OVERVIEW

The course offers a critical view of the theoretical, epistemological and methodological assumptions of public policy analysis. The course embraces a perspective that assumes policies as problem solving activities and, in this sense, will critically discuss the interaction between power and knowledge within decision making processes and their role as mechanisms of policy change.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After introducing the concept of public policy and its main stages, the course will focus on policy design. Particular attention will be devoted to the analysis of the decision-making dilemmas associated with the objectives of policy effectiveness, efficiency, and feasibility. The course provides a comprehensive overview of the epistemological debate on policy evaluation, discussing both positivist approaches and the realist perspective. In this regard, the course aims to develop an understanding of counterfactual logic, its limitations, and its application in the policymaking process.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course students will have:

1) An in-depth knowledge of the main concepts of public policy analysis

2) Awareness of the criticalities of the policy tools with respect to the achievement of the objectives

3) Ability to reconstruct and analyze a policy process

4) Awareness of the main problems related to the use of knowledge in policies and its impacts

PREREQUISITES

Knowledge of the basics of Microeconomics, Sociology and Political Science.

Awareness and interest for politica, social and economic affairs.

TEACHING METHODS

The course will be held IN PERSON, and it alternates lectures with seminars. The active participation of students is a characterizing element and, compatibly with the number of participants, students will be asked to present and discuss original case studies.

If necessary the course will be held on the dedicated TEAMS platform. Students can join using this code:

nkbk2gy

AULAWEB is the repository for readings and the main channel of communications to students.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course is organised into four Didactic Units (UD):

UD1 – Policy analysis: Basic concepts

UD2 – Policy Design

UD3 – Policy Evaluation: Frameworks, Instruments and Critical issues

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Attending students

Mandatory readings will be assigned at the beginning of the course and made available on AulaWeb.

Non attending students

E. Melloni, Strategie di implementazione. Affrontare l'incertezza delle politiche pubbliche con la valutazione, Mondadori, Milano, 2025.

Busetti S. e Dente B. (2018) EXPOst. Le conseguenze di un grande evento, il Mulino, Bologna.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARCO DI GIULIO (President)

GIAMPIERO CAMA

FABRIZIO COTICCHIA

LESSONS

LESSONS START

14 September 2026

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

For the students who regularly attended the course the exam will be written. Details will be given during the course.

The exam for NON attending students will be taken orally and it will be based on the contents of the indicated textbooks.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For the students who regularly attended the course the exam will be written. Details will be given during the course.

The exam for NON attending students will be taken orally and it will be based on the contents of the indicated textbooks.

FURTHER INFORMATION

To request compensatory tools or dispensatory measures, students with disabilities or SLD must fill in the dedicated Webform available at https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa, at least 7 working days before the exam.
Students with SEN may instead send their request by e-mail to the lecturer, copying the Department Representative, Prof. Aristide Canepa (aristide.canepa@unige.it) and the Inclusion Office (inclusione.studenti@info.unige.it).
Requests from students will be assessed by the lecturer and may be approved or rejected