Introduction to Public Policy. Syllabus

Transcription

1 College of Charleston Political Science Introduction to Public Policy Spring 2009 Tuesdays/Thursdays 9:25 10:40 A.M. Maybank 111 Instructor: Office Hours: Marguerite Archie Hudson, Ph.D. Tu Th 3:15 5:00 P.M. and by appointment Telephone: Coming Street, Room 301 E mail archiehudsonm@cofc.edu Syllabus Course description This class introduces students to the basic theories, principles and processes of public policymaking. It examines the public and private environments that influence the formation of public policy, the tools and techniques utilized in public policymaking and the principal actors in the process. The primary course objective is to provide students interested in political science, public administration and public service with an understanding of the significant issues, actors and behaviors in the development of public policy at the federal level. Particular attention will be paid to the policy environment surrounding the policy agenda of President Barack Obama and the 111 th Congress of the United States. Course requirements A. Attendance regular class attendance is expected of all students. B. Grades will be based on a midterm examination, two short written assignments, a policy research paper, class participation and a final examination as follows: a. Written assignment # 1 10% b. Written assignment # 2 10% c. Midterm Examination 20% d. Policy Research Paper 25% i. Policy paper = 20% ii. Class presentation= 5% 1

2 e. Final examination 25% f. Class attendance and participation 10% Textbooks Theodoulou, Stella Z. and Cahn, Matthew A., (1995) Public Policy: The Essential Readings. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. Wilson, Carter A., Public Policy: Continuity and Change. (2006), McGraw Hill, NY Course Outline and Reading Assignments January 2009 Tu 13 Th 15 Tu 20 Th 22 Tu 27 Th 29 Class introduction and overview Definitions and meaning of public policy Inauguration Day No class Assignment: The Inaugural address of President Elect Barack Obama ( Preparation for Writing Assignment # 1). Evolution of public policy 20 th century perspectives Policy statements and policy activities Policy typologies Distributive, redistributive and regulatory policies Lowi, Theodore J. Distribution, Regulation, Redistribution: The functions of Government in Theodolou February 2009 Tu 3 Distributive, redistributive and regulatory policies Writing Assignment # 1 Due Th 5 Policy typologies Allocational and developmental policies Tu 10 Policy typologies Morality policies Th 12 Policy Theory State centered and decision=making theories Tu 17 Policy Theory Elitist and pluralist policies Mills, C. Wright, The Power Elite in Theodoulou 2

3 Dye, Thomas, Top Down Policymaking Th 19 Tu 24 Policy theory cyclical models The policy cycle model problem recognition and issue identification Roger W. Cobb and Charles D. Elder Issues and Agendas in Theodoulou Th 26 Midterm Examination March 2009 Tu 3 Th 5 Spring Break No class Spring Break No class Tu 10 Problem recognition and issue identification Th 12 Policy cycle: Agenda setting Wilson, Chapter two Kingdon, John W. Agenda Setting in Theodoulou Tu 17 Agenda setting Assignment # 2 Due Th 19 Policy cycle : Policy Formulation Light, Paul The Presidential Policy Stream in Theodoulou Tu 24 Policy Formulation Lindblom, Charles E. The Science of Muddling Through in Theodoulou Th 26 Policy Adoption Heclo, Hugh Issue Networks and the Executive Establishment in Theodoulou T 31 Policy Adoption April 2009 Th 2 Policy Implementation Sabatier, Paul A. and Mazmanian, Daniel A. A Conceptual Framework of the Implementation Process Tu 7 Th 9 Policy Implementation Policy Analysis and Evaluation Research Paper Due 3

4 T 14 Th 16 Tu 21 Th 23 Tuesday May 5 Final Examination 8:00 11:00 A.M. Maybank 111 Required Assignments Writing Assignment # 1 President Barack Obama s Policy Agenda Due February 3, 2009 On Tuesday, January 20 th President Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the 44 th President of the United States. In his Inaugural address he will describe the policy agenda for his first term. You are required to watch or read the President s speech and write a five page paper in which you will answer the following questions: (1) What are the major policy statements expressed in the President s Inaugural address? (2) Using Wilson s description, describe and define the type of policy activities that will be involved in the President s programs as defined in his Inaugural Address. (3) What are the major typologies of the public policies of the three top programs described in the President s address? Give a specific example of the type of policy associated with each program. Writing Assignment # 2 The purpose of this written assignment is to have you explore a current public policy in which you have an interest including ( a) the specific problem this policy will address, (b) why this issue is significant, (c) the specific clientele that is affected, (d) the typology that describes the particular policy you are proposing and (e) why you believe addressing this problem should be a priority for policymakers. The policy may be at the local, state or federal level. Your essay should not exceed five(5) pages. Due: March 17, 2009 Research Assignment President Barback Obama s American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan Due Thursday April 9, 2009 The President s American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan (ARRP) includes, among other goals, 4

5 the following components: (1) Regulatory reforms in the financial markets; (2) Reinvestment in the American infrastructure; (3) Job creation for a 21 st century economy and (4) Effective healthcare reform. You are to select one of the above policy goals for your research and write a ten page policy analysis that answers the following questions: (1) What is the specific problem that the proposal or component is designed to solve? (2) What specific data help to define the magnitude of this problem? (3) Name at least two specific issues that are involved in this problem (4) What were the triggering mechanisms that brought this problem to the attention of the President? (5) What specific policy solutions have been proposed by the President? (6) What specific policy typologies are involved in the proposed solutions? (7) Are there financial costs associated with these solutions? If so, what are they? How will they be met? (8) What is the policy environment in which these issues are being addressed? (9) Who are the principal actors involved in the President s Cabinet? In the Congress? In specific sectors of the public? Charts and graphs, reports, description of the ARRP Plan, financial data, etc. are acceptable as appendices and will not be counted as part of the 10 page analysis. All assignments are due at the close of class on the designated date. Assignments sent via e mail will not be accepted as their receipt cannot be guaranteed due to spam and other unanticipated problems. Late assignments will have an automatic 10 point grade deduction for each day the assignment is late up to 5 days. After 5 late days the assignment will receive a grade of F. 5