Course Details in 2024/25 Session

Module Title	LM Public Sector Reform
School	Government
Department	International Development
Module Code	08 30294
Module Lead	Sameen A. Mohsin Ali
Level	Masters Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 2
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Exclusions
Description	The module has three components: Public Sector Reform (including civil service reform). This component will take as its starting point a discussion of the purpose of the public sector and the critique of universalist approaches to governance and reform, and emphasise a more balanced approach to make reform more effective. Public Service Reform, including changing forms of delivery. This component would take as its starting point critiques of New Public Management and focus on alternative approaches to and strategies for reform, with a particular emphasis on the factors influencing the success and failure of reforms in particular contexts. Decentralization Reforms (including territorial reform, functional decentralisation, fiscal reform and decentralised finance). This component will explore international the advantages and disadvantages of decentralisation, and study the variations in the relationship between decentralized governance, fiscal and functional decentralization across different contexts. The module will conclude with discussions aimed at identifying and analysing commonalities and inter-connections between the three different field of reform and the issues arising from these. The geographical coverage will be wide, focusing on countries from the Global South and the Global North, and encouraging students to draw on their own country contexts.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Critically analyse the role of the public sector, and the potential benefits and problems associated with Public Sector Reform in countries around the world Demonstrate engagement with themes and debates in the literature on public sector reform Develop an understanding of different approaches to political and fiscal decentralisation across country contexts Evaluate different strategies for reform in the Global North and the Global South
Assessment	30294-01 : Assignment 1 - 2500 words : Coursework (50%) 30294-02 : Assignment 2 - 2500 words : Coursework (50%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessments Summative essay 4000 words (100%) Reassessments Resubmission of failed assignment
Other
Reading List