Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - DYNAMICS

Successful policy-making depends on the understanding of the local and national institutional context. There is ample evidence in the policy literature that there is no “one size fits all” toolbox but rather different pathways and policy tools that can work towards the same goals. Using a highly influential body of theory in the comparative political economy field on “Varieties of Capitalism” the course discusses the importance of institutional theory, institutional complementarities and institution-based policy analysis. The course provides an analytical insight into the different ways how capitalist political economies are organized today. It also provides students with an in-depth understanding of the institutions governing political economies.The course is divided into two parts: The first part introduces the concept of institutional analysis covering labour markets, skills, corporate governance, innovation and the knowledge economy. The second part of the course looks more closely at different countries such as European Union member states, but also China, Russia and Latin America.