Political Science 316

American Public Policy

 

M/W 1:25-2:40                                                                                    Mark Stephan

MMC 217                                                                                           Office Hours: Th 1-3

Fall 2006                                                                                              546-9467

stephanm@vancouver.wsu.edu                                                            Office: MMC 202U

 

 

Course Description

            This course will provide students with a broad survey of public policy in the U.S. domestic context.  The course will analyze the policy process and the key political actors, and will expose students to policy areas such as health policy, civil rights policy, economic policy, and environmental policy.

            The semester will be divided into three sections.  First, we will talk about the fundamental ideas that serve as a foundation for a class on public policy:  What is policy (as distinct from politics)?  What does it mean to refer to something as “public” policy?  Having answered these first questions, we will proceed to a discussion of a few basic models of public policy and the nature of policy analysis.  Second, we will turn to a more complex and subtle model of public policy that integrates a discussion of politics and policy.  Finally, we will apply what we have learned to at least three substantive areas of public (i.e., civil rights policy and two other areas to be decided by the class).  Though in general our focus will be at the national level, some time will be used to address the similarities and differences between policy at the federal, state, and local levels.

 

Course Texts

            There are two required texts for this course (there will also be handouts throughout the semester and readings pulled off the Web).  Both texts should be available at the student store.  The core texts for the course will be as follows:

            Michael Kraft and Scott Furlong’s Public Policy: Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives

            Deborah Stone’s Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making (Revised)

 

 

Structure of Grading

            Your grades will be determined by a midterm exam (25%), two papers (the first is worth 15%, the second is worth 25%), a final exam (30%), and class participation (5%).

 

 

Exams

            The midterm will be on October 11th.  The final exam will be during the week of December 11th.  The exams will have similar formats.  They both will be essay or “long answer” driven.  Material for the exams will be drawn from both lecture material and reading material.  Students should not expect to be able to perform well on either exam by merely attending class or doing the reading alone.

            PLEASE NOTE THAT FAILURE TO ATTEND CLASS ON AN EXAM DATE WILL RESULT IN THE STUDENT RECEIVING A ZERO ON THAT EXAM!!!  The only legitimate excuses for missing an exam are extreme illness or death in the family of which I must be informed prior to the exam. Similarly, late papers will only be accepted without penalty for the above legitimate excuses.  Otherwise, papers will be penalized each day they are late.

 

 

Papers

            Each student will be required to complete two papers.  The first (brief) paper will be due September 27th AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.  Students will write a paper reacting to one of the readings early in the course.  Students will also have a second paper due November 6th AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.  The second paper will involve applying theories learned in class to a specific policy topic.  You will be given a more specific outline in the next three weeks of the issues you should address in both papers.

 

 

Attendance in Class

            Because of the size of the class I will be unable to take attendance in any formal sense.  I will try to learn as many of your names as possible.  Students should not interpret this policy as meaning that class attendance is optional – attendance is MANDATORY.  However, because of the length of the class period I do not wish to shorten it any further by checking attendance.  PLEASE NOTE: IF ATTENDANCE DROPS BELOW AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL, I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THIS POLICY.

 

 

Disability Notice

Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have a documented disability.  Please notify me during the first week of class of any accommodations needed for the course.  Late notification may cause the requested accommodations to be unavailable.  Students needing accommodations must have them approved through the Assistant Director of Student Development (MMC 24, 546-9567).

 

 

Office Availability

            This is a large class, and in this type of situation it is easy for students to feel removed from the academic process.  In contrast, the readings I have assigned are designed to get students analyzing the major ideas and issues that matter in domestic policy.  I therefore intend for you to discuss the material with your classmates and me.  I will make every effort to meet with students during my office hours.  I will also meet by appointment when feasible.  Finally, I will hopefully find ways to draw some, if not all, of you into class discussions on a regular basis.  Feel free to talk with me about readings, exams, and questions about the class meetings.

 

 

 

Semester Schedule

            Please bear in mind that we may fall behind the following schedule in terms of lecture and class discussion: however, I expect all students to keep up with the reading on this schedule unless otherwise advised by me. Readings are to be read by the day assigned.

 

August 21st – Introduction

 

August 23rd – American? Public? Policy?

            Kraft, Preface and Chapter One

 

August 28th – Institutions and Policy

            Kraft, Chapter Two

            Federalist Paper No. 51 (“google” it, then read it)

 

August 30th – Models of Public Policy

            Kraft, Chapter Three

           

September 6th – Policy Analysis

            Kraft, Chapters Four and Five

 

September 11th – More on Policy Analysis

            Kraft, Chapter Six

 

September 13th – An Example: Health Care Policy

            Kraft, Chapter Eight

            Handouts

 

September 18th – Rethinking Policy: Politics and Markets

            Stone, Preface, Introduction, Chapter One

 

September 20th – Goals: Equity

            Stone, Chapter Two

 

September 25th – Goals: Efficiency

            Stone, Chapter Three

 

September 27th – Goals: Security

            Stone, Chapter Four

            (First Paper Due)

 

October 2nd – Goals: Liberty

            Stone, Chapter Five

 

October 4th – Problems

            Stone, Chapter Six and Seven

            (Midterm study guide provided)

 

October 9th – Midterm Preparation and Policy Topic Discussions

 

October 11th – Midterm

 

October 16th – TBA

 

October 18th – Problems

            Stone, Chapters Eight and Nine

 

October 23rd – Problems

            Stone, Chapter Ten

 

October 25th – Solutions

            Stone, Chapters Eleven and Twelve

 

October 30th – Solutions

            Stone, Chapters Thirteen and Fourteen

 

November 1st – Solutions

            Stone, Chapter Fifteen and Conclusion

 

November 6th – TBA  

(Second Paper Due)

 

November 8th – Civil Rights Policy

            Stone, “Policy Paradox In Action”

 

November 13th – Substantive Area II

            Kraft chapter (TBA) and handouts

 

November 15th – Substantive Area II

            Handouts

 

November 27th – Substantive Area III

            Kraft chapter (TBA) and handouts

 

November 29th – Substantive Area III

            Handouts

 

December 4th – TBA

 

December 6th – Conclusion