00888 - Administration Science

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student: understands the basic theoretical and analytical tools to comprehend and interpret the evolutionary stages of Italian public administrations, viewed both as complex organizations and as key actors in public policy-making and contemporary political systems; is able to examine the main structural and operational features of bureaucracies across different sectors and territorial levels, as well as the most recent reform measures.

Course contents

The course aims to provide students with conceptual and analytical tools for studying public administrations in Italy. The approach adopted prioritizes the perspective of political science of administration, while also integrating insights from other disciplines that have contributed to understanding administrative phenomena—first and foremost, organizational theory.
Through a rigorous yet necessarily selective pathway, the course topics will allow students to acquire a solid understanding of how contemporary public administrations function, as well as their paths of change, particularly in light of the intense reform period that began in the 1990s.
The course is divided into two modules. The first introduces analytical tools for the general study of public administrations, presenting models and interpretative perspectives with examples from the Italian context. The second focuses on the Italian public administration, analyzing its main developments, recent reforms, and the functioning of key sectors (Ministries, Regions, Local Governments, National Health Service), with empirical case studies and seminar-based activities.

Readings/Bibliography

Bolgherini S. (2014), Can Austerity Lead to Recentralisation? Italian Local Government during the Economic Crisis, in “South European Society & Politics”, Vol. 19. No. 1, pp: 193-214.

Lippi A (2011), Evaluating the ‘Quasi Federalist’ Programme of Decentralization in Italy since the 1990s: A Side-effect Approach, in “Local Government Studies”, Vol. 37, No. 5, pp: 495-516.

Peters B. Guy and Jon Pierre (2007), Handbook of Public Administration, Los Angeles, Sage: Introduction and Chapters 1, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 38, 47.

Teaching methods

The course follows a traditional lecture format, supported by PowerPoint slides which will be made available on the Virtuale platform. These slides facilitate comprehension of the required texts by providing further integration and insights.
The main objective is to equip students with foundational knowledge of administrative science and the concrete functioning of public administrations in Italy. For this purpose, case studies will be proposed and discussed in the second module. Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

Evaluation will be based on the student’s ability to: a) appropriately use the acquired theoretical and methodological tools; b) employ scientifically accurate language to analyze features and reform processes of public administrations; c) establish accurate connections between the various topics in the syllabus.
The syllabus is the same for all students, but exam methods vary based on attendance.

ATTENDING STUDENTS
Attendance will be recorded via signature and recognized if at least 70% of the lessons are attended. Assessment is through two written partial exams, one at the end of each module, each consisting of three open-ended questions. Each partial exam contributes 50% to the final grade, which is the average of the two scores. An optional oral exam is available for students who are not satisfied with their average grade. Students who take (and pass) only one partial must complete their assessment with an oral exam on the remaining part of the syllabus (make-up tests are not available). More detailed information about the partial exams will be provided at the beginning of the course.

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
Assessment will be conducted through an oral exam covering the entire syllabus (including all required readings listed in the bibliography).

Teaching tools

PowerPoint slides, multimedia materials, case studies, thematic seminars.

Office hours

See the website of Brunetta Baldi