Democracy, Governance and Participation

Introduction

The aim of this module is for students to develop a strong understanding of how the governance and organization of public services is influenced by the nature of the overall governmental system in which they operate, e.g. representative democracy. During this module you will explore new forms of participation and models of government, both traditional and emerging, and the challenges that are changing societies around the world, and how these are influencing the organization and governance of public services. You will study new forms of participation and citizen engagement, and the comparative effectiveness of these different models.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module you should be able to:

• Explain the theories which underpin representative democracy and traditional patterns of participation.
• Analyse the impact of different forms of governance on citizen-state relations.
• Identify new and emergent ways of delivering public services and engaging citizens in the governance of these services and the changing relationship between the citizen and the state.
• Understand different techniques for engaging citizens and appropriate times and ways to use these.
• Identify new and emergent forms of participation.

More information:

• Distance Learning Masters in Public Administration (MPA)