JSGS 806 – PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS
UNIVERSITY OF REGINA CAMPUS / UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN CAMPUSINSTRUCTOR: / Ken Rasmussen
PHONE: / 306 585-5463
E-MAIL: /
OFFICE HOURS: / By Appointment
OFFICE: / 270-2 Research Drive
TERM: / Winter 2017, Jan 5 – Apr 28
ROOM: / 210 2 Research Drive
DATE AND TIME: / Every Monday, except Feb 20
5:30 to 8:15 pm
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
This core graduate course focuses on the analysis of the processes whereby public policies arise and are enacted in Canada. The course compares theories and models of policy-making and decision-making to illustrate the special requirements of the Canadian environment and examines the roles of various participants in the policy process: legislators, political parties, interest groups, administrators and administrative structures, citizens, and the judiciary. The course introduces the basic skills in structuring effective policy analysis and provides opportunities to practice those skills in individual and group assignments.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Policy analysis examines how policies are proposed, adopted, implemented, and evaluated. This course describes central features of the policy-making process and investigates several major Canadian domestic public policies.
This course seeks to balance the theoretical (so your knowledge can grow and prepare you for future discussions) and the immediately practical (so you can participate in making sound public policy). As a core course in the MPA program of the JSGS, this course provides an overview of the general field of public policy analysis and policy management. The general objective of the course is to increase your capacity to undertake some of the key functions of a policy analyst or manager. These functions were conveniently listed by a Deputy Minister Task Force in Ottawa, (George Anderson, 1995: 473-74) in a mid-1990s analysis that remains valid:
1. Theoretical research
2. Applied research and statistics
3. Quantitative modeling
4. Environmental scanning, trend analysis, and forecasting
5. Policy analysis and advice
6. Managing consultations and relationships
7. Communications
8. Program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
Of course, no one course can hope to introduce all of these topics, much less to cover them in depth. Perhaps the best way to think of the course objectives here is to consider the role of policy analysts and the competencies that they are expected to have. As you will be aware, the JSGS has developed a set of six competencies all graduates will be able to demonstrate in their JSGS 884 portfolio. While the course contributes in a general way to all of the competencies, specific readings, assignments and activities will help you both specifically acquire and demonstrate the following competencies:
1. Communication and Social Skills: You will both work in large and small groups in the course to undertake activities and assignments. You also will produce a series of writing exercises (BN, CDI, case study and final essay) that will help you improve and demonstrate your writing competence.
2. Systems Thinking and Creative Analysis: Your in-class activities and the case study will allow you to approach a problem holistically. The case study and final essay in particular will allow you to show your understanding and appreciation for the challenges of engaged policy analysis.
3. Public Policy and Community Engagement: You will use a range of tools and methods to investigate the policy system, including PESTLE/SWOTs analyses; the IAPP participation spectrum; cost-benefit analysis; and a range of decision-making and evaluation rubrics.
4. Continuous Evaluation and Improvement: The course explicitly delves into the evaluation literature and discusses strategies and methods, including benchmarking, scorecards, Treasury Board Evaluation Rubric and Cost Benefit Analysis.
5. Policy Knowledge: While this course is not explicitly designed to dig deeply into any specific policy field, you will have the opportunity to focus your attention on discrete policy fields in the course of your assignments.
Required Reading
Bobby Sui, Developing Public Policy: A Practical Guide (Toronto Canadian Scholars Press, 2014)
COURSE OUTLINE AND ASSIGNMENTS
Brief topical readings to be distributed later in course related to a range of policy issues, including: refugees and immigration policy; climate change; global economic and financial regulation; arctic development; third party oversight; infrastructure investments; science, technology and innovation policy.
1. January 9th: Defining Policy Development and Policy Analysis
Topics: Overview of course objectives and requirements; overview of the study of Canadian public policy and the key policy issues; introduction to policy analysis; public policy development; what are the assumptions? What are the issues?
Readings:
Text: Chapter 1 and 2
Cappe, Mel. 2011. “Analysis and Evidence for Good Public Policy,” Tansley Lecture, JSGS website
Simeon, Richard. 1976. “Studying Public Policy” Canadian Journal of Political Science IX.
Case/exercise: Jason Childs, Assessing the Privatization of Retail Alcohol Sales. Policy Brief
2. January 16th: Applied Policy Analysis: Concepts & Communication
Topics: Approaches to policy analysis; what counts as evidence? cost benefit analysis; Preparing better cabinet documents
Readings:
Text: Chapter 3
Teisman, G. 2000. ‘Models for Research into Decision-Making Processes: On Phases, Streams and Decision-Making Rounds.’ Public Administration. 78(4): 937-956. JSTOR
Turnbull, Nick. 2008. “Harold Lasswell’s ‘Problem Orientation’ for the Policy Sciences.” Critical Policy Studies 2 (1): 72–91. doi:10.1080/19460171.2008.9518532.
Rochefort, David and Roger Cobb. “Problem Definition, Agenda Access, and PolicyChoice.” Policy Studies Journal 21, 1 (1993), 56-71.
Case/exercise: undertake a simple cost-benefit analysis based on the following case:
Peter Phillips and Victoria Taras, The Challenge of Managing Carbon Emissions in Saskatchewan’s Mining Sector. Policy Brief
Firsts Briefing Note Due
3. January 23nd: Evidence Based Policy Analysis
Topics: Tools for policy analysis
Readings:
Text: Chapter 4
Howlett, M. and J. Newman. 2010. Policy analysis and policy work in federal systems: policy advice and its contribution to evidence based policy-making in multi-level governance systems. Policy and Society 29: 123-136. JSTOR
Tribe, Lawrence. “Policy Science: Analysis or Ideology?” Philosophy and Public Affairs 2, 1 (1972), 66-110.
Anderson, Charles. “The Place of Principles in Policy Analysis.” American Political Science Review 73 (1979), 711-23.
Case/exercise: Handed out in Class
Due: 2 page Briefing Note
4. January 30th: Policy Cycles (Part One)
Topics: Frameworks for policy analysis and policy development
Readings:
Text: Chapter 5
Atkinson, M. and W. Coleman (1992), ‘Policy networks, policy communities and the problems of governance’, Governance, 5(2), 154-180. JSTOR
Sabatier, P. and C. Weible. 2007. “The Advocacy-Coalition Framework Innovations and Clarifications,” Chapter 7 in P. Sabatier ed., Theories of the Policy Process. 2nd. Ed. Boulder CO: Westview. Library e-book: http://site.ebrary.com.cyber.usask.ca/lib/usask/docDetail.action?docID=10510160
Baumgartner, Frank R., and Bryan D. Jones. 1991. “Agenda Dynamics and Policy Subsystems.” The Journal of Politics 53 (04): 1044–74. doi:10.2307/2131866.
5. February 6th: Policy Cycles (Part Two)
Topics: Other Cycles in the Policy Development Process; The Impact of Election cycles, Legislative Cycles, Budget Cycles, and Strategic Planning Cycles
Readings:
Text: Chapter 6
Jones, B. and Frank R. Baumgartner. 2004. “Representation and Agenda Setting” Policy Studies Journal 32: 1-24.
Stone, D. 1989. ‘Causal Stories and the Formation of Policy Agendas.’ Political Science Quarterly. 104 (2).
6. February 13th: Agenda Setting: How And Why Issues Arise
Topics: Methods of identifying and refining policy issues for analysis/action
Readings:
Hoppe, Robert and Hisschemöller, Matthijs. "Coping with Intractable Controversies: The Case for Problem Structuring in Policy Design and Analysis" Knowledge and Policy 8.4 (1996): 40-60.
Hood, C. 2007. “Intellectual Obsolescence and Intellectual Makeovers: Reflections on Tools of Government after Two Decades,” Governance 20 (1): 127-144.
Case/exercise: Step 1 of policy case: agenda setting using PESTLE and or SWOTS analysis
7. February 27thManaging Policy Relationships (Blended Learning Approach)
8. March 6th: Decision Making (Part 1) (Blended Learning Approach
Topics: Decision criteria in policy systems: political, economic, social, legal, technical and ethical
Readings:
Text: Chapter 8
Good, David A. 2011. “Still Budgeting by Muddling through: Why Disjointed Incrementalism Lasts.” Policy and Society, Incrementalism at 50, 30 (1): 41–51. doi:10.1016/j.polsoc.2010.12.005.
Lindblom, Charles E. 1959. “The Science of ‘Muddling Through.’” Public Administration Review 19 (2): 79–88. doi:10.2307/973677.
Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. 2015. “2015 Tansley Lecture: ‘Down the Social Media Rabbit Hole’ Presented by Chantal Hébert, National Affairs Columnist, The Toronto Star.” 2015. Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. http://www.schoolofpublicpolicy.sk.ca/News_Events/The_Tansley_Lecture/2015/index.php.
Due: 3 page CII
9. March 13th: Decision Making (Part 2)
Topics: Decision criteria in policy systems: political, economic, social, legal, technical and ethical
Readings:
Text: Chapter 8
Eric Montpetit “Public Consultations in Policy network Environments: The Case of Reproductive Technology in Canada” Canadian Public Policy 29:1 2003: 95-110.
May, Peter J. 1991. “Reconsidering Policy Design: Policies and Publics.” Journal of Public Policy 11 (02): 187–206. doi:10.1017/S0143814X0000619X
10. March 20th: Implementation (Part 1)
Topics: Approaches to implementing policy decisions
Readings:
Text: Chapter 9
O’Toole, Laurence J. 2004. “The Theory–Practice Issue in Policy Implementation Research.” Public Administration 82 (2): 309–29. doi:10.1111/j.0033-3298.2004.00396.x.
Woodside, Kenneth. 1986. "Policy Instruments and the Study of Public Policy." Canadian Journal of Political Science, 19 (4): 775-93.
Treasury Board of Canada. 2007. Assessing, Selecting & Implementing Instruments for Government Action.
Case/exercise: Handed out in Class
11. March 27th:
Topics: Approaches to implementing policy decisions
Readings:
Text: Chapter 9
Sabatier, P. 1986. ‘Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches to Implementation Research: A Critical Analysis and Suggested Synthesis.’ Journal of Public Policy, 6: 21-48. JSTOR
Schofield, J. 2005. “A Model of Learned Implementation,” Public Administration 82 (2): 283-308
Shulock, Nancy. 1999. “The Paradox of Policy Analysis: If it is Not Used, why do we produce so much of it?” Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 18: 226-244.
12. April 3rd: How to Manage Policy Relationships
Topics: approaches to policy evaluation (formal and informal)
Readings:
Text: Chapter 10
Treasury Board of Canada. 2004. Supporting effective evaluations: a guide to developing performance measurement strategies. http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/cee/dpms-esmr/dpms-esmr00-eng.asp
Rose, Richard. 1991. “What is Lesson Drawing?” Journal of Public Policy, 11 (1): 3-30.
Sanderson, I. 2002. Evaluation, Policy Learning and Evidence-Based Policy Making. Public Administration 80 (1): 1-22. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9299.00292/pdf
Dolowitz, David, P., and Marsh, David. 2000. “Learning from Abroad: The Role of Policy Transfer in Contemporary Policy-Making.” Governance, 13 (1) 5-24.
Case/exercise: Handed out in class
13. April 10th The Craft Of Policy Analysis
Topics: trends and pressures on the policy system
Readings:
Stone, Diane. 2008. “Global Public Policy, Transnational Policy Communities, and Their Networks.” Policy Studies Journal 36 (1): 19–38.
Due: Final exam/critical essay
DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Individual Writing assignments: The policy process is highly stylized. The assignments are designed to help you understand the strengths and constraints of the formal methods of formally communicating policy advice. Please submit your assignments to UR Courses before midnight on the date they are due. You will be asked to do three individual assignments:
a. Briefing Note: Two page note providing a technical briefing to a minister or senior official on a contemporary issue; topics will be distributed in the course (single spaced; TMS 12 point; use specified format)
b. Cabinet Information Item: maximum three page executive summary of a recommendation to cabinet on a course of action related to a recent policy decision; topics will be distributed in the course
c. Final Exam/Critical Essay: To be handed out on the last day of class due on April 14, 2017
2. Group assignment: Create a poster for the Tansley Lecture (Details to be discussed in class)
3. In-class work: Everyone is expected to read the text reading and at least some of the readings for each class and come prepared to debate. In each class we will have a student-led discussion that will take up to about an half an hour of the class. Students will be individually assigned one of the articles, summarize it in one page and lead a brief 5-7 minute discussion on it. That will involve summarizing the key points and controversies about the approaches, models, methods and so on in the assigned literature. Posing a series of questions would be a good stepping off point to generate debate. Students not leading will be expected to engage in the discussion.
ADDITIONAL READINGS
• Howlett, Michael, M. Ramesh and A. Perl. 2009. Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystems, 3rd ed. Toronto: Oxford University Press.
• Bardach, E. 2000. A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving. New York: Chatham House Publishers.
EVALUATION
In-class participation (both leading session and participation) 10%
2 page Briefing Note 20%
A 3 page Cabinet Information Item 20%
Max 1500 word critical essay on the policy cycle (Final Exam) 30%
Group Poster Presentation 20%
Total 100%
LATE ASSIGNMENTS
Please submit your assignments to UR Courses before midnight on the date they are due. Late assignments will be assigned a penalty of 5%; assignments more than a week late will lose a full grade (10%); special circumstances will be considered upon application by the student.
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
• U OF S: Students in this course who, because of a disability, may have a need for accommodations are encouraged to discuss this need with the instructor and to contact Disability Services for Students (DSS) at 966-7273.
· U of R: Students in this course who, because of a disability, may have a need for accommodations are encouraged to discuss this need with the instructor and to contact the Coordinator of Special Needs Services at (306) 585-4631.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND CONDUCT
· U OF S: Understanding and following the principles of academic integrity and conduct as laid out in the University of Saskatchewan’s Guidelines for Academic Conduct is vital to your success in graduate school (available at www.usask.ca/university_secretary/council/reports_forms/reports/guide_conduct.php). Ensuring that your work is your own and reflects both your own ideas and those of others incorporated in your work is important: ensuring that you acknowledge the ideas, words, and phrases of others that you use is a vital part of the scholarly endeavour. If you have any questions at all about academic integrity in general or about specific issues, contact any faculty member and we can discuss your questions.
· U of R: Ensuring that you understand and follow the principles of academic integrity and conduct as laid out by the University of Regina (available at http://www.uregina.ca/gradstudies/grad-calendar/policy-univ.html) is vital to your success in graduate school. Ensuring that your work is your own and reflects both your own ideas and those of others incorporated in your work is important: ensuring that you acknowledge the ideas, words, and phrases of others that you use is a vital part of the scholarly endeavour. If you have any questions at all about academic integrity in general or about specific issues, contact your course instructor to discuss your questions.
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