Formation/Cours

This course introduces students to the changing ways in which we govern ourselves as a society. The past fifty years have seen the development of new social theories that have led us to view the world differently. At the same time, the world has indeed changed. New forms of political cooperation and coordination have emerged, with civil society, businesses, and even individuals increasingly involved alongside the state in steering society. The emergence of regional institutions, like the European Union, with its own jurisdictions and processes, have added a multi-level dimension. Furthermore, an ever-increasing number of international organizations and fora provide a global framework for action and cooperation. Accordingly, scholars have moved beyond the traditional understanding of the state (government) and are increasingly looking at the role of all these new forces in governing the collective (governance).

The objective of this course is to make sense of these evolutions, both in terms of theory and in practice, so that students understand the various governance systems steering the collective, both locally and globally. Accordingly, the course is broken down into three units: (1) From government to governance, (2) Multilevel governance, and (3) Global governance. By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Analyze the theoretical underpinnings of governance


• Identify and understand the roles of various actors in contemporary governance (states, civil society, businesses, individuals, regional & global institutions)


• Critically evaluate different models of governance across local, national, and global levels


• Apply acquired knowledge to analyze current challenges and propose solutions in various policy domains

Part 1: From government to governance

Session 1: Class overview and introduction

Session 2: Understanding the state

Session 3: Rethinking the state

Session 4: Reforming the state and the emergence of public governance

Part 2: Multilevel governance

Session 5: Intergovernmentalism and supranationalism

Session 6: Multilevel governance in Europe

Session 7: Multilevel governance (continued)

Part 3: Global Governance

Session 8: Our Global Neighbourhood: the origins of global governance

Session 9: Who governs the global commons?

Session 10: Global Climate Governance

Session 11: Case study presentations

Session 12: Case study presentations and wrap-up (other topics as needed)