Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
50580:Studies of Political Process (P) 2025 Fall Fri2 College　Of　Policy　Science KAMIKUBO MASATO 2

Campus

OIC

Class Venue

AS452

Language

English

Course Outline and Method

The objective of this course is to give students an overview of political process at the state level.

(1)To understand political process, this course will provide foundational knowledge of actors and institutions: ①the bureaucracy; ②the party system; ③the parliamentary system; ④the electoral system and political participation; and ⑤interest groups and trade unions

(2)This course will examine interaction between several actors, such as politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives.

(3)Several theories will be provided to explain policy-making system: ①Pluralism and corporatism;②New institutionalism;③Policy network approach;④Core executive theory; and ⑤Policy science approach.

(4) This course will analyse policy-making system and internationalisation.
　　

Each class will be conducted as follows:
1. Preparation:
The Instructor will uploads a video of lectures on OneDrive (approximately 30 minutes). Students should watch it and read journal or books on the reading list (Reading list will be passed to the students in the introductory session in the first week).

2. In the classroom, student will do groupwork to discuss the question related to the lecture and make five minutes presentation. The instructor will give comments to the presentations.

Student Attainment Objectives

In line with the objectives laid out in this course, students are expected to understand political institution and human behaviour in them.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Nothing in particular.

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information

Introduction
【+R-Jugyo】Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on manaba+R.

Policy science

1

Parliament
 　

1. Parliament,
2. Bicameral and unicameral system,
3. Parliament and the political system

2

Political Party and Party System

1. Political Party,
2. Party System and Party Organisation

3

Electoral System and Political Participation

1. Japanese General Election,
2. Electoral System,
3. Rational Choice, and Political Participation

4

Bureaucracy (1) Comparative Bureaucracy

1. What is Bureaucracy?
2.　Comparative Bueaucracy
3.　“Is Bureaucrat Elite?”
4. Personnel System and Administrative Organisations

5

Bureaucracy (2)Theories of Bureaucracy

1. Bureaucratic Behaviour
2. Theories of Bureaucratic Behaviour
3. Politico-Bureau Relationship

1. Bureaucratic Behaviour
2. Theories of Bureaucratic Behaviour
3. Politico-Bureau Relationship


6

Bureaucracy (3) Japanese Bureaucracy

1. Bureaucracy and Japanese System,
2. Japan as Network State

7

Cabinet and Leadership

1. What is Cabinet?
2. Theories of Cabinet and Leadership
3. Japanese Cabinet

8

Policy-making Process

1. Japan as Network State
2. Polsby’s Typology of Legislature
3. ‘Bureaucrat superiority theory’ and ‘politician superiority theory’
4. Japanese Policy-making Process：Outline
5.　Diet Deliberation

9

Central Banking System

1. Abenomics and Bank of Japan (BOJ)
2. What is Central Bank?
3. Central Bank’s Independence and Economic Policies
4. Central Bank’s Independence and Political Institutions
5. Central Bank’s Independence and Budget Deficit

10

Administrative Reform

1. What is Administrative Reform?
2. Several Countries’ Administrative Reform
3. Japan’s Administrative Reform
4.　Nakasone Reform
5． Hashimoto Reform
6. Koizumi Structural Reform

11

Central-local Relationship

1. Analytical Framework of Central-Local Relationship
2. International Comparison of Central-Local Relationship
3. Decentralisation Reform

12

Fiscal Structural Reforms

1. Fiscal Reform from Ohira to Koizumi Government
2. History of "Consumption Tax Hike"

　　

13

Comparing Welfare States

1. What is Welfare States?
2. 3 Types of Welfare States
3. Japan as an Exceptional Case: “Developmental State Model”
4. Structural Reform and Dismantlement of Developmental State Model


14

Political Process in the Future

1. Policy in the Future: Artificial Intelligence
2. Conclusion: Summary of Lectures
     

Class Format

All the classes are basically held on face-to-face style.
Up to six sessions may be switched to live-delivered distance learning.

 

Recommendations for Private Study

Please read the articles in newspapers and journals related to political process.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written) 0

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)		 0

Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment　
(Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)		 100

attendance, report, and performance in class

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Textbooks

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

Reference Books

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

Web Pages for Reference

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Learning Management System （manaba+R）,Talk with Students

Other Comments

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URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/