Master 2025/2026

Foundations of Public Policy

Type: Compulsory course (Politics. Economics. Philosophy)

Delivered by: School of Politics and Governance

Where: Faculty of Social Sciences

When: 1 year, 2, 3 module

Open to: students of all HSE University campuses

Instructors: Ksenia Gerasimova, Artem Uldanov

Language: English

ECTS credits: 6

Contact hours: 48

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course introduces students to the field of public policy. During the course, the major public policy theories are taught to students, namely: Policy Cycle Theory, Advocacy Coalition Framework, Multiple Streams Approach, Punctuated Equilibrium framework, Neo-Institutionalism, Policy Narratives Framework, Policy Capacity Framework and Policy Transfer Theory. Students will not only learn about the theories but also try to apply them to different policymaking issues. Thereby, students are supposed to answer questions such as: What factors may explain policy change? What leads to the failure of policy? Which theories are applicable in which socio-political contexts?The course is aimed at providing students with a proper understanding of the foundations of policy processes in diverse sets of conditions and letting them know how the theories are explaining certain features and outcomes of policymaking.

Learning Objectives

• The objectives of this course are to: Introduce students to what public policy is; Introduce students to theories and frameworks used in public policy; Provide students with the necessary skills to apply public policy theories to current issues in public policy.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Know and understand the Advocay Coalition Framework and be able to apply it
• Know and understand the concept of policy learning and policy transfer theory and be able to apply them
• Know and understand the Mulitple Streams Framework and be able to apply it
• Know and understand the Policy Capacity Framework and be able to apply it
• Know and understand the Policy Cycle Theory and be able to apply it
• Know and understand the Policy Narratives Framework, the concept of framing and discourse, and be able to apply them
• Know and understand the Punctuated Equilibrium Theory and be able to apply it
• Know and understand the three different forms of neo-institutionalism (historical institutionalism, sociological institutionalism and behavioural institutionalism) and be able to apply them
• Know different definitions of public policy, know the differences between policy, politics and polity
• Understand the opportunities and challenges of technocratic policymaking in hybrid regimes

Course Contents

• Introduction to public policy
• Policy Cycle Theory
• The Advocacy Coalition Framework
• The Multiple Streams Framework
• Policy Narratives Framework, framing, policy discourse
• Neo-Institutionalism
• The Punctuated Equilibrium Theory
• Public Policy in Russia
• Policy learning and policy transfer
• Policy Capacity Framework

Assessment Elements

• Individual presentation
  For this task you need to prepare a short but focused presentation on the public policy theory which we studied previous class and give your own suggestions how it could be applied using an example
• Participation in class
  How active the student is during the seminars and how capable he or she is in terms of preparedness for the discussions in class
• Mini-test in class
  3 questions (different test variants) related to the key public policy theories that we've been studying during the course.
• Group project
  There will be 5 cases, one for each of the groups. The assignment requires the student to analyze the case, applying the theoretical knowledge acquired during the course to specify the issue, highlight its reasons and formulate meaningful solutions

Interim Assessment

• 2025/2026 3rd module
  0.25 * Group project + 0.2 * Individual presentation + 0.4 * Mini-test in class + 0.15 * Participation in class

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Araral, E. (2013). Routledge Handbook of Public Policy. New York: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=513571
• Dolowitz, D. P., & Marsh, D. (2000). Learning from Abroad: The Role of Policy Transfer in Contemporary Policy-Making. Governance, 13(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.1111/0952-1895.00121
• Gel’man, V. V. (DE-588)1147609624, (DE-576)495891827, aut. (2018). The technocratic traps of post-Soviet reforms : politics versus policy / Vladimir Gel’man, European University at St. Petersburg; University of Helsinki ; PONARS Eurasia - New Approaches to Research and Security in Eurasia. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.500389802
• Hall, P., & Taylor, R. (1996). Political Science and the Three New Institutionalisms. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.45428ED0
• Weible, C. M., & Sabatier, P. A. (2017). Theories of the Policy Process (Vol. Fourth edition). Boulder, CO: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1451128
• Wu, X., Ramesh, M., & Howlett, M. (2015). Policy capacity: A conceptual framework for understanding policy competences and capabilities. Policy & Society, 34(3/4), 165–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polsoc.2015.09.001

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Albright, E. A. (2011). Policy Change and Learning in Response to Extreme Flood Events in Hungary: An Advocacy Coalition Approach. Policy Studies Journal, 39(3), 485–511. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1541-0072.2011.00418.x
• Baumgartner, F. R., & Jones, B. D. (1991). Agenda Dynamics and Policy Subsystems. Journal of Politics, 53(4), 1044–1074. https://doi.org/10.2307/2131866
• Claire A. Dunlop, & Claudio M. Radaelli. (2013). Systematising Policy Learning: From Monolith to Dimensions. Political Studies, (3), 599. https://doi.org/10.1111/post.2013.61.issue-3
• Dunlop, C. A., & Radaelli, C. M. (2018). Does Policy Learning Meet the Standards of an Analytical Framework of the Policy Process? ; Policy Learning Framework. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.19EE1EDD
• Gel’man, V., & Starodubtsev, A. (2016). Opportunities and Constraints of Authoritarian Modernisation: Russian Policy Reforms in the 2000s. Europe-Asia Studies, 68(1), 97–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136.2015.1113232
• Howlett, M., McConnell, A., & Perl, A. (2017). Moving Policy Theory Forward: Connecting Multiple Stream and Advocacy Coalition Frameworks to Policy Cycle Models of Analysis. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 76(1), 65–79. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8500.12191
• Kay, A. (2015). A Critique of the Use of Path Dependency in Policy Studies. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.45B17789
• Kingdon, J. W. (2013). Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies, Update Edition, with an Epilogue on Health Care: Pearson New International Edition (Vol. Second edition). Harlow, United Kingdom: Pearson. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1418568
• NGOs and the policy-making process in Russia: The case of child welfare reform. (2018). https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12366
• Robert M. Entman. (1993). Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.28A41BC
• Sabatier, P. A. (1988). An advocacy coalition framework of policy change and the role of policy-oriented learning therein. Policy Sciences, 21(2–4), 129–168. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00136406
• Weible, C. M., Sabatier, P. A., Jenkins-Smith, H. C., Nohrstedt, D., Henry, A. D., & deLeon, P. (2011). A Quarter Century of the Advocacy Coalition Framework: An Introduction to the Special Issue. Policy Studies Journal, 39(3), 349–360. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1541-0072.2011.00412.x

Authors

• GERASIMOVA KSENIYA LEONIDOVNA
• ULDANOV ARTEM ALEKSANDROVICH