Making Government Work Better

FYSEMR 75D Subject & Catalog Number

Description

Why do some governments work - and others don't?

Why can some countries collect taxes, run schools and hospitals, and respond to crises, while others struggle to deliver even basic services? And why are people in places like the United States increasingly worried about whether their own government can still do these things well?

This seminar is an invitation to explore those questions. We’ll focus on one big idea: state capacity (the ability of governments to turn decisions into real-world outcomes), why that capacity sometimes breaks down, and how it can be rebuilt. We’ll explore how effective governments are built over time through conflict, leadership, and pressure from citizens and interest groups. Along the way, we’ll look at real-world cases—from wealthy settings to low- and middle-income countries—where governments have succeeded (or failed) to deliver essential services like health care and education.

Rather than surveying everything in political science, this seminar focuses on a single, powerful idea: what it takes for governments to work in practice. Drawing on insights from politics, history, and economics, we’ll ask what makes institutions effective, where they fall short, and what can be done to improve them. Classes will be highly interactive, featuring active discussions, experiential learning (including a field visit and a film night) and case-based exercises where we analyze real policy challenges and consider how governments could respond.