POAD9134 Democracy and Sustainability

2012

4.5

1 x 50-minute tutorial weekly
1 x 50-minute on-line exercises weekly

POAD9117 has been successfully completed

Master of Public Administration; Graduate Diploma in Public Administration; Graduate Diploma in Asian Governance; Graduate Certificate in Public Policy

The subject gives an explanation of why participation is relevant for design, accountability and representation, in order to address complexity at a local and global level. The process of participatory design engages the participants and is guided by decision making principles to a) enhance accountability and b) to manage diversity and risk. The syllabus goes beyond using 'triple bottom line decisions' and involves representatives of local people who are to be affected in the decision making process in developing indicators of social, cultural, political economic and environmental concerns. The process aims to ensure that ideas are tested out discursively and respectfully so that ' baskets of options', not 'packages of one size fits all' (to use Chambers' well known phrase) are developed. The aim of the discursive design process is to narrow the gap between perceived needs and policy outcomes.

The subject aims to develop public sector policy makers and managers who are able to think critically and systemically through engaging with stakeholders who are to be affected by policy and management decisions. The aim is to understand the potential and pitfalls of user-centric design, participatory governance and democracy. The subject will enhance theoretical and methodological literacy to addresss complex governance challenges and to increase their critical understanding of the potential and pitfalls of policy positions and processes. They will be able to work across sectors and disciplines. The subject will enable the participants to work with diverse stakeholders to explore options to complex design challenges. It is suitable for people working in the social and natural sciences who wish to be able to address so-called complex, wicked policy challenges more effectively.

At the end of the topic the students will be able to apply conceptual and analytical tools to facilitate discursive democracy. They will understand that ' data that is out of context had little meaning and that context that isn't explored isn't transferred, dialogue is the means of exploring context and that space must be created to support dialogue' (Bausch 2007). They will be able to enhance social inclusion by applying. They will have an understanding of how to use and apply socio-cybernetics principles such as the laws of requisite variety, salience, parsimony and engagement to enhance social inclusion. Students will learn to apply the theory to address ways to work across state, market and society to address complex challenges such as poverty, social inclusion and sustainable development.