GV488     
Law and Politics of Regulation

This information is for the 2014/15 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Gordon Baldwin NAB 7.08, Prof Julia Black NAB 7.09, Dr Kira Matus CON 6.10 and Prof Martin Lodge CON 3.08

Availability

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Regulation. This course is not available as an outside option.

Course content

The course aims to give students an essential grounding in theories of regulation encountered in the legal, political science and law and economics literatures. It examines competing explanations of the origins, development and reform of regulation; the styles and processes of regulation; issues surrounding enforcement; the inter-organisational and international aspects of regulation; and questions of evaluation and accountability. Some specific cases will be explored through the medium of an additional practitioner seminar series, which will be led by experienced practitioners invited on a one-off basis. The course focuses on the following key themes: contrasting perspectives on regulation, differences in regulatory styles, dynamics and processes, regulatory standard-setting, regulatory enforcement, evaluating regulation.

Teaching

The course is taught: (a) by 20, two-hour sessions in variable format (some lecture-discussions, student-paper led discussions, debates) comprising the academic core, (b) by nine seminars on 'economics of regulation' and 'research design' in the Michaelmas term and (c) approximately five practitioner seminars, drawing on practitioners from a variety of regulated sectors.

Formative coursework

All students are expected to produce three written essays.

Indicative reading

R Baldwin, M Cave and M Lodge Understanding Regulation (2012); M Moran, The British Regulatory State (2003); A Ogus, Regulation (2004); R Baldwin & C McCrudden, Regulation and Public Law (1987); C Hood, H Rothstein & R Baldwin, The Government of Risk (2001); R Baldwin, Rules and Government (1994); J Black, M Lodge and M Thatcher, Regulatory Innovation, (2005), C Sunstein, Risk and Reason (2002), R. Baldwin, M. Cave and M.Lodge Oxford Handbook of Regulation (2010), M Lodge and K Wegrich, Managing Regulation (2012), D. Carpenter and D. Moss, Preventing Regulatory Capture (2013).

Assessment

Exam (75%, duration: 3 hours) in the main exam period.
Essay (25%) in the ST.

The examination will involve answering three questions out of twelve.

Student performance results

(2010/11 - 2012/13 combined)

Classification % of students
Distinction 7.1
Merit 66.1
Pass 21.4
Fail 5.4

Key facts

Department: Government

Total students 2013/14: 33

Average class size 2013/14: 16

Controlled access 2013/14: No

Lecture capture used 2013/14: No

Value: One Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Specialist skills

Course survey results

(2010/11 - 2012/13 combined)

1 = "best" score, 5 = "worst" score

The scores below are average responses.

Response rate: 93.3%

Question

Average
response

Reading list (Q2.1)

1.6

Materials (Q2.3)

1.6

Course satisfied (Q2.4)

1.7

Lectures (Q2.5)

1.7

Integration (Q2.6)

1.7

Contact (Q2.7)

1.9

Feedback (Q2.8)

2

Recommend (Q2.9)

Yes

75.4%

Maybe

24.6%

No

0%