The course coincides with the J.Monnet module REPLAN-EU (Implementing Resilience and Recovery Plans in Italy and beyond), and addresses: a) the structure, funding and governance of the RRF; b) key implementation issues in the following three policy areas: green transition, digital transformation and social & territorial cohesion. Considering Italy is the largest beneficiary of RRF funding, special attention is devoted to the relevant plan but the course also provides a comparative perspective.
The required reading will be available on the Moodle platform.
Obiettivi Formativi
The course will provide students with the theoretical, methodological, and empirical instruments to understand EU and domestic political, administrative and societal processes associated to the RRF, and the national plans.
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- master the main theoretical concepts and analytical tools for analyzing the formulation, and the implementation of NRRPs;
- find the relevant information concerning the politics and policies of NRRPs based on a plurality of reliable sources;
- understand the institutions and the governance of the NRRPs, by focusing both on the relevant organizational architecture and the role played by national parliaments, local authorities, interest groups and civil society .
Prerequisiti
Students should have a solid knowledge of EU institutions and policy making, as well as advanced reading, writing and speaking skills in English.
Metodi Didattici
Classes will incorporate both lectures and seminar-like discussions, so it is crucial that attending students keep up with the readings and be prepared to discuss them in class.
Participation in classroom discussion is strongly encouraged and will be awarded extra points.
Additional guest seminars and lectures are included in the schedule.
Modalità di verifica apprendimento
• Attending students will be assessed based on group projects (30%) and a 4000-word final essay (70%). Participation in classroom discussion will be awarded extra points.
• Non-attending students (attending less than 80% of the classes) will be assessed based on a final 5000-word research essay (50%) on a topic to be agreed with the instructors and a final written exam (50%). A detailed outline of the research paper should be discussed with the instructors.
Programma del corso
Course program:
FIRST SECTION:
Six lectures devoted to a presentation of the structure, funding and governance mechanisms of the Recovery and Resilience Facility RRF, as well as the main theoretical approaches and findings in the EU studies and comparative politics literature. Main topics include:
• The RRF in an historical perspective and the political dynamics underlying its negotiation
• The governance of the RRF (with a special attention for the European semester within which the RRF is legally and operationally embedded)
• EU and national factors that are likely to shape the formulation, implementation and evaluation of NRRPs.
SECOND SECTION:
3 subsections focusing on the fundamental policy pillars of the RRF:
• The green transition
• The digital transformation
• Social & territorial cohesion
Each subsection will be introduced and discussed by an academic with expertise in the relevant policy area in order to provide students with background theoretical and substantive insights into the NRRPs relevant contents. Students will also learn how member states’ governments, as well as societal actors like interest groups and political parties, affect NRRPs and the impact of such dynamics on national politics and societies.
The final part of this section will be devoted to assist students in the preparation of group presentations aimed at exploring ongoing reforms in the areas under consideration.
THIRD SECTION:
In this last part of the course, students will present the results of their group work.