New research project on the administrative state

“When thinking about healthcare services, schools, public transport, road building, security, and so on, it quickly becomes clear that a well-functioning public administration is central to modern society. We need institutions that manage services and our resources, and politicians need people who translate political decisions into practice,” says Professor Geys.

He will head a new research project called ´The Administrative Apparatus of the State (ASSET)´, with partners from Aarhus University, Comenius University Bratislava, University of Bergen, Vienna University of Economics and Business, and the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“Criticism of public administrations and the people that work in them is increasing: too powerful, too inefficient, not accountable to voters, not responsive to politicians and so on. We want to understand where this criticism is coming from and how it affects the people working within the public administration. This can then hopefully help us find new ways to address some of these criticisms,” says Geys.

The project focuses on two main areas:

1. The modern administrator: ASSET examines what a modern public administration and administrator should look like and who becomes a public administrator. It also studies the balance between professional independence and duty to political leaders as well as when and how politicians apply pressure on administrations to achieve their political agendas.
2. Coping with hostility: The project investigates how public employees deal with an increasingly hostile environment. It assesses the psychological and emotional toll of negative public perceptions. Finally, it evaluates how administrators can and should respond to politically motivated attacks.

The research has received funding of NOK 12 million from the Norwegian Research Council through the FRIPRO scheme and will run for 5 years.