Course

Read about the Master Programme and find the Study Regulations at ruc.dk

You register for activities through stads selvbetjening during the announced registration period, which you can see on the Study administration homepage.

When registering for courses, please be aware of the potential conflicts and overlaps between course and exam time and dates. The planning of course activities at Roskilde University is based on the recommended study programmes, which should not overlap. However, if you choose optional courses and/or study plans that goes beyond the recommended study programmes, an overlap of lectures or exam dates may occur depending on which courses you choose.

This course focuses on international policy and how it is affected by international politics and governance. While International policy analysis presents certain similarities to that at the state level, it differs significantly. This course aims to provide a deep understanding of the rationale of international policy analysis and on how we can combine international relations and international public administration theories in this endeavor. International Policy Analysis focuses on the policy processes that are characterized by cooperation, negotiation, and/or conflicts involving various actors during the different phases of the policy cycle.

The international policy processes differ among policy areas and across governance levels (e.g. local, national, regional and international). The course provides theoretical knowledge on how policy is designed, decided, implemented, and evaluated in order to address international policy problems.

To enable the students to understand how international policy making occurs, the course provides empirical knowledge on specific policy areas (e.g. environmental or foreign policy) related to current events and policy initiatives (e.g. United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Strategy). The course focuses on policy instruments and how they differ across policy areas: From policy areas characterized by binding rules and sanctions to policy areas that are based on soft law and guidelines.

Policy areas include social policies, labor policy, pension, climate change and environment, Health and Food as well as foreign and security policies. Important overarching questions include: How do we define an international policy problem? Why and when do we need international policy solutions? What are the benefits and limits of the policy cycle framework in international policy analysis? Who are the actors and institutions involved in the different phases of the policy cycle? How these actors operate at different levels in selected policy areas? Which institutions operate at different levels in selected policy areas with which mandates and competences? How does their influence differ across countries and regions, and why?

Teaching consists primarily of lectures and continuous interaction and discussions with the students on a specific policy area. Each lecture concentrates usually on one policy area and introduces a relevant theoretical perspective depending on the type of policy area.

This course focuses on international policy-making and how it is affected by international and national politics and governance. While International policy analysis presents certain similarities to that at the state level, it differs significantly. Why so? To answer this core question, this course aims to provide a deep understanding of the rationale behind international policy-making ,combining international relations and public administration theories in this endeavor. International Policy Analysis focuses on policy processes often characterized by cooperation, negotiations, and/or conflicts involving various actors during the different phases of the policy cycle. International policy processes differ across policy areas and across governance levels (e.g., local, national, regional and international). The course provides theoretical grounding on how policy is designed, decided, implemented, and evaluated in order to address international policy challenges.

In addition, the course equips students with a thorough understanding of how international policy making occurs by providing empirical knowledge on specific policy areas (e.g., environmental or foreign policy) in relation to current events and policy initiatives (e.g. the 17 Goals of the United Nations Sustainable Development Strategy). The course focuses on policy instruments and how these differ across policy areas: From policy areas characterized by binding rules and sanctions to policy areas based on soft law and guidelines. Policy areas covered may include, for instance, social policy, labor policy, corporate taxation, pensions, climate change and environment, health and food, migration, as well as foreign and security policies.

Important overarching questions include: How do we define an international policy problem? Why and when do we need international policy solutions? What are the benefits and limits of the policy cycle framework in international policy analysis? Who are the public and private actors and institutions involved in the different phases of the policy cycle? How do diverse actors operate at different levels in selected policy areas? Which institutions operate at different levels in selected policy areas and with which mandates and competences? How does their influence differ across countries and regions, and why?

The course starts with three classes on theoretical approaches and methods of policy analysis. The remaining nine classes deal with one policy field each (e.g. taxation, migration, climate, ..).

Teaching consists primarily of lectures and continuous interaction and discussions between lecturers and students on a specific policy area. In general, each of the empirical lectures concentrates on one policy area and introduces a relevant theoretical perspective depending on the type of policy area.

Class teaching Class teaching is based on lectures by the teacher and the critical discussion of the compulsory literature. The following activities can take place during classes:

In-class exercises In connection with weekly lectures, in-class exercises will take place. The exercises can be individual, in pairs or groups. The primary purpose of the exercises is for students to have the opportunity to put their own knowledge into play, to collaborate with fellow students on the topics of each lecture, and to practice the skills specified in the assessment criteria (see above). The exercises can have a product, in the form of ideas submitted to the online platform Padlet or a short oral presentation, for instance.

Plenary discussions Plenary discussions on relevant issues from lectures and literatures take place to give students the opportunity to debate and consolidate knowledge on each topic.

The pensum consists of the entire mandatory course literature and is specified on the Moodle page for this course.

The following two textbooks are foundational for the course:

KNILL, C. & TOSUN, J. 2012. Public policy: a new introduction, New York, Palgrave Macmillan. PETERS, Guy B. (2013) Strategies for comparative research in political science, Basingstoke: Macmillan

Expected work effort 10 ECTS, equivalent to about 270 work hours, of which 25 hours for participation classes, 185 hours for reading the course literature, and 60 hours for exam preparation and exam participation.

A mid-term evaluation will take place in class, with a view to adadpting the remainder of the course in response to student feedback, where feasible.

The course programme will be made available onthe Moodle page by the beginning of the course.

• To identify, analyse, and discuss international policy problems.

• To select and apply key theories and methodologies in policy analysis.

• To identify and explain differences in policies, policy processes, and policy instruments across policy areas and governance levels.

• To disseminate policy analysis to the academic world and practitioners.

Individual oral exam with time for preparation. Time for preparation including time to choose a question by drawing lots: 30 minutes. Time allowed for exam including time used for assessment: 30 minutes. Grading is based on the Danish grading scale, which consists of seven grades.

Assessment criteria (4) Students will be assessed on their ability to 1. Unfold and assess the various dimensions of international policy problems 2. Develop and describe alternative solutions to solve policy challenges, for instance, diplomatic discussions, international agreements, sanctions, etc. 3.Compare and evaluate the feasibility, or lack thereof, of policy solutions and the necessary resources and policy tools. 4. Apply methods of policy analysis covered in the course, such as methods of comparative case study, to international policy problems.

Students should make use of the mandatory course readings in their answers.

During the exam, students are allowed to use only notes they made during the preparation.

Students are informed about their grade and receive oral summative feedback right after the exam.