ADM4224 ISSUES LOCAL GOVERMENT

Course Code:3104224
METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week):3 (3.00 - 0.00)
ECTS Credit:6.0
Department:Political Science and Public Adm.
Language of Instruction:English
Level of Study:Undergraduate
Course Coordinator:Assoc.Prof.Dr. ASUMAN GÖKSEL
Offered Semester:Fall Semesters.

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, the student will learn:

• The structure, functions, and powers of local governments and their relationship with central government

• The role of local governments in delivering public services, promoting economic development, and fostering democratic participation

• The financial and administrative capacity of local governments and the strategies for enhancing their performance and accountability

• The impact of globalization, urbanization, and technological change on local governments and the implications for policy and practice


Course Content

This course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the key issues and challenges facing local governments in the contemporary context, examining the structure, functions, and powers of local governments, as well as their role in delivering public services, promoting economic development, and fostering democratic participation. The course will begin by exploring the theoretical and conceptual foundations of local government, including the principles of subsidiarity, decentralization, and local autonomy. The course will then examine the structure and functions of local governments, including their legal and constitutional status, their relationship with central government, and their powers and responsibilities in various policy areas such as education, health, social services, and infrastructure. The course will also consider the financial and administrative capacity of local governments, analyzing the sources of revenue, expenditure patterns, and strategies for enhancing their performance and accountability. The course will explore the impact of olobalization, urbanization, and technological change on local governments, examining the challenges and opportunities posed by these trends for local governance and service delivery. The course will also provide comparative perspectives on local government systems and reforms across different countries and regions, analyzing the similarities and differences in the structure, functions, and performance of local governments in various contexts. Throughout the course, students will engage with both theoretical and practical aspects of local government, developing a comprehensive understanding of the key issues and challenges facing local governments and the strategies for addressing them.


Course Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

• Understand the key issues and challenges facing local governments in the contemporary context, including the impact of globalization, urbanization, and technological change

• Analyze the structure, functions, and powers of local governments and their relationship with central government, as well as their role in delivering public services, promoting economic development, and fostering democratic participation

• Examine the comparative perspectives on local government systems and reforms across different countries and regions, and analyze the similarities and differences in the structure, functions, and performance of local governments in various contexts


Program Outcomes Matrix

Level of Contribution
#Program Outcomes0123
1Ability to reach the information they need in their daily lives, and to interpret it
2Being in command of the basic concepts of law
3Understanding the political, economical, and social transformations that occur in a wide range of areas including local and international levels
4Defining and solving problems encountered in political, social, and economic life
5Being conscious, effective and rational citizens who can comprehend the transformations taking place in Turkey and in the world today
6Being professionals who can operate as productive participants in any public organization
7Having the knowledge about how public organizations function and how their decision making processes and mechanisms work
8Developing original solutions to the problems faced in relation to their own area of interest
9Critical thinking ability
10Being in command of the interdisciplinary approaches

0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution