsory on all 4 days. Regular participation in class is required.

Assessment that is submitted after the due date and up to 10 working days late without an approved extension will be marked on a pass/fail basis only. Assessment that is submitted later than 10 working days will not be accepted or marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

A selection of readings will be available prior to the commencement of the subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of the subject students should:

• be able to demonstrate competence in critical, creative and theoretical thinking through essay writing, seminar discussion and presentations, conceptualising theoretical problems, forming judgments and arguments from conflicting evidence, and by critical analysis;
• be able to demonstrate proficiency in the application of policy analysis skills to empirical problems;
• be able to demonstrate an understanding of the academic protocols of research and presentation.