University of Washington Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs PUBLIC POLICY PROCESSES PPM 508 & PS 575 Winter 2016 Professor Craig Thomas Parrington 205 206-221-3669 (office) 206-914-6772 (mobile) thomasc@washington.edu Office hours: Wednesdays 3-5 pm (and by appointment) Introduction This seminar will cover a broad range of contemporary theories about policy-making processes. The literature is primarily from political science, because political scientists focus more on policy-making processes than other disciplines. The readings primarily focus on the US, because most of the theoretical and empirical work has been written in the US, but empirical applications from other countries are included. The course serves PhD students who wish to conduct research on policy-making processes (such as agenda setting) or specific policy topics (such as public health or education). Requirements You will be graded on the following three components: Pre-class postings 20% (due weeks 2-9) In-class participation 40% (due weeks 1-9) Term paper 40% (due March 16 at 1pm) Pre-class postings (Weeks 2-9) For Weeks 2-9, you must post discussion questions on Canvas by 10am the day of class. In these postings, please write one question for each reading (for a total of 4-5 questions, depending on how many readings are assigned that week). Each question should be numbered, following the order of the readings, with the question itself underlined for easy reference during class discussions. After each question, write a short paragraph explaining why the question is interesting to you. These questions might explore the empirical boundaries of a theory, the clarity of concepts in a theory, the appropriateness of measures of these concepts in empirical applications, how hypotheses were derived or tested, ideas for research based on a theory in your own area of interest, ways to link theories across several weeks of the course, or other types of questions you would like to pose. You need not have answers to these questions; to the contrary, questions are often interesting because they do not have easy answers. I grade each weekly assignment as follows: shows full preparedness and critical capacity across all questions (4.0); shows full preparedness, but some questions show less critical capacity than others (3.7); shows preparedness for some readings but not for others (3.3); shows bare minimum understanding of the readings (3.0). These weekly assignments should be no more than two pages single-spaced.
Be sure your name appears above the questions. Please post them in Word, so I can cut and paste them for distribution in class. In-class participation To receive a 4.0 for in-class participation, you must attend class each week and demonstrate through discussion that you have carefully considered the assigned readings. This does not mean your comments in class are somehow definitive, complete, brilliant or right ; but your participation should be active, well-reasoned, engaged with the flow of conversation, and demonstrate your curiosity about the strengths and limitations of theories and empirical applications. Be provocative, but don t just knock authors down. Strive to build theoretical and empirical understanding, not just demonstrate weaknesses. You can t make a career out of poking holes in others research without showing a way forward. I grade participation on the following scale: consistently demonstrates preparedness and critical capacity (4.0); typically makes solid contributions in these regards, but not consistently so (3.7); often quiet, but makes solid contributions when speaks (3.3); less than desired contributions, with indications that passing a qualifying exam in the field is questionable (3.0). Almost always quiet, but attends class every week (2.7). If you miss a class for any reason, you must submit a commentary on each of the assigned readings; otherwise, I will lower your participation grade.4 for the day you are absent (representing 1/10 th of 4.0 for the ten classes in this ten-week course). Term paper The term paper need not demonstrate understanding of the entire course. Nor should it be a literature review. I am looking for the first draft of a publishable article that demonstrates you can do empirical work testing one or more of the theories we will cover in the course. You must have a research design section, but need not collect any qualitative or quantitative data. I view this as an exercise in professional development. Basically, I am looking for the first draft of a serious attempt to write a manuscript that might be publishable in a good journal. I will grade based on how well you can situate a research question in the literature, pose hypotheses from theory(s), develop measures of key concepts, and indicate how you will test the hypotheses. Your paper must include a research design, but you need not gather any data. Note the milepost due dates in Weeks 4 and 7 below. I will advise you on developing your paper throughout the course. Academic Integrity As a student in this course, you acknowledge that you are a member of a learning community in the Evans School of Public Affairs that is committed to the highest academic standards. As a member of this community, you agree to uphold the fundamental standards of honesty, respect and integrity, and you accept the responsibility to encourage others to adhere to these standards. If you are uncertain about whether a particular action constitutes academic misconduct, please ask me for guidance before an assignment is due, or see the UW s guidance on what constitutes academic misconduct: depts.washington.edu/grading/pdf/academicresponsibility.pdf. Assigned Readings Most of the readings are available on Canvas. The other readings are in the following book, which can be purchased at the University Bookstore:
Paul Sabatier and Christopher Weible, editors, Theories of the Policy Process, 3rd edition (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2014). Do not buy the second edition. Weekly Schedule Week 1 (Jan 5) Theories, Frameworks, and Models No pre-class written assignment; just read what is assigned below, and think about the discussion questions I posted on the course web site. Note that two of the reading below are from the second edition of the textbook, and are therefore posted on the course web site. I recommend reading these in the order listed below. Discussion questions are posted with the readings below. Edella Schlager, A Comparison of Frameworks, Theories, and Models of Policy Processes, Ch.10 in Theories of the Policy Process, 2 nd Edition (2007), pp. 293-297. Christopher Weible, Guideline for Analyzing Frameworks, Theories, and Models (2014), p.1. Christopher Weible, Introducing the Scope and Focus of Policy Process Research and Theory, Theories of the Policy Process, 3 rd Edition (2014), Chapter 1, pp. 3-21. Paul Sabatier, Fostering the Development of Policy Theory, Ch. 11 in Theories of the Policy Process, 2 nd Edition (2007), pp. 321-331. Christopher Weible, Advancing Policy Process Research, Ch. 11 in Theories of the Policy Process, 3 rd Edition (2014) pp. 391-407. Week 2 (Jan 12) Multiple Streams Theory Nikolaos Zahariadis, Ambiguity and Multiple Streams, Chapter 2 in Theories of the Policy Process, Third Edition (2014), pp. 25-50. Thomas Birkland, "Focusing Events, Mobilization, and Agenda Setting, Journal of Public Policy 18 (1998): 53-74. Jessica Boscarino, Surfing for Problems: Advocacy Group Strategy in Forest Policy, Policy Studies Journal 27 (2009): 415-435. Sarah B. Pralle, The Mouse that Roared: Agenda Setting in Canadian Pesticides Politics, Policy Studies Journal 34 (2006): 171-194.
Scott Robinson and Warren Eller, Participation Policy Streams: Testing the Separation of Problems and Solutions in Subnational Policy Systems, Policy Studies Journal 38 (2010): 199-215. Week 3 (Jan 19) The Narrative Policy Framework Michael Jones and Elizabeth Shanahan, The Narrative Policy Framework, Chapter 7 in Theories of the Policy Process, Third Edition (2014), pp. 225-256. Elizabeth Shanahan, et al., An Angel on the Wind: How Heroic Policy Narratives Shape Policy Realities, Policy Studies Journal 41 (2013): 453-483. Jones, Michael, Communicating Climate Change: Are Stories Better than Just the Facts?, Policy Studies Journal 42 (2014): 644-673. Elizabeth Shanahan, et al., Narrative Policy Framework: The Influence of Media Policy Narratives on Public Opinion, Politics and Policy 39 (2011): 373-400. Week 4 (Jan 26) Social Construction Theory Term papers: Topic due Jan 27 by email. Individual consultations regarding the term paper to be arranged. Anne Schneider, Helen Ingram, and Peter DeLeon, "Democratic Policy Design: Social Construction of Target Populations," Chapter 4 in Sabatier Theories of the Policy Process, Third Edition (2014), pp. 105-132. Jill Nicholson-Crotty and Sean Nicholson-Crotty, Social Construction and Policy Implementation: Inmate Health as a Public Health Issue, Social Science Quarterly 85 (2004): 240-256. Brian Czech, et al., Social Construction, Political Power, and the Allocation of Benefits to Endangered Species, Conservation Biology 12 (1998): 1103-1112. Jocelyn Crowley, et al., Understanding Power Talk : Language, Public Policy and Democracy, Perspectives on Politics 6 (2008): 71-88. Christian Larsen, The Political Logic of Labour Market Reforms and Popular Images of Target Groups, Journal of European Social Policy 18 (2008): 50-63. Week 5 (Feb 2) Policy Feedback Theory
Suzanne Mettler and Mallory SoRelle, Policy Feedback Theory, Chapter 5 in Theories of the Policy Process, Third Edition (2014), pp. 151-181. Joe Soss and Sanford Schram, A Public Transformed? Welfare Reform as Policy Feedback, American Political Science Review 101 (2007): pp. 111-127. Eileen McDonagh, It Takes a State: A Policy Feedback Model of Women s Political Representation, Perspectives on Politics 8 (2010): 69-91. Eric Patashnik and Julian Zelizer, The Struggle to Remake Politics: Liberal Reform and the Limits of Policy Feedback in the Contemporary American State, Perspectives on Politics 11 (2013): 1071-1087. Donald Moynihan and Joe Soss, Policy Feedback and the Politics of Administration, Public Administration Review 74 (2014): 320-332. Week 6 (Feb 9) Subsystem and Trans-subsystem Theories Daniel McCool, The Subsystem Family of Concepts: A Critique and a Proposal, Political Research Quarterly 51 (1998): 551-570. Michael D. Jones and Hank C. Jenkins-Smith, Trans-subsystem Dynamics: Policy Topography, Mass Opinion, and Policy Change, Policy Studies Journal 37 (2009): 37-58. Peter May and Ashley Jochim, Policy Regime Perspectives: Policies, Politics, and Governing, Policy Studies Journal 41 (2013): 426-452. Timothy LaPira, Lobbying after 9/11: Policy Regime Emergence and Interest Group Mobilization, Policy Studies Journal 42 (2014): 226-251. Mark Lubell, Governing Institutional Complexity: The Ecology of Games Framework, Policy Studies Journal 41 (2013): 537-559. Week 7 (Feb 16) The Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) Term papers: Submit your updated term paper proposal by e-mail attachment no later than noon on February 18. Please include the topic, research question, theory(s) you plan to use, key hypotheses, and possible methods. This assignment is intended to keep your term paper focused and directed, but not set in stone. Christopher Weible and Paul Sabatier, The Advocacy Coalition Framework, Chapter 6 in Theories of the Policy Process, Third Edition (2014), pp.183-208.
Daniel Nohrstedt, Do Advocacy Coalitions Matter? Crisis and Change in Swedish Nuclear Energy Policy, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 20 (2009): 309-333. Karin Ingold and Frederic Varone, Treating Policy Brokers Seriously: Evidence from the Climate Policy, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 22 (2012): 319-346. Joseph Ripberger, et al., Cultural Theory and the Measurement of Deep Core Beliefs within the ACF, Policy Studies Journal 42 (2014): 509-527. Adam Henry, et al., Policy Change in Comparative Contexts: Applying the Advocacy Coalition Framework Outside of Western Europe and North America, Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis 16 (2014): 299-312. Week 8 (Feb 23) Punctuated Equilibrium Theory (PET) Bryan Jones and Peter Mortensen, Punctuated Equilibrium Theory: Explaining Stability and Change in Public Policymaking, Chapter 3 in Theories of the Policy Process, Third Edition (2014), pp. 59-91. Frank Baumgartner, et al., Punctuated Equilibrium in Comparative Perspective, American Journal of Political Science 53 (2009): 603-620. Samuel Workman, Bryan D. Jones, and Ashley Jochim, Information Processing and Policy Dynamics, Policy Studies Journal 37 (2009): 75-92. Carsten Jensen, Policy Punctuations in Mature Welfare States, Journal of Public Policy 29 (2009): 287-303. Peter John and Shaun Bevan, What are Policy Punctuations? Large Changes in the Legislative Agenda of the UK Government, Policy Studies Journal 40 (2012): 89-107. Week 9 (Mar 1) Policy Diffusion Frances Berry and William Berry, Innovation and Diffusion Models in Policy Research, Chapter 9 in Theories of the Policy Process, Third Edition, 2014, pp. 307-338. Kurt Weyland, Theories of Policy Diffusion: Lessons from Latin American Pension Reform, World Politics 57 (2005): 262-295. Charles Shipan and Craig Volden, When the Smoke Clears: Expertise, Learning and Policy Diffusion, Journal of Public Policy 34 (2014): 357-387.
Scott Allard, Competitive Pressures and the Emergence of Mothers Aid Programs in the United States, Policy Studies Journal 32 (2004): 521-544. Martino Maggetti and Fabrizio Gilardi, Problems (and Solutions) in the Measurement of Policy Diffusion Mechanisms, Journal of Public Policy (2015): 1-21. Optional readings for term papers: Peter Starke, Qualitative Methods for the Study of Policy Diffusion, Policy Studies Journal 41 (2013): 561-582. Sean Nicholson-Crotty, The Politics of Diffusion: Public Policy in the American States, Journal of Politics 71 (2009): 192-205. Week 10 (March 8) Research Paper Presentations Required reading: Paul Cairney and Tanya Heikkila, A Comparison of Theories of the Policy Process, Ch. 10 in Theories of the Policy Process, 3 rd Edition (2014), Chapter 10, pp. 363-390. Paul Cairney, Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: How do we combine the Insights of Multiple Theories in Public Policy Studies? Policy Studies Journal 41 (2013): 1-21. Required handout for your presentation: Prepare a one-page handout that includes your research question, theory(s) tested, hypotheses, methods and evidence you would like to gather or have gathered. You may also attach tables and figures if you have gathered and analyzed data. Please bring sufficient copies of the handout to class.