The Humanities and Public Administration
An Introduction
Published on 18. March 2025
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-0353-3359-2 (ISBN)
Description
This perceptive book is a much-needed exploration of the contribution of the humanities to the study of public administration. Expert authors advocate for reintegrating the humanities into this field, highlighting the ways in which the social sciences and humanities complement each other in researching global governmental processes.
The Humanities and Public Administration presents a comprehensive analysis of how fields such as historiography, philosophy, religious studies, and the fine arts can shed light on under-explored aspects of administrative phenomena. Reflecting critically and systematically on the applications of these subject areas, chapters present exciting new approaches to understanding international public administration and public policy. Authors also emphasise the wider benefits of connecting the humanities as a whole to the study of social sciences.
This pioneering book is a vital read for academics and students in public administration and management, public governance, and public policy. It provides an illuminating insight into the interdisciplinary nature of both public administration and the humanities for all those interested in these fields.
The Humanities and Public Administration presents a comprehensive analysis of how fields such as historiography, philosophy, religious studies, and the fine arts can shed light on under-explored aspects of administrative phenomena. Reflecting critically and systematically on the applications of these subject areas, chapters present exciting new approaches to understanding international public administration and public policy. Authors also emphasise the wider benefits of connecting the humanities as a whole to the study of social sciences.
This pioneering book is a vital read for academics and students in public administration and management, public governance, and public policy. It provides an illuminating insight into the interdisciplinary nature of both public administration and the humanities for all those interested in these fields.
Reviews / Votes
'This new book is a seminal exploration of the much neglected but fundamentally important humanistic foundation of public administration that persists across temporal, spatial, and cultural contexts. A must-read for students caring about the true nature of public administration.' -- Yijia Jing, Fudan University, China 'This comprehensive collection expertly bridges the gap between the humanities and public administration, offering fresh perspectives from philosophy, history, theology, and the arts. It demonstrates how interdisciplinary insights can enhance governance and public service, providing a rich and intellectually stimulating approach to contemporary challenges in public administration.' -- David Arellano-Gault, Centro de Investigacion y Docencia Economicas, MexicoMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cheltenham
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-0353-3359-2 (9781035333592)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Edited by Edoardo Ongaro, Professor of Public Management, The Open University, UK, Giovanni Orsina, Professor of Contemporary History and Lorenzo Castellani, Professor of History of Political Institutions and Lecturer, LUISS School of Government, Italy
Content
Contents
1 The Contribution of the Humanities to the Advancement of
Public Governance and Public Administration 1
Edoardo Ongaro, Giovanni Orsina, and Lorenzo Castellani
2 Socratic Public Administration: The Relevance of Dwight
Waldo Today 23
Patrick Overeem
3 Public Philosophy and the Administrative State 36
Christopher Ansell
4 Philosophical Pragmatism and the Study of Public
Administration 50
Travis A. Whetsell
5 Benevolence, (Public) Ethics and Public Services: Revisiting
Public Value, Public Service Motivation, and Models of
Public Administration through the Ethics of Supererogation 68
Stefano Biancu and Edoardo Ongaro
6 Behaviour in Public Administration: In Search of
Foundational Insights 79
Jonathan Kamkhaj and Claudio Radaelli
7 Human Geography and the Study of Governance and Society:
Perspectives from the UK 94
Irene Hardill
8 The Concept of State in the Historical Studies 108
Leonida Tedoldi
9 Historiography and Public Administration: A Story of Disciplines 119
Fabio Rugge
10 History and Public Administration: Meanings, Problems,
Usefulness in Policy-making 133
Lorenzo Castellani
11 The Contribution of the Religious Studies and Theology
Literatures to Public Administration: A Review and Outlook 152
Michele Tantardini and Edoardo Ongaro
12 When Ideas Have Consequences: The Optical Illusion of
Religion in Public Policy 176
Pasquale Annicchino
13 Reconnecting government: On the existential layers of public
administration 188
Ronald van Steden
14 The Arts and Public Administration: How the Consideration
of the Nature of Art can Provide Novel Ways to Understand
Public Administration 207
Edoardo Ongaro
15 The Arts and Public Administration: How Artworks Can
Be a Source of Knowledge, Inspiration, Motivation, and
Understanding in Public Administration 217
Gjalt de Graaf and Hanneke van Asperen
16 Ambrogio Lorenzetti's Siena Frescoes and Public
Administration Today 236
Wolfgang Drechsler
17 Mind the Gap: A Strategy to connect Humanities (Arts) with
Social Sciences (Public Administration) 253
Geert Bouckaert
18 Humanism and Public Administration: Profiling the contours
of Public Administration as Practical Humanism 275
Stefano Biancu and Edoardo Ongaro
Index 283
1 The Contribution of the Humanities to the Advancement of
Public Governance and Public Administration 1
Edoardo Ongaro, Giovanni Orsina, and Lorenzo Castellani
2 Socratic Public Administration: The Relevance of Dwight
Waldo Today 23
Patrick Overeem
3 Public Philosophy and the Administrative State 36
Christopher Ansell
4 Philosophical Pragmatism and the Study of Public
Administration 50
Travis A. Whetsell
5 Benevolence, (Public) Ethics and Public Services: Revisiting
Public Value, Public Service Motivation, and Models of
Public Administration through the Ethics of Supererogation 68
Stefano Biancu and Edoardo Ongaro
6 Behaviour in Public Administration: In Search of
Foundational Insights 79
Jonathan Kamkhaj and Claudio Radaelli
7 Human Geography and the Study of Governance and Society:
Perspectives from the UK 94
Irene Hardill
8 The Concept of State in the Historical Studies 108
Leonida Tedoldi
9 Historiography and Public Administration: A Story of Disciplines 119
Fabio Rugge
10 History and Public Administration: Meanings, Problems,
Usefulness in Policy-making 133
Lorenzo Castellani
11 The Contribution of the Religious Studies and Theology
Literatures to Public Administration: A Review and Outlook 152
Michele Tantardini and Edoardo Ongaro
12 When Ideas Have Consequences: The Optical Illusion of
Religion in Public Policy 176
Pasquale Annicchino
13 Reconnecting government: On the existential layers of public
administration 188
Ronald van Steden
14 The Arts and Public Administration: How the Consideration
of the Nature of Art can Provide Novel Ways to Understand
Public Administration 207
Edoardo Ongaro
15 The Arts and Public Administration: How Artworks Can
Be a Source of Knowledge, Inspiration, Motivation, and
Understanding in Public Administration 217
Gjalt de Graaf and Hanneke van Asperen
16 Ambrogio Lorenzetti's Siena Frescoes and Public
Administration Today 236
Wolfgang Drechsler
17 Mind the Gap: A Strategy to connect Humanities (Arts) with
Social Sciences (Public Administration) 253
Geert Bouckaert
18 Humanism and Public Administration: Profiling the contours
of Public Administration as Practical Humanism 275
Stefano Biancu and Edoardo Ongaro
Index 283