The Neo-Weberian State: From ideal-type model to reality?

Introduction

Geert Bouckaert, who with the late Christopher Pollitt conceived of the notion of the Neo-Weberian State, one of the key Public Administration paradigms of the last decades, will in this lecture continue to explore the concept:

“Public sector reforms have been a feature of past decades. Many of these reforms reacted against hierarchy and bureaucracy to shift to markets and networks. Nevertheless, next to New Public Management and New Public Governance, the Neo-Weberian State (NWS) also remained a crucial ideal Type, certainly for Western European practice. A theoretical and empirical question is whether the NWS is sustainable and resilient in re-inventing and re-appraising bureaucracy in the 21st century.”

Event Information

University College London’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose and the journal Max Weber Studies will be hosting a lecture and panel discussion on 14 January 2022 for the MWS forthcoming theme issue on Max Weber and the Neo-Weberian State. This will include a lecture by Professor Geert Bouckaert, followed by comments from Prof. Camilla Stivers (Cleveland State), Nadia Monira Mohamed Taib (IIPP) and Prof. Sam Whimster (London Met and MWS). This session will be chaired by Prof. Wolfgang Drechsler (TalTech, IIPP and Harvard). The lecture will be part of a forthcoming theme issue of Max Weber Studies on "Max Weber and the Neo-Weberian State". This event also substitutes for the originally planned workshop of the same name.

Register now