GV4K8 Half Unit
Global Public Policy
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Prof Mathias Koenig-archibugi
Availability
This course is available on the MSc in Political Science (Global Politics) and MSc in Public Policy and Administration. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
How to apply: to apply for a place on this course, please write a short statement of 200 words (max) outlining the specific reasons for applying and how the course will benefit your academic/career goals. Priority will be given to students on the programmes listed in the ‘availability’ section of the course guide. You should check that you meet any pre-requisites in the course guide before applying (where applicable). Places on capped courses cannot be guaranteed.
Deadline for application: The deadline for applications is 12:00 noon on Friday 26 September 2025. You can expect to be informed of the outcome of your application by 12:00 noon on Monday 29 September 2025. Any places remaining after this date will be allocated based on priority and written statement - up until course selection closes.
For queries contact: gov.msc@lse.ac.uk
All students are required to obtain permission from the Teacher Responsible by completing the Student Statement box on the online application form linked to course selection on LSE for You. The course is capped at one seminar group and admission is not guaranteed.
Course content
The course examines the process and outcomes of policy-making at the global level. Students can choose an area of specialization from a range of global policy issues, with a focus on those addressed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. Examples of policy areas covered in the course are environmental governance, with a focus on the protection of forests; global health governance, with a focus on tackling communicable diseases; the promotion of workers' rights in the global economy; the elimination of gender-based discrimination and violence; and the fight against tax avoidance and illicit financial flows. The course considers a range of modes of policy-making, from classic intergovernmental cooperation to novel forms of governance beyond the state such as transgovernmental networks, multistakeholder initiatives, and regulation by non-state actors. The sessions cover the following topics: 1. What are “global”, “public” and “policy”? Does global public policy exist? 2. Who are the targets of global public policy and what are their interests? 3. How to assess the performance of global public policy: output criteria. 4. How to assess the performance of global public policy: input and throughput criteria. 5. Which types and combinations of actors develop global public policies and how does it matter? 6. How are global “problems” framed and interpreted, and how does this affect their solution? 7. Do the delegation of authority and the legalization of global public policy affect its outcomes? 8. What role does deliberation and experimentation play in global policy initiatives? 9. What are the consequences of fragmentation and competition in the overall architecture of global public policy? 10. What are the prospects for building a global polity?
Teaching
10 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the Winter Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.
Formative assessment
Presentation
Essay (2000 words) in Winter Term Week 9
Students will be expected to produce 1 essay and 1 presentation in the WT.
Indicative reading
Koenig-Archibugi, M. (2002) ‘Mapping Global Governance’, in D. Held and A. McGrew (eds) Governing Globalisation. Polity Press.
Koenig-Archibugi, M. (2010) Understanding the Global Dimensions of Policy, Global Policy, Vol. 1(1): 16-28.
Mitchell, R. B. (2008), 'Evaluating the Performance of Environmental Institutions: What to Evaluate and How to Evaluate It?', in O. R. Young, et al. (eds), Institutions and Environmental Change: Principal Findings, Applications, and Research Frontiers. MIT Press.
Montanaro, L. (2012). The democratic legitimacy of self-appointed representatives. The Journal of Politics, 74(4), 1094-1107.
Peinhardt, C. and Sandler, T. (2015) Transnational Cooperation: An Issue-Based Approach. Oxford University Press.
Shiffman, J., & Shawar, Y. R. (2022). Framing and the formation of global health priorities. The Lancet, 399(10339), 1977-1990.
Wilson, K. (2015). Towards a radical re‐appropriation: Gender, development and neoliberal feminism. Development and change, 46(4), 803-832.
Abbott, K., & Snidal, D. (2009). The governance triangle: Regulatory standards institutions and the shadow of the state. In W. Mattli and N. Woods (eds) The Politics of Global Regulation. Princeton University Press.
De Búrca, G. (2017). Human rights experimentalism. American Journal of International Law, 111(2), 277-316.
Assessment
Essay (100%, 4000 words) in Spring Term Week 3
Key facts
Department: Government
Course Study Period: Winter Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Keywords: Political Science, Global Policy, Public Policy
Total students 2024/25: 15
Average class size 2024/25: 15
Controlled access 2024/25: YesCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Application of information skills
- Communication