B0078 - GOVERNANCE, PROCESSI PARTECIPATIVI E SERVIZI PUBBLICI ALLA PERSONA

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide in-depth knowledge of the conceptual and analytical tools for analyzing and recognizing the forms and dynamics of governance of public services and the implications of participatory processes in the planning, management and evaluation phase, with a particular focus on the impact of digital technologies in the relationship between citizens and PPAA. At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• know and critically analyse opportunities and risks related to the processes of involvement of citizens, private actors and the Third Sector, also through digital tools, in the planning, management and evaluation of public services

• know and be able to evaluate tools, methods and technologies of co-programming, co-management and co-assessment, emerging criticalities and contextual factors characterising social and institutional innovation processes.

Course contents

The course is organized in lectures and seminars, as detailed in the following program. Lectures (16 hours) aim to introduce students to the core tenets of the discipline and to the analysis of the features and the changing dynamics of local welfare systems, by focusing on their evolution over time, their institutionalization process and their actors (i.e. public administrations, citizens, third sector organizations, movements, trade unions, informal groups, profit organizations). The main issues and challenges of the ongoing evolution of the Italian welfare will be presented and discussed.

Seminars (12 hours) aim to provide occasions for in-depth discussions of class materials and exercises. For the seminar section of the course, students will be divided in 2 groups. Students attend a total of 28 hours of classes. A special attention will be paid to the consequences of the processes of territorial re-articulation of social policies and to the main issues related to the multiplication of the social actors involved, the emerging logics in the field of local welfare and the platformization concerning welfare services.

Readings/Bibliography

• • Kazepov, Y., Carbone, D. (2018). Che cos’è il welfare state, Carocci.
  • Gori, C. (2022). Le politiche del welfare sociale. Mondadori, cap. 1, cap. 8.
  • Bifulco, L. (2016). Social policies and public action. Routledge, cap. 3, cap. 5
  • Kazepov Y., Cefalo R. (2020). The territorial dimension of social policies, “Parolechiave”, 2, 85-99.
  • Fung A., 2006, Varieties of Participation in Complex Governance, in Public Administration Review.
  • Maino F., a cura di (2023). Agire insieme. Coprogettazione e coprogrammazione per cambiare il welfare, Sesto rapporto sul secondo welfare. Secondo welfare [cap. 2, 3 e 4]
  • Coles-Kemp et al. (2020). Digital welfare: designing for more nuanced forms of access, Policy Design and Practice, 3:2, 177-188.
  • Banfi G. e Pedroni M. (2026). Verso un’amministrazione pubblica conversazio-nale? Servizi pubblici, chatbot e nuove sfide organizzative per le amministrazioni locali. RDBCI: Revista

 

Teaching methods

First part of the course (16 hours): lectures. Through traditional lecture-based teaching, the contents of the course are presented and discussed. The first part of the course is aimed at the acquisition of knowledge (concepts, theories, tools/procedures, facts/events).

Second part of the course (12 hours): seminar sessions. In the seminar component of the course, interaction among students and between students and the instructor is explicitly encouraged. For this reason, students are divided into two seminar groups, formed by splitting the class that attended the lecture-based component.

Students are expected to engage in a structured process of discussion and verification of the knowledge acquired through the assigned readings. They are therefore required to attend class having already read the assigned materials and reflected on what they have learned. More specifically, in interaction with the instructor, their peers, and invited professionals, students will be asked to develop and exercise their critical judgment in the analysis of empirical cases of innovation, distinguishing the roles and logics of action of the various actors operating in the field of local welfare and identifying the potential limitations and challenges associated with different policy measures and instruments.

In detail, the seminar sessions will be organized as follows:

• In-class writing of a brief individual summary (maximum 600 words) of the assigned readings;
• Peer-review assessment of the summaries: each student will evaluate a peer’s work, providing a reasoned assessment of the student's understanding of the text and key concepts, clarity and organization of presentation, and ability to synthesize information;
• Instructor-led discussion aimed at assessing students’ preparation on the assigned readings (graded);
• Individual student presentations and structured class discussions of the assigned readings, according to a predetermined schedule (graded);
• Introduction by the instructor to the readings assigned for the following week.

Each seminar group attends only one seminar session per week. This arrangement provides students with sufficient time to read, study, and further explore the materials provided by the instructor in preparation for the session.

Assessment methods

For attending students:

- At the end of the first part of the course (Lecture section), students will take an oral exam based on the content covered during the lectures and the materials used in class. This exam accounts for 40% of the final grade.

- For the seminar section, each student will be assessed on the following components: class participation, presentation of a selected article or book chapter, and discussion of a text presented by another student. This component also accounts for 40% of the final grade.

Evaluation criteria include: understanding of the text and key concepts, clarity and structure of the presentation, ability to synthesize information, ability to connect with the theoretical part of the course, use of relevant and up-to-date examples to clarify and deepen understanding, and critical thinking skills demonstrated through the formulation of thought-provoking questions for class discussion.

- At the end of the course, the final oral exam will assess students’ knowledge of the texts presented and discussed during the seminar sessions (all articles and chapters selected by students will be included in the exam). The exam will also evaluate the ability to relate these texts to the main concepts and issues addressed in the course, including those covered in the lecture section. This final exam accounts for 20% of the final grade.

Students who do not regularly attend classes will be assessed through an oral examination. They are encouraged to contact the instructors in advance to arrange the exam.

Assessment Criteria for Oral Exams

- 18–21: Basic knowledge of the topic and/or not always accurate; limited argumentative and re-elaboration skills.

- 22–25: Satisfactory knowledge of the topic; fairly solid argumentative and re-elaboration skills.

- 26–29: Good or very good knowledge of the topic; good or very good argumentative and re-elaboration skills.

- 30: Precise knowledge of the topic; excellent argumentative and re-elaboration skills.

- 30 with honors: Precise knowledge of the topic; excellent argumentative and re-elaboration skills; relevant and original personal elaboration of the content.

Teaching tools

Slides and readings uploaded to virtual.unibo.it.

Meetings with experts and practitioners

Office hours

See the website of Nicola De Luigi

See the website of Giulia Ganugi