Democracy and collective action: What are the big issues for public management and policy?
Closing Date: Monday, January 30th 2016
The Canadian Association for Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA) is pleased to announce its fifth annual Research Conference in Public Management and Policy.
What are the big issues for public management and policy in the current context that sees the state and democratic institutions facing disillusionment, criticism and even defection, as emerging forms of collective action are, for many, shifting to the margins of democratic institutions and sometimes offering new alternatives? Given that in the current context of austerity the dominant discourse on the state has become synonymous with disengagement, deregulation and privatization, on the one hand, and increased security and surveillance, on the other, what studies are being undertaken to take stock of the actual situation in different sectors and at different levels of public policy? More importantly, how is public administration confronting the multiple paradoxes and contradictions regarding its role in and impacts on democratic society, its multiple loyalties, accountabilities and relationships with citizens? Considering the fragmentation of public action in such a complex environment, how are the contours and forms of this collective action being redefined? On what bases can we rethink the role attributed to the state in these reconfigurations?
We insist on the importance of going beyond managerial concerns with the effectiveness, efficiency and economy of public organizations, as characterized by the New Public Management (NPM) and of considering the big issues of public administration in relation to the democratic system and how it could be improved. We thus invite proposals related to the impacts of administration and public policy on the improvement of democratic systems; on public responsibility to social values, such as the equitable distribution of public services; on the reconfiguration of the various instruments of collective action and the capacity of administrations to sustain emerging forms that contribute to the common good and encourage citizen participation; and on the collective learning needed to move forward.
This bilingual conference will bring together Canadian and international scholars from a variety of disciplines – public administration, political science, law, history, economics, and sociology, among others – who share an interest in public management and/or public policy analysis. Proposals may be submitted in French or English on any topic pertaining to policy analysis and management in all sectors and encompassing different theoretical and methodological perspectives. We encourage, in particular, submissions that connect to the big issues in public management and policy in democracy, as for example:
What are the big issues for public management and policy in the current context that sees the state and democratic institutions facing disillusionment, criticism and even defection, as emerging forms of collective action are, for many, shifting to the margins of democratic institutions and sometimes offering new alternatives? Given that in the current context of austerity the dominant discourse on the state has become synonymous with disengagement, deregulation and privatization, on the one hand, and increased security and surveillance, on the other, what studies are being undertaken to take stock of the actual situation in different sectors and at different levels of public policy? More importantly, how is public administration confronting the multiple paradoxes and contradictions regarding its role in and impacts on democratic society, its multiple loyalties, accountabilities and relationships with citizens? Considering the fragmentation of public action in such a complex environment, how are the contours and forms of this collective action being redefined? On what bases can we rethink the role attributed to the state in these reconfigurations?
We insist on the importance of going beyond managerial concerns with the effectiveness, efficiency and economy of public organizations, as characterized by the New Public Management (NPM) and of considering the big issues of public administration in relation to the democratic system and how it could be improved. We thus invite proposals related to the impacts of administration and public policy on the improvement of democratic systems; on public responsibility to social values, such as the equitable distribution of public services; on the reconfiguration of the various instruments of collective action and the capacity of administrations to sustain emerging forms that contribute to the common good and encourage citizen participation; and on the collective learning needed to move forward.
This bilingual conference will bring together Canadian and international scholars from a variety of disciplines – public administration, political science, law, history, economics, and sociology, among others – who share an interest in public management and/or public policy analysis. Proposals may be submitted in French or English on any topic pertaining to policy analysis and management in all sectors and encompassing different theoretical and methodological perspectives. We encourage, in particular, submissions that connect to the big issues in public management and policy in democracy, as for example:
The roles of the state and of non-governmental actors in collective action:
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The transformation of systems and institutions
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Different approaches to the above issues in research and education
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Individual or panel submissions welcomed
The program committee encourages the submission of complete panels consisting of three or four individual papers. The panel submissions should bring together similar papers that focus on key subjects of study in public management or policy. One individual will make a formal submission on behalf of the panel. The submission should include a description of the overall theme of the panel and indicate how each of the proposed papers connects to the panel’s theme. Panel proposals should include a panel description (500 words max.), individual abstracts of 250 words for each presentation, and brief bios and contact details for each author.
The program committee also encourages individual proposals based on high-quality theoretical, qualitative or quantitative research. Theoretical papers should provide insight into a compelling public management or policy subject, identify foundational assumptions and key concepts, and result in promising future research. Empirical proposals will be evaluated based on the significance and quality of the research question, design, methods, data, and implications. Individual proposal abstracts should not exceed 250 words in length and be accompanied by a brief author bio and contact information.
All proposals should be submitted in PDF format on the following website: http://enap2016.weebly.com
Be sure to check the CAPPA website at http://cappa.ca/ for information about the association and to find the link to the conference website for regular updates regarding this conference.
For further information:
Isabelle Fortier, Professeure titulaire, ENAP, [email protected]
The program committee encourages the submission of complete panels consisting of three or four individual papers. The panel submissions should bring together similar papers that focus on key subjects of study in public management or policy. One individual will make a formal submission on behalf of the panel. The submission should include a description of the overall theme of the panel and indicate how each of the proposed papers connects to the panel’s theme. Panel proposals should include a panel description (500 words max.), individual abstracts of 250 words for each presentation, and brief bios and contact details for each author.
The program committee also encourages individual proposals based on high-quality theoretical, qualitative or quantitative research. Theoretical papers should provide insight into a compelling public management or policy subject, identify foundational assumptions and key concepts, and result in promising future research. Empirical proposals will be evaluated based on the significance and quality of the research question, design, methods, data, and implications. Individual proposal abstracts should not exceed 250 words in length and be accompanied by a brief author bio and contact information.
All proposals should be submitted in PDF format on the following website: http://enap2016.weebly.com
Be sure to check the CAPPA website at http://cappa.ca/ for information about the association and to find the link to the conference website for regular updates regarding this conference.
For further information:
Isabelle Fortier, Professeure titulaire, ENAP, [email protected]