The College of Public Policy (CPP) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) concluded the 2022 Global Design Network (GDN) Workshop with an international book launch of five law, public policy, and international affairs books published by Doha-based scholars - four with HBKU and one with Doha Institute.

Over 30 scholars from around the world attended the GDN Workshop, held from September 5-6 under the theme “Interrogating Expertise: Policy Experts, Policy Knowledge, and the Emergence of Non-Traditional Knowledge Systems.” With countries around the world seeing plummeting public trust in their leaders and their experts, the workshop presented research findings on how expertise is perceived in contemporary policy making. Among the presenters were Dr. M. Ramesh (Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore), the President of the International Public Policy Association, and Dr. Diane Stone (European University Institute, Florence, Italy), and CPP’s Eminent Visiting Policy Scholar. 

The international book launch was opened by Dr. Francisco Marmolejo, President of Higher Education, Qatar Foundation (QF). He spoke about the unique educational and research ecosystem at QF, and some of its ambitions and innovations. 

The launch brought together GDN presenters, panelists, keynote speakers, as well as guests from Qatar’s academic and research community. Discussants included Dr. Diane Stone; Dr. Thomas Biersteker, Geneva Graduate Institute, Switzerland; Dr. Addiswork Tilahun Teklemariam, Hawassa University, Ethiopia; and Dr. Alasdair Roberts, School of Public Policy, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, USA.

The first book, “The Use of Force Against Individuals in War under International Law: A Social Ontological Approach” (Oxford University Press), authored by Dr. Ka Lok Yip, Assistant Professor at the College of Law, was launched by Dr. Biersteker. The book analyzes different conceptions of ‘legality’ that generate tensions among different international laws regulating warfare and highlights the limits of legal techniques in addressing these tensions.

Dr. Kim Moloney, Assistant Professor at CPP, authored “Who Matters at the World Bank? Bureaucrats, Policy Change, and Public Sector Governance” (Oxford University Press). It was launched by Dr. Diane Stone. The book explores "who matters" in a 32-year history of policy change within the World Bank’s public sector management and public sector governance agenda, and is anchored within the public administration discipline and its understanding of bureaucracy, bureaucratic politics, and stakeholder influences.

“The COVID-19 Pandemic in the Middle East and North Africa: Public Policy Responses” (Routledge) is edited by Dr. Anis Ben Brik, Associate Professor at CPP. Chapters offer a comprehensive treatment of today’s major societal issues and provide a unique, broadly comparative view on public policy responses in the MENA region.

A forthcoming annotated translation of “Erkab Ena Menber”, originally written by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, HE Abiy Ahmed, was launched by Dr. Addiswork Teklemariam. The translation was done by Dr. Melisew Dejene Lemma and Dr. Logan Cochrane, Associate Professor at CPP, and includes a preface by HE Dr. Abiy Ahmed Abiy Ahmed. The publication makes the theories and philosophies of one of Africa's most well-known contemporary leaders available to a broader audience.  

The final book, “Institutional Reforms, Governance, and Service Delivery in the Global South” (Palgrave Macmillan), is edited by Dr. Hamid E. Ali and Dr. Shahjahan Bhuiyan, and was launched by Dr. Alasdair Roberts. The book unites expert perspectives from the Global South to address issues that most affect governance and public policy. It focuses on decision-making in government, delivery of services, and citizen-centered government while bringing perspectives from a wide spectrum of cultural and political norms.

Dr. Leslie A. Pal, Founding Dean of CPP, said: “All the books launched offer fresh and original perspectives on globally relevant and contemporary themes in the areas of law, public policy, and international affairs. The insights offered by all the authors will make important contributions to the growing scholarship in their fields and create new opportunities for further debate and action, which our institution will continue to enable and facilitate.”