Good Governance in Illiberal Times

Course goals

After this course, students:

• have knowledge of recent developments in illiberal democracy and its challenges for good governance, based on state-of-the-art literature on governance within illiberalizing democracies;
• are able to reflect normatively on these challenges and on their own positionality;
• have an overview of leading  initiatives to strengthen or safeguard good governance in illiberal times;
• are able to develop and reflect on  a defendable strategic course of action for public sector organizations in an illiberalizing context

Content

Since the last world war, democracies in Europe and the Anglo-Saxon world have been governed by political parties more or less accepting the key features of liberal democracy (although the past should by no means be idealised). This created relatively stable conditions for those working in the public sector, such as civil servants, policy advisors or public professionals, in which they could contribute to ‘good’ governance.

Since the last millennial turn, however, new parties and politicians challenge key aspects of good governance in liberal democracies. Political debates and processes have become more heated and more polarised. Decision-makers and the general public have less trust in the expertise, knowledge and autonomy of public professionals. On a global scale we see liberal democracies transform into (more) illiberal democracies. Cornerstones of liberal democracy, such as the rule of law, checks and balances, the protection against the state and a free public sphere (while never ideal in practice) are challenged or under attack by authoritarian politics. As a consequence, the political conditions within which civil servants, policy advisors and publicly funded public sector organizations work is changing. On an individual level it simply becomes much harder and more easily contested to work on public issues. On a systemic level the cornerstones of what was considered as good governance in liberal democracies are challenged or even under attack.

The course focuses on what illiberal tendencies mean for individuals and organisations involved in the public sector and explores meaningful strategies for ‘good’ governance for public sector actors such as civil servants, policy advisors and societal organisations involved in public policies.

The central question we address in this course is how to realize ‘good’ governance in illiberal times. We do so in two blocks. In the first block, we explore the nature and implications of the new political realities for public governance on the basis of academic literature and guest lecturers from scholars with experience in illiberal democracies, such as central and eastern Europe, Brazil and USA. We will also reflect normatively on these developments and on our own political positionality. In a context with more polarisation we – teachers and students – are not immune to such tendencies. The first block of the course will focus on understanding the nature and implications of illiberal democracies on the rise. We will discuss developments towards illiberal democracy around the globe and explore its key aspects, aiming to increase factual knowledge, and offer conceptual tools for analysis and normative reflection. This part culminates in an individual essay exam, assessing you on your overall knowledge of developments towards illiberal democracy, its implications for ‘good’ governance and your ability to normatively reflect thereon. 

In the second block, we will explore promising prospects that have been identified in practice and academic research to safeguard ‘good’ governance in more heated conditions. We centrally focus on how public sector professionals can navigate the rapidly changing political context, where issues can easily become politicised, autonomy and expertise are contested, and some of the important safeguards against central state powers give way. How can policy actors such as public organisations, civil servants and civil society actors effectively respond to these challenges? How can they govern ‘well’ amidst illiberal pressure?

We will explore several concrete avenues with which ‘good’ governance may be realised in illiberal times, based on state-of-the-art research. One of these avenues is codification: codifying and strengthening the norms for good governance in the public domain. Another avenue is professionalization: strengthening the position and responsibilities of public sector professionals in implementing policies. A third avenue revolves around participation, aiming to involve those who are affected by policies more explicitly in how they are delivered and governed. A fourth avenue is strengthening the checks and balances in democracies which serve as the guardrails which are crucial to ensure that policies are not only democratic but can also work well and be protective of individual citizens.

In the second block of the course, these potential avenues for good governance in illiberal times will be presented and critically discussed, drawing also on guest lecturers serving as ‘advocates’ of these avenues. In this second block you will in groups develop a case strategy proposal, in which you zoom in on a specific public sector organisation, or a specific role holder, facing illiberalising tendencies, and reflect and strategise on a course of action. These assignments are presented in a closing symposium with case presentations and facilitated group deliberation, assessing you on your ability to reflectively apply theories on safeguarding good governance within a critical policy context, and translate your reflections into a clear strategy.

Note for exchange students
Resits may be scheduled after the end of the teaching period. Please consider this when planning your departure from the Netherlands.
If in doubt, please ask the course coordinator when the resit is scheduled.