Miguel Rodrigues is Associate Professor with Habilitation at the School of Economics, Management and Political Science of the University of Minho. His academic and research work focuses on public economics, public finance, institutional economics, and the economic analysis of public policies, with particular emphasis on local government, decentralization, transparency, accountability, and the financial sustainability of the public sector. He holds a degree and a master’s in Public Administration, as well as a PhD in Administrative Sciences, all from the University of Minho. Throughout his career, he has published in leading international scientific journals and has also developed consultancy and knowledge-transfer work with local governments, municipal companies, and other public entities. He regularly teaches at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels, and has held several academic and scientific leadership roles, including Director of UMinhoExec and Director of the Centre for Research in Political Science.
Local Government
Service Delivery
Public Management Models
Selected publications
Rodrigues, M., & Meza, O. D. (2018). “Is there anybody out there?” Political implications of a territorial integration. Journal of Urban Affairs, 40(3), 426–440. DOI
Turc, E., Guenoun, M., Rodrigues, M., & Demirkaya, Y. (2016). Performance management and measurement: results of NPM reforms. In S. Kuhlmann & G. Bouckaert (Eds.), Local Public Sector Reforms in Times of Crisis: National Trajectories and International Comparisons (pp. 121–138). Palgrave MacMillan. DOI
Tavares, A. F., & Rodrigues, M. (2015). The Economic and Political Impacts of Top-Down Territorial Reforms: The Case of Sub-City Governments. Local Government Studies, 41(6), 956–976. DOI
Tavares, A. F., & Rodrigues, M. A. (2013). From civil servants to liberal professionals: An empirical analysis of the reform of Portuguese notaries. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 79(2), 347–367. DOI
Rodrigues, M. A., Tavares, A. F., & Araújo, J. F. F. E. (2012). Municipal Service Delivery: The Role of Transaction Costs in the Choice between Alternative Governance Mechanisms. Local Government Studies, 38(5), 615–638. DOI
Other publications
Rodrigues, M., Meza, O., & Navarro, C. Gerrymandering to survive: an explanation of the political conditions that shaped mayors’ decisions over an amalgamation process in Portugal. Local Government Studies. DOI
Ribeiro, B. F. G., Rodrigues, M. Â., & Tejedo-Romero, F. (2025). A step forward to gender equality: Breaking the political glass ceiling at local level. Governance, 38(2), e12902. DOI
Rodrigues, M. (2023). Can even still be uneven? The effect of quotas in Portuguese local governments. Local Government Studies, 46(6), 1285–1311. DOI
Tejedo-Romero, F., Rodrigues, M., & Araujo, J. F. F. E. (2023). How far is municipal transparency from neighbours? Evidence from Spain and Portugal. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 36(3), 193–215. DOI
Alexandre, F., Costa, H., Portela, M., & Rodrigues, M. (2021). Asymmetric regional dynamics in the Portuguese economy: debt, openness and local revenues. Regional Studies, 55(2), 322–332. DOI
Camões, P. J., & Rodrigues, M. (2021). From enthusiasm to disenchantment: an analysis of the termination of Portuguese municipal enterprises. Public Money and Management, 41(5), 387–394. DOI
Magalhães, R., Rodrigues, M., & Costa., C. (2020). A Responsabilidade Política dos Eleitos Locais. Almedina. DOI
Rodrigues, M., & Tavares, A. (2020). The effects of amalgamations on voter turnout: Evidence from sub-municipal governments in Portugal. Cities, 101, 102685. DOI
Rodrigues, M., & Tavares, A. (2020). Turnout and Territorial Reform: Data from Sub municipal governments in Portugal. Data in Brief, 30. DOI
Alexandre, F., Cerejeira, J., Portela, M., Rodrigues, M., & Costa, H. (2019). Assimetrias e Convergência Regional: Implicações para a Descentralização e Regionalização em Portugal. Porto: Associação Comercial do Porto. DOI
Farinha, C., & Rodrigues, M. (2019). Considerações sobre Gestão, Eficiência e Mobilidade de Oficiais de Justiça. Perspectivas - Journal of Political Science, 20(1), 45–55. DOI
Rodrigues, M., & Meza, O. D. (2018). “Is there anybody out there?” Political implications of a territorial integration. Journal of Urban Affairs, 40(3), 426–440. DOI
Rodrigues, M. Â. V. (2017). Democratic vs. Efficiency: How to achieve balance in times of financial crisis. RAP - Revista De Administração Pública, 51(1), 88–103. DOI
Meza, O., Pacheco-Vega, R., Rodrigues, M., & Sainz, J. (2016). Lecciones Del Ensayo Hecho en El Área Metropolitana De Guadalajara. México : Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas. DOI
Turc, E., Guenoun, M., Rodrigues, M., & Demirkaya, Y. (2016). Performance management and measurement: results of NPM reforms. In S. Kuhlmann & G. Bouckaert (Eds.), Local Public Sector Reforms in Times of Crisis: National Trajectories and International Comparisons (pp. 121–138). Palgrave MacMillan. DOI
Tavares, A. F., & Rodrigues, M. (2015). The Economic and Political Impacts of Top-Down Territorial Reforms: The Case of Sub-City Governments. Local Government Studies, 41(6), 956–976. DOI
Tavares, A. F., & Rodrigues, M. A. (2013). From civil servants to liberal professionals: An empirical analysis of the reform of Portuguese notaries. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 79(2), 347–367. DOI
Tavares, A., & Rodrigues, M. (2013). The instruments of political and administrative participation at local level: An empirical analysis of the options of portuguese municipalities. REV CLAD REFORMA DEM, (55), 141–152. DOI
Rodrigues, M. A. V., Tavares, A. F. F., & de Araújo, J. F. F. E. (2012). A reorganização do Poder Local: Impactos Financeiros do Documento Verde da Reforma da Administração Local. Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. DOI
Rodrigues, M. A., Tavares, A. F., & Araújo, J. F. F. E. (2012). Municipal Service Delivery: The Role of Transaction Costs in the Choice between Alternative Governance Mechanisms. Local Government Studies, 38(5), 615–638. DOI
Rodrigues, M., & Tavares, A. (2012). A Implementação de Políticas Sociais pelo Terceiro Sector: Um Enquadramento de Mercado. In H. C. Silvestre & J. F. Araújo (Eds.), Colectânea em Administração Pública (pp. 311–338). Lisboa: Escolar Editora. DOI
Rodrigues, M. Â. V., de Araújo, J. F. F. E., & Tavares, A. F. (2009). Prestação de Serviços Públicos nas Autarquias Locais. Revista Científica Da ATAM, 1, 1–122. DOI
Araújo, F., & Rodrigues, M. (2006). A Nova Gestão Pública na Administração Local: O caso do Noroeste de Portugal. Eixo Atlântico, 9, 59–80. DOI
Rodrigues, M. Â. V. (2003). O Ensino da Administração Pública em Portugal. Revista Portuguesa De Administração e Políticas Públicas, 4(1-2), 162–175 . DOI
Data Analysis for Public Administration
Doctorate
Data Analysis and Transferable Skills
Master
Governance and Patnerships
Master
Governance and Public Private Partnerships
Bachelor
Service Delivery Systems
Master
Thematic Seminar in Public Administration
Doctorate
