Gain a multi-disciplinary understanding of trust in and between societal actors in multi-level public governance
Description
Master the ins and outs of trust and public governance from a multi-level perspective. Drawing on high-level scientific expertise from five disciplines (political science, communication science, law, behavioural economics and public administration), you gain a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics, causes and effects of trust in and between societal actors in multi-level public governance.
Target group: Master students, PhD students, senior (postdoctoral) researchers, practitioners and policymakers interested in trust and public governance. Multi-disciplinary participation is strongly welcomed. Master students should have at least completed 4 years of education in a relevant field of study. The number of participants will be limited to 30 students.
Program
The 2022 GOVTRUST Summer School focuses on trust and public governance from a multi-level perspective. Contemporary governance of society is complex, as public authorities at different levels of government (supranational, national, regional, local) cooperate with non-state actors in multi-layered decision-making arenas. For such complex governance systems to perform well, trust is a fundamental condition. However, major societal events like Brexit, the financial crisis, and concerns about privacy and data protection in digital interactions are said to be caused or enhanced by declining trust between citizens, private actors and governments. This demonstrates that trust too is a multi-level construct (interpersonal, interorganisational, system levels). Furthermore, the COVID-19 crisis also affected trust within our societies in profound and multifaceted ways. While a certain degree of organised distrust between actors may be functional, the recurring reports of declining trust between citizens, private sector organisations and public authorities raise severe challenges for society. When trust declines, cooperation between different societal actors is compromised. And without cooperation, effective public governance is not possible. Governments and societal actors therefore increasingly seek ways to foster trust. Drawing on high-level scientific expertise from at least five disciplines (political science, communication science, law, behavioural economics and public administration), the 2022 GOVTRUST Summer School investigates a wide range of critical questions about the dynamics, causes and effects of trust and public governance from a multi-level perspective. Through a combination of (guest) lectures, discussions and workshops, participants will be stimulated to think across disciplinary boundaries, interact with each other and engage with speakers from academic and professional backgrounds.
Remarks
Study credits (ECTS)
3 ECTS credits will be awarded upon successful completion of the programme. All certificates of completion are issued as a micro-credential.
Successful completion of the summer school can be awarded with 3 credits according the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). A certificate will be awarded at the end of the programme.
Credits will be awarded on the base of:
Preparatory work: readings, one-page reflection assignment, five-page short paper
100% active participation during the course
Follow-up: submission and presentation of full paper (presentations will take place after the summer school)
