Founder of World’s Largest Encyclopaedia of Public Administration and Public Policy to Speak at April Conference

Ali Farazmand, Professor of Public Administration and Policy at Florida Atlantic University has long been interested in issues of public administration, public policy and governance. He currently teaches on theory and philosophy of public administration, organization theory and behaviour, organizational change and public management, bureaucratic politics, personnel and labour relations, and leadership ethics.

Ahead of his lecture at the XVII April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development entitled ‘Advancing Knowledge and Expanding Horizons in the 21st Century: What the Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance, as well as IJPA and Public Organization Review Can Do’, Professor Farazmand agreed to speak with the HSE news service about this research interests and how he hopes to further develop collaborative relationships with Russian scholars.

— ‘The Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance’ is your ‘baby’ where you are the editor in chief. What was your main goal in creating such an encyclopaedia? Who is your target audience?

— We live in age of knowledge and information, and knowledge is power, but most importantly, knowledge is key to development and advancement. Without up-to-date advanced knowledge, the world falls into darkness; societies and people without such knowledge fall behind and become prey to those who possess and constantly upgrade their knowledge. Predatory globalization has accentuated this global challenge.

The main goal of the Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance is threefold:

First, to advance knowledge with expanding horizons in the fields of public administration, public service, public policy, and governance across the world, a world with rapid changes in the age of globalization, where few nations excel with the latest know-how while most lag behind and struggle.

Second, to promote human capacities in anticipation of greater national, regional, and global challenges, as well as to offer the most advanced and latest knowledge, concepts, ideas, and developments through publication of the world's largest and most comprehensive global encyclopaedia.

Third, to help arm our wide audience of academics, scholars, students, policymakers, and lay people in building capabilities for the age of rapid globalization, global uncertainty, chaos and rapid transformation, and conflicting developments worldwide.

Already a growing number of Russian scholars have joined the project, including many at HSE and Moscow State University

— It will be the biggest and most comprehensive such publication in the world. How does one become the editor in chief of such a global publication?

— This has been a long process, from the initial step of being approached by the publisher (Springer) about a year ago to reaching an agreement to launch the project in summer 2015. The initial idea of the publisher was small and limited, but my approach turned it into the largest and most comprehensive encyclopaedia. The primary goal is to have 1,000 entries by 2017, and 2,000 entries by 2020. The project has already grown exponentially beyond expectations. 

— What has your cooperation with researchers from Russia been like? Has anybody contributed to the Encyclopedia? Is there an opportunity to do so for people who are interested?

— In my search for Section Editors covering Russia and Eastern Europe, I found one Russian scholar in the United States, and an outstanding  colleague at HSE – Professor Tamara Nezhina – in the field of public administration and public policy. She has been a dynamic person and an outstanding colleague; I am so blessed by her level of energy, intellectual capacity, and high work ethics. I thought I was a hardworking person, but she has most impressed me with her knowledge, skills, and cooperation; she is an excellent leader.

Tamara invited me to the April Conference in Moscow, which I delightfully accepted. In addition to the Global Encyclopedia, Tamara and I have several other projects we are working on. She is already on the editorial board of my two journals--IJPA and POR.  Already a growing number of Russian scholars have joined the project, including many at HSE and Moscow State University.

My academic cooperation with Russian scholars in general and with HSE has just begun. We have many ideas to start working on during my visit at the conference in Moscow.

I would like to see more Russian authors submit articles for publication

— You have had experience publishing other works on public administration if I am not mistaken.

— Yes, I have been very active in publishing a number of articles in refereed journals and have also published over 24 books and handbooks, with some more to come (over 170 total). I enjoy teaching, research, and publication. I also enjoy academic collaboration, building teams of global colleagues, and editing two major refereed global journals, which brings me into direct contact and collaboration with scholars all over the world, including Russia. 

— Are there any special long-term plans for closer cooperation with HSE?

— Yes, one is the growth of the Global Encyclopedia. Another is the two journals I edit; I would like to see more Russian authors submit articles for publication. A third is research projects on various areas of public administration, public policy, and governance. And fourth, I would like to see visits, exchanges and joint research projects on subjects like environment, public policy and management capacity building, security and humanity, economic and social development, capacity building, comparative and development studies, and more. 

— Is this your first visit to Russia? Are there any places of interest you would like to visit?

— Yes, indeed. Yes, I would like to see a number – the world famous Moscow Metro System, the Hermitage in St.Petersburg and other  Museums, Red Square, Gorky Park, the Pushkin, the Lenin Mausoleum, the Kremlin (and President Putin, if possible!), the countryside where average people live, Moscow State University, and of course HSE.  

Anna Chernyakhovskaya, specially for HSE News service