HU Credits: 2

Degree/Cycle: 2nd degree (Master)

Responsible Department: Geography

Semester: 1st Semester

Teaching Languages: Hebrew

Campus: Mt. Scopus

Course/Module Coordinator: Eran Razin

Coordinator Email: msrazin@mail.huji.ac.il

Coordinator Office Hours: Monday 15:30-16:30

Teaching Staff:
Prof Eran Razin

Course/Module description:
The course deals with local government as a local governance system and as a service provision system

Course/Module aims:
The course has two major objectives: (1) a comprehensive knowledge of the fundamental concepts in the organization and functioning of the local government system: the local government map, local government finance, central-local government relationships, local democracy and political culture. (2) Discussion of the role of local aythorities in urban and regional development: land use planning, economic development and inter-local disparities, development tools, municipal corporations, public-private-partnerships, development finance. Local government reforms will also be discussed.

Learning outcomes - On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
In depth exposure to the field of local government from a comparative perspective: research and practice.
Exposure to the theoretical discourse in the field.
Writing skills to those taking the course as a seminar.

Attendance requirements(%):
80%

Teaching arrangement and method of instruction: Lectures
Seminar

Course/Module Content:
1. Local development and local government: introduction
2. Local government organization
3. Dimensions in local government organization and the position of Israel in each dimension: territorial/structural, functional, political, fiscal, democratic/electoral, local politics.
4. The role of local government in local development: local development strategies, tools, bylaws, planning obligations, municipal corporations, PPP

Required Reading:
פינקלשטיין, א' וי'י', ברטוב (2023) מסגרת היחסים בין השלטון המרכזי לשלטון המקומי: ישראל בהשוואה לדמוקרטיות המפותחות, ירושלים: המכון הישראלי לדמוקרטיה.

רזין, ע' בהשתתפות לוזון-ברנן, ל' (2023) הקורונה והארנונה: משבר הקורונה כזרז לרפורמה במשק הכספי של הרשויות המקומיות בישראל, מחקרי רגולציה כרך ז', עמ' 198-169.

OECD (2020) OECD Economic Surveys Israel, Paris.
Ch. 2. Reducing socio-economic differences between municipalities, pp. 71-107.

Razin, E. and Hazan, A. (2023) Municipally owned corporations in Israel: Local initiative and the pursuit of flexibility in a centralized context, in: Van Genugten, M., Voorn, B., Andrews, R., Papenfuβ, U. and Torsteinsen, H. (eds.), Corporatization in Local Government: Context, Evidence and Perspectives from 19 Countries, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 73-96.

UN-Habitat (2016) Finance for City Leaders Handbook, Nairobi.
*. Ch. 9 Sharing the wealth: private land value and public benefit pp. 132-155

Additional Reading Material:
In English only. For Hebrew material refer to the list in Hebrew

Beeri, I. (2021) Lack of reform in Israeli local government and its impact on modern developments in public management, Public Management Review 23: 1423-1435.

Beeri, I. (2023) The impact of the central government’s intervention on local democracy, Local Government Studies

Council of European Municipalities and Regions (2013) Decentralization at a Crossroads, Territorial Reforms in Europe in times of Crisis, Brussels.

Friendly, A. (2017) Land Value Capture and Social Benefits: Toronto and Sao Paulo Compared, IMFG Papers on Municipal Finance and Governance No. 33, Toronto: IMFG.

Heinelt, H., Razin, E. and Zimmermann, K. (eds.) (2011) Metropolitan Governance, Different Paths in Contrasting Contexts: Germany and Israel, Frankfurt and New York: Campus.

Korngold, G. (2022) Land Value Capture in the United States, Funding Infrastructure and Local Government services, Cambridge, MA: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Ladner, A., Keuffer, N. and Bastianen, A. (2022) Self-rule index for local authorities in the EU, Council of Europe and OECD countries, 1990-2020, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2022.

Mossberger, K., Clarke, S.E. and John, P. (2012) The Oxford Handbook of Urban Politics, New York: Oxford University Press.

*. OECD (2020) OECD Economic Surveys Israel, Paris.
Ch. 2. Reducing socio-economic differences between municipalities, pp. 71-107.

Razin, E. (2004) Needs and impediments for local government reform: lessons from Israel, Journal of Urban Affairs 26: 623-640.

Razin, E. (2016) Inter-municipal cooperation in the development of industrial parks and tax redistribution: the road to hell is paved with good intentions, Quaestiones Geographicae 35(2): 83-90.

*. Razin, E. and Hazan, A. (2023) Municipally owned corporations in Israel: Local initiative and the pursuit of flexibility in a centralized context, in: Van Genugten, M., Voorn, B., Andrews, R., Papenfuβ, U. and Torsteinsen, H. (eds.), Corporatization in Local Government: Context, Evidence and Perspectives from 19 Countries, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 73-96.

Razin, E., Hazan, A. and Elron, O. (2022) The rise and fall (?) of public-private partnerships in Israel's local government, Local Government Studies 48: 412-431.

Razin, E. and Rosentraub, M. (2000) Are fragmentation and sprawl interlinked? North American evidence, Urban Affairs Review 35: 821-836.

Reingewertz, Y. (2012) Do municipal amalgamations work? Evidence from municipalities in Israel, Journal of Urban Economics 72: 240-251.

Reingewertz, Y. and Beeri, I. (2018) How effective is central enforcement? Evidence from convened committees in failing local authorities, Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space 36: 357-380.

Sellers, J.M., Arretche, M., Kübler, D. and Razin, E. (ed.) (2017) Inequality and Governance in the Metropolis, Place Equality Regimes and Fiscal Choices in Eleven Countries, London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Slack, E. (2017) How Much Local Fiscal Autonomy Do Cities Have? A Comparison of Eight Cities around the World, IMFG Perspectives 19/2017. Toronto: IMFG.

United Cities and Local Governments (2009) Decentralization and Local Democracy in the World, First Global Report 2008, Barcelona: United Cities and Local Governments and The World Bank.

UN-Habitat (2013) Property Tax Regimes in Europe, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, Nairobi.

UN-Habitat (2016) Finance for City Leaders Handbook, Nairobi.
*. Ch. 9 Sharing the wealth: private land value and public benefit pp. 132-155

UN-Habitat (2022) World Cities Report 2022, Envisaging the Future of Cities, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, Nairobi.
Ch. 8 Rethinking Urban Governance for the Future of Cities pp. 243-272.

Grading Scheme :
Essay / Project / Final Assignment / Referat 100 %

Additional information:
Detailed requirements are specified in Hebrew