210025 SE G6/G7 (Engl.): Executive Leadership (2006S)

How powerful are presidents and prime ministers? How far are cabinets collective when they make decisions? Are senior officials serving the interests of the government or their own organisations? Do parliaments or parties limit the ability of executive governments? How do we calculate what good political advice entails?

The seminar will explore the way that executives are organised in different countries and ask how power is exercised and by whom. It will look at the way that leaders can wield influence, at the levers of power they have and at the formal and informal constraints, at the rules, traditions and conventions that dictate what they can do. Students will be asked to apply the insights from the readings to the executive of one country.