Public Policies and Governance - 2nd semester
Objectives
The aim of this course is to provide students with a set of conceptual frameworks for analyzing public policy. This course looks at the process of making public policy from beginning to end and in a wide array of particular policy areas that are of importance to contemporary society. Moreover, because the process of public policymaking is best explored by examining particular instances of public debate over a wide array of specific policy areas, this course will adopt a case study approach to explore particular topics. A particular focus will be on variation in public policy choices, so that students would be able to answer questions such as: Why do policies on issues like social welfare, education, and immigration differ markedly from nation to nation? Can we find the answers in contrasting cultures, state institutions, societal organizations, or some mix of all of these explanations?
General characterization
Code
722071082
Credits
10
Responsible teacher
Catherine Moury
Hours
Weekly - 3 letivas + 1 tutorial
Total - Available soon
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
None.
Bibliography
Hill, M. (2012)The Public policy process, Sixth edition, Pearson Education.
Kraft, M. and Furlong (2007), Public Policy: Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives, 2nd Edition, QP Press.
Teaching method
The first part of the class will be a lecture. In the second part, students are expected to read the assigned readings thoughtfully and to come to class prepared to discuss them. Once during the semester, students will be asked to present one text orally in class. In addition, working singly or in groups, students have to prepare their final assignment.
Evaluation method
Discussion and Participation in class account for 20% of the final grade; while the text presentation counts for an additional 20%. A written paper will account for 60% of the final grade. This could be either a) a case study of policy research and its impact on public policy or b) a comparison of a policy in a specific area across at least two countries with reference to theoretical arguments covered in the course.
Subject matter
Class 1 will introduce the various actors involved in the making of public policy and the process of setting the public policy agenda. Class 2 explores the process of public policy formulation, that will be examined through a variety of case studies. Class 3 examines the implementation of public policies once they have been agreed upon, the allocating of funding to pay for these projects through the budgetary process, and the evaluation of these projects to determine their effectiveness of these projects. Class 4 explores the different theoretical explanations accounting for policy convergence, while Class 5 looks at the different theoretical explanations for variation in policy choices. The following classes focus on specific policies (poverty policy, family policy, healthcare policy, transport policy, urban planning, education policy and immigration policy).
Programs
Programs where the course is taught: