1 / 18

Challenges of Modern Governance

Challenges of Modern Governance. Political Science 342 Douglas Brown January 2008. Three converging challenges. Globalization Political Culture Changes New Public Management. Challenges to…. The role of the state How society defines itself

kirk-underwood
Download Presentation

Challenges of Modern Governance

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Challenges of Modern Governance Political Science 342 Douglas Brown January 2008

  2. Three converging challenges • Globalization • Political Culture Changes • New Public Management

  3. Challenges to… • The role of the state • How society defines itself • Thinking about politics as the interaction of state and society

  4. Globalization • Both a new and an old phenomenon • Has economic, political and cultural aspects • There’s a problem separating rhetoric from reality • Is Canada uniquely exposed to globalization ?

  5. Defining Globalization • Not new but intensifying… • Internationalization • Liberalization • Universalization • Westernization • What is new (or was new in the 1990s)… • “Deep integration” of markets • External influence on all aspects of domestic policy

  6. Economic globalization • Increasing international trade in goods and services, increasing direct foreign investment • Globally integrated production by transnational corporations • Global capital market of much greater size and speed • All of the above contribute to much greater private and public sector competition, in even the smallest of firms and markets

  7. Globalization – Political and Cultural Aspects • Intensifying of international governance • WTO, regional trade agreements • United Nations agencies • Human rights movement • Environmental agreements • Global markets for cultural products/ global diffusion of cultural and social trends • In reaction: “Global Civil Society” and the anti-globalization movement

  8. Rhetoric versus Reality • How much is it neo-liberal ideology versus actual facts on the ground ? • Globalization can be a form of determinism -- “end-of-ideology” • Not the same intensity or impact everywhere • Especially strong in Anglo world • Resisted in Russia, Africa, Islamic countries, Latin America

  9. Canada and Globalization • Strong exposure: • Anglo culture • North American setting • trading nation • Cause and effect: sorting out continental from global • Social impacts: income polarization, de-industrialization?

  10. Political Culture changes • Post-material values • Politics of identity and “recognition” • The “rights” revolution • Decline of deference • Discontent with representative politics

  11. Post-material values • Placing value on equality, recognition (of identity), environment, rights • Less emphasis on “bread and butter” concerns • Stronger in those born after the 1960s, those with more education, and with new Canadians

  12. Politics of Identity and Recognition • Differences matter, universalism not enough • Feminism, sexual revolution, immigration, post-colonialism -- all contributing effects • The state should reflect and encourage diversity, which can mean different treatment for different people • But diverse treatment can provoke a conservative backlash

  13. Canadian Identity Politics • Quebec nationalism • Aboriginal rights • Multiculturalism • Womens’ movement • Rights of disabled • Gay, Lesbian and other sexual orientation identification

  14. Other political culture changes • Decline of deference….distrust of elite accommodation, desire for more diverse and more direct representation, more open, accountable and participatory government

  15. New Public Management • Reaction to fiscal crisis • Reaction to bureaucratic excess • International trend with three main goals: • Greater strategic oversight of government by elected officials • More accountability for what is done in government, according to pre-set objectives • More competition in the provision of public goods and services

  16. Examples of NPM…1 • “Steering, not rowing” in terms of overall approach • Devolution & deregulation of operations • Managerial contracts • Results-based accountability • Performance measurement • Program review and expenditure restraint

  17. Examples of NPM …2 • Special Operating Agencies • Out-sourcing • Commercialization and privatization • Internal markets • Partnerships

  18. Conclusions • Three trends: globalization, political culture, new public management • Some convergence in root causes (e.g. forms of liberal ideas) • Definite similarities in how the ideas are spread and their impact on Canada • All three at once: present a significant challenge to policy-makers

More Related