Local Powers and Participation

Recommended Prerequisites

- Basic knowledge about the principle of “subsidiarity”, decentralization dynamics and public policies, as well as capacity for framing the relation between representative democracy and theories and techniques of participatory and deliberative democracy.

- Fluency in written and oral English

- Knowledge of techniques and styles of academic writing.   

Teaching Methods

The seminar is based on regular classes which include an overview of the topic by the lecturer, and an in-depth discussion by the students of the texts assigned in each class. The texts will be made available in a special section of NONIO. Students will also participate in events in local government institutions organized around municipal participatory innovations and training courses for the technical staff of local institutions. Essay proposals, due at the end of the semester, will be discussed collectively. 

Learning Outcomes

This unit is aimed at analyzing the dynamics of governance along two axes: (1) the transformations of the legal frameworks about public policies induced by the principle of subsidiarity and decentralization practices; and (2) the emergence of innovations in the fields of direct and participatory democracy, which complement the functioning of representative institutions. Students should be able to identify and critique these innovations through quantitative and qualitative approaches, based on a perspective of “continuity/discontinuity” in relation to more traditional forms of citizens’ engagement in public policies, with special attention to ICTs . For a better understanding, some modules are devoted to the transformation of municipal companies, others to “politics, health and society”. Given the relevance of participatory budgeting and strategic planning in several regions of the world, the seminar analyses specifically the variety of experiences in the frame of growing populisms.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. The principle of subsidiarity and its evolutionary practice

2. Markets, hierarchies, communities and networks: between New Public management and democratic intensification

3. The functioning of local powers, regionalization and transimssion chain of innovation in a multilevel State

4. Transparency, social responsibility and social accountability

5. The management of municipal services in comparative perspective

6. Participatory processes at the local and supra-local level: the role of ICT technologies

7. Strengthening the individual and the community through participatory processes: the contribution of psycho-sociology

8. City, governance and contemporary urban citizenship.

9. Architecture, planning and democracy

10. Re-semantizing the paradigm of the Right to the City

11. Governance, participation and evaluation: examples from the public health sector

12. Alternative globalizations and the reinvention of social emancipation: which role for LA networks in the struggle vs populisms?

Head Lecturer(s)

Giovanni Allegretti

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Essay (70%); attendance/ active participation in seminars (30%) : 100.0%

Bibliography

Agarez, R (2019, org.),Habitação:Cem Anos de Políticas Públicas em Portugal, 1918-2018.IHRU

Delors J (1991)«Le principe de subsidiarité: contribution au débat».In: Actes du Colloque Jacques Delors: La subsidiarité,European Institute of P.A.:7-18

Elstub S; Escobar, O (2019,orgs),Handbook of Democratic Innovation and Governance. Edward Elgar

Harvey D(2008),“The Right to the City”, New Left Review, Sept 2008: 23-40

Pierre,J; Peters, G(2005),Governing Complex Societies.Palgrave/Macmillan

Ruivo, F et al.(2011),O Poder Local Português e A Construção Europeia. Almedina

Santos, B(2010),Refundación del Estado en América Latina, Plural Ed.

Serapioni, M(2014),"Os desafios da participação e da cidadania nos sistemas de saúde", Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, 19, 12: 4829-4839

Sintomer,Y et al.(2012),"Transnational Models of Citizen Participation",J. of Public Deliberation: Vol. 8, 2

Smith,G (2009),Democratic Innovations.Cambridge Un. Press

Thompson,G (1991), Markets, Hierarchies & Networs.Sage.