ABA 810 - Principles of Public Policy

This course will explore the “who, what, where, why and how” of public policy. The course will begin with some discussion on the nature and rationale of public policy and how an idea actually becomes part of a policy agenda. The second section will address the process, structure, and context of policy making and the complicated system of “actors” (both official and unofficial) and institutions that establish and implement public policy. The third segment will focus on the rules, strategies and culture of policy development and the role of position, power, language and politics in achieving implementation. Various short case studies will illustrate how policy issues have been addressed - sometimes well and sometimes poorly.

(Cr: 3