DPI-122: Politics & American Public Policy

Semester: Not Offered

Credit: 1.0

Faculty: Elaine Kamarck

Schedule

Day Time Location
First Day
Meet Day
Review

Description

How do major, transformative changes in public policy take place? Why do some big public policy reforms succeed while others fail or languish for decades? Major public policy changes often begin in the orderly world of analysis - but end in the messy world of partisan politics. To succeed a new initiative has to coincide with a political climate and a leadership capacity that allows the proponents to overcome the natural resistance to change. Many good ideas fail because the politics are simply not right at the time - only to come back years later and succeed. This course will examine the public opinion, politics and press around a series of major modern public policy initiatives. Through a series of case studies students will explore where big ideas come from, how they get onto the public agenda and how public debate shapes an issue as it unfolds.

Not offered in 2012-13.