Faculty of Arts and Social Science

Department of Government and International Relations

GOVT 6316 Policy Making, Power and Politics Semester 2, 2013 Lecture #1 July 29, 2013

Christopher Neff Lecturer Merewether Room 287 Christopher.neff@sydney.edu.au @GOVT6316_USYD

Todays Outline
1.) Introductions me 2.) Introductions you 3.) About this course 4.) Getting started: policies you care about 5.) 3 Questions Project 6.) Small Group allocations 7.) Questions ?? 8.) Closing thoughts

1. Introductions: me
BA, Political Science (99) Masters Degree in Public (07) PhD Submitted ---------! Lecturer !Unit Coordinator/ !Guest Lecturer ---------Lobbyist Congressional staffer Non-Profit CEO ---------Publications: Marine Policy Environmental Studies &Sciences Journal of Homosexuality Coastal Management
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2. Introductions: You -Ice Breaker!

Please turn to the person sitting next to your right. Introduce yourself and learn 3 things (name, favorite movie AND what you hope to get out of this class?). You have 5 minutes. Im then going to ask you to introduce and tell the class about your new classmate.

3. About this course

Please be sure and read the course outline - Student-led learning and empowerment - Expectations (email turnaround time) - Aims and Objectives - Assessments - Plagiarism - Logistics - Questions - 3 questions project: Twitter

AIMS and OBJECTIVES

The aims of this unit of study: 1.) To encourage independent thinking and individual responsibility for learning. 2.) To provide students with a wide-ranging and detailed understanding of processes of public policy making and implementation, focusing on a variety of advanced democracies. This includes relevant policy analysis concepts and theories as well as practical examples drawn from Australia and abroad. 3.) To develop broad based competency in the understanding of the policy process to serve as a foundation for further study in the Master of Public Policy program and other Government and International Relations units/ courses, by offering a clear focus on public policies as a vital component of the wider discipline of government and international relations. 4.) To develop critical and vocationally relevant analytic and communication skills.
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How are these objectives obtained?

The aims of this unit of study are as follows: 1.) To encourage independent thinking and individual responsibility for learning. How are these objective obtained: 1.) Reading analyses, in-class discussions, essay.

2.) To provide students with a wide-ranging and detailed 2.) Reading analyses, in-class understanding of processes of public policy making and implementation, focusing on a variety of advanced democracies. discussions, essay draft and final essay. This includes relevant policy analysis concepts and theories as well as practical examples drawn from Australia and abroad. 3.) To develop broad based competency in the understanding of the policy process to serve as a foundation for further study in the Master of Public Policy program and other Government and International Relations units/courses, by offering a clear focus on public policies as a vital component of the wider discipline of government and international relations. 4.) To develop critical and vocationally relevant analytic and communication skills. 3.) Essay draft and final essay.

4.) Final essay and in-class discussion.

What exactly are the concepts and theories we will learn?

2.) To provide students with a wide-ranging and detailed understanding of processes of public policy making and implementation, focusing on a variety of advanced democracies. This includes relevant policy analysis concepts and theories as well as practical examples drawn from Australia and abroad.
-! Policy analysis concepts and theories A.! B.! C.! D.! E.! 1.! 2.! 3.! 4.! 5.! 6.! 7.! 8.! 9.! 10.! Three faces of power Rational choice theory Prospect theory Bounded rationality Processes of public policymaking and implementation The Advocacy Coalition Framework (Actor behaviour) Policy entrepreneurship (Actor behaviour) Social construction of target populations (Distributive politics) Problem definition/causal stories (Agenda setting) Multiple Streams Theory (Agenda setting) Punctuated Equilibrium (Agenda setting) Venue shopping (Agenda setting) Policy instruments (Distributive politics) Policy Implementation Focusing events

3.) To develop broad based competency in the understanding of the policy process to serve as a foundation for further study in the Master of Public Policy program and other Government and International Relations units/courses, by offering a clear focus on public policies as a vital component of the wider discipline of government and international relations.

! Application of the theories and concepts to case studies of public policy.

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What exactly are the concepts and theories we will learn?

2.) To provide students with a wide-ranging and detailed understanding of processes of public policy making and implementation, focusing on a variety of advanced democracies. This includes relevant policy analysis concepts and theories as well as practical examples drawn from Australia and abroad.
-! Policy analysis concepts and theories A.! B.! C.! D.! Three faces of power ------------------------------------------------------------------Week 2 Rational choice theory -----------------------------------------------------------------Week 3 Prospect theory---------------------------------------------------------------------------Week 3 Bounded rationality ----------------------------------------------------------------------Week3

-! Processes of public policymaking and implementation 1.! 2.! 3.! 4.! 5.! 6.! 7.! 8.! 9.! 10.! The Advocacy Coalition Framework (Actor behaviour) -------------------------Week 4 Policy entrepreneurship (Actor behaviour) ----------------------------------------Week 4 Social construction of target populations (Distributive politics) ---------------Week 5 Problem definition/causal stories (Agenda setting) -----------------------------Week 5 Multiple Streams Theory (Agenda setting) ----------------------------------------Week 6 Punctuated Equilibrium (Agenda setting) -----------------------------------------Week 7 Venue shopping (Agenda setting) --------------------------------------------------Week 7 Policy instruments (Distributive politics) ------------------------------------------Week 9 Policy Implementation -----------------------------------------------------------------Week 10 Focusing events ------------------------------------------------------------------------Week 11

3.) To develop broad based competency in the understanding of the policy process to serve as a foundation for further study in the Master of Public Policy program and other Government and International Relations units/courses, by offering a clear focus on public policies as a vital component of the wider discipline of government and international relations. ! Application of the theories and concepts to case studies of public policy.
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Workload and minimum requirements

Workload and minimum requirements Academic Board guidelines state that one credit point equates to approximately 1.5 to 2 hours of student effort per week for a typical 13 week semester. This means that if you are an average student seeking to get an average result (64-66) for this Unit then you should plan to spend at least 9 hours each week on learning. If you are studying four x 6 credit point UoS you should plan to spend at least 36 hours each week on your study. These recommended hours assume that you are actively engaged in learning during this time. Research indicates that discussion and teaching others what you have learned leads to higher levels of retention among students than more traditional ways of teaching in universities (lecturing and reading). As such, the teaching of this course is based on active learning and engagement by students. In order to achieve this, attendance is critical and is an important component of the participation mark. In order to achieve at least a Pass for this unit, you must attend at least 80% each of scheduled lectures and tutorials. Do NOT consider taking two concurrent units.
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My Expectations
1.) Respectful discussions in class and online 2.) Attention to readings and student-Led learning 3.) Participation 4.) Critical thinking: thesis paragraph and analysis 5.) Original work Please note that no work from previous courses may be submitted for this course.

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LEARNING STRUCTURE

Three types of resources are provided to help students achieve the learning outcomes of this unit of study: 1.) face-to-face engagement, 2.) reading analyses; and 3.) online engagement.

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Lectures
Lectures will be short (30-40 minutes) and used to set the scene and provide the theoretical development and underpinnings of that weeks topic as well as to show how each topic fits into the overall unit of study aims. At the beginning of each lecture any administrative announcements are made (and these are duplicated online as well). Up to 5 minutes will be allocated for Q&A on any aspect of the unit at the beginning of the lecture. I may use various audio-visual materials to support lectures. Opportunities to apply concepts will be provided a number of times during each lecture.

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Seminars/Group Discussions and Exercises

Seminars/Group Discussions and Exercises are an essential component of this course and will take most of the allotted time. Smaller group discussion and debate will be used as exercises for student-led learning. This time will be divided between: a.) discussing weekly readings, engaging in critical evaluation, and honing your understandings of theories and concepts presented in lectures; and b.) applying case study examples for your work experience and events in the news to the theories and elements discussed in class. These arenas offer you the chance to draw on your own experiences and insights to add more texture to the course and to become more active learners and teachers in this unit. The basis for group discussions and seminars will be your reading analyses that follow the prescribed guidelines as described below and posted on Blackboard. You will be required to turn in reading analyses (for one reading) each week their are readings assigned - two of which will be marked at random. Analyses must be posted on Blackboard prior to class and three hard copies brought to class. Participation is required for you to check your understanding of concepts.
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To Recap:
Each week - we: 1.) Have a short lecture 2.) Get into small groups to discuss the weeks readings and you report on your analysis. 3.) And have a class discussion that applies the learned theory to the class. This is a process to make the theories more relevant to your work. Note: If you see a week that connects with your job and want to propose a discussion about a policy issue you are encountering to discuss relative to the readings and the theories, then please let me know and I will consider it. 6:00- 6:10: Class starts/ announcements 6:10- 6:40: Lecture 6:40 7:00: break into groups to discuss readings and written analyses. 7:00 7:10: Break / Switch 7:10 7:40:Groups lead discussion of key points in readings 7:40 8:00: Applying the theory to an outside issue.

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Online Engagement
Blackboard https://elearning.sydney.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp

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Assessments
ASSESSMENT TASKS AND DUE DATES Compulsory assessments: I. Reading analysis (2,700 words) II. Participation III. Case Study Research Paper (4,000 word essay) Preliminary Topic Paper (300 words) Intermediate Topic Paper (750 words) In-Class Presentation Final Paper Note: change to 1,500 words. 25% 25% 50% 5% 7.5% 7.5% 30% Throughout semester Throughout semester

Due WK 4: 19 August Due WK8: 16 September Due WK 12 & 13 Due 11 November

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Assessment Marking
Guide to interpretation of grades Below 50% (Fail) Work not of an acceptable standard. 50-54% (Low Pass) Work of an acceptable standard. 55-59% (Medium Pass) Work of a satisfactory standard. 60-64% (High Pass) Work has considerable merit 65-69% (Low Credit) 70-74% (High Credit) 75-84% (Distinction) Competent work. Highly competent work. Work of a superior standard.

85%+ (High Distinction) Work of exceptional standard.

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Assessment #1:Reading Analysis

Weekly Readings should be read prior to attending the scheduled lecture on that topic. A majority of the readings include a theory chapter and case study developing the theoretical concepts. This unit is reading intensive. You will be expected to come prepared to class and be willing to engage in discussion. Reading Analyses must be completed and uploaded prior to class. The reading analyses are not only assessments of your understanding of the course content, but also provide an opportunity for you to develop a library of notes that will provide you with a foundation for completing the final assessment. Additionally, the analyses will help you develop good study habits. You will bring THREE copies of your reading analyses to each class. Two of which will be evaluated by your peers, the third will be available for you to annotate. Hard copies of important handouts are provided at lectures or downloaded from the units Blackboard site and printed yourself. A hard copy of assessments should be kept, even after submitting them online. Note: Readings will be added as we learn together.
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What do reading analyses look like?

1.) Citation: properly cite the article/chapter/book using the Harvard system. (Hint: this is a no brainer. It is truly amazing how many times people do this incorrectly. Pay attention!) 2.) What is the puzzle?: Identify what the author is trying to explain. This is often a big picture question that he or she examines through a specific case or set of cases. This should be no more than a 1-2 sentence question. 3.) What is the thesis? What is the main argument of the article? This is a choice an argument that should answer what and why questions. >> I argue that XXX is the thesis of this reading because of A,B,C. The thesis should be no longer than 2 sentences, preferably one. 4.) Evidence: What sources of evidence does the author use to support her/his argument? Is this an in depth case study that relies on interviews with a relatively small number of people? Or is it a large-n study that relies on statistical analyses? On the other hand, is this a theory building exercise that relies more on logical reasoning building on the advances or shortcomings in the literature? The more specific you are the better. This will also help you in identifying resources for your own research. 5.) Evaluation: What is your evaluation of this work? Has the author made a compelling argument based on sufficient evidence? Do you agree with his/her conclusions? Has the author omitted important alternative perspectives or evidence? Can you suggest ways to improve the work? 6.) Relationship to this weeks readings and broader literature/lecture: How does this piece fit in with the other readings for this week and the lecture? Does it counter another argument? Does it illuminate another facet of the problem? Does it provide a theoretical underpinning that is examined in another reading? Additionally, make connections to the broader literature. Often, you will find references in the piece itself. Be explicit in your answer. As the course continues, relate back to earlier weeks. Over the course of the semester this section should grow. 7.) Relationship to your research topic: Optional, but STRONGLY recommended.
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Thesis statements
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/thesis-statements/ A thesis statement: !tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion. !is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper. !directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel. !makes a claim that others might dispute. !is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

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Assessment #2: Participation (25%)

-! Attendance (80% minimum) -! Group participation -! In-class participation -! Online participation

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Online engagement
3. ONLINE ENGAGEMENT: This unit requires weekly use of Blackboard Learn, the Universitys e-learning platform, so you will need reliable access to a computer and the Internet. To access the Blackboard Learnsite : go to the University homepage (www.sydney.edu.au) > choose MyUni > choose USYD eLearning > enter Unikey to access your eLearning sites. Alternatively, you can bookmark the login page directly at http://elearning.sydney.edu.au/ . If you have any difficulties logging in or using the system, visit the Student Help area of the Sydney eLearning site, http://sydney.edu.au/elearning/student/. Blackboard provides the main online learning support. It is essential that you log in at least twice per week to keep abreast of unit-wide announcements, discussions, and use the resources to supplement your learning. Powerpoint presentations, if used, will be available one day after each lecture for you to download from Blackboard. Copies of extra handouts from the lecture are also made available online one day after the lecture. Online discussion forums will be available over the semester to all students on the Blackboard site. These can be used to clarify questions relating to the case study and reading analyses and another will be used for other queries. Please check the previous postings and syllabus prior to posting a question as I will not respond to duplicate questions or issues addressed in the syllabus. Appropriate online behaviour in such discussions is expected at all times. Students are encouraged to respond to their peers queries and may positively influence their participation mark. All assignments should be submitted online by three p.m. on the due date. Use the following protocol for naming your files: LastnameFirstInitial_Assignment.doc. (i.e. SmithJ_Readinganalysis1.doc). Files not named properly will not be read. Similarly, ensure that your name is also on your work (i.e. upper right hand corner/ heading of each page). Work without a name on it after printing will not be marked. Feedback and Results on each assessment are available through Blackboard when all marks have been finalised. Suggested improvement options will be posted online at the same time.
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Assessment #3: Research Paper

Your case study will be developed in a series of steps that include: (1)! Preliminary topic paper due week 4 Tuesday at 3:00pm, (2)! Intermediate progress paper due Week 8 before 8am Tuesday (3)! Discussion/presentation in class- weeks 12, 13 (this presentation may be adjusted or foregone if class size is too large). (4)! Final paper due Monday, 8 am, of the first exam week. The preliminary and intermediate steps are to provide the students with formative feedback to help keep them on track and provide early intervention.

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ASSESSMENT # 3. CASE STUDY RESEARCH PROCESS 50% OF THE FINAL MARK

Preliminary Topic Paper (Due Week 4) (5% of mark): The minimum requirement for the topic paper is to have identified a research topic/question that is researchable in the given time frame and have identified appropriate theoretical perspective(s). You should have a research plan at this point in time. Approximately 300 words as a minimum. Intermediate Progress Paper (Due Week 8) (7.5% of mark): Approximately 750 words as a minimum. 1. Clearly identified research question. (i.e. What factors contributed to issue X suddenly rising on the political agenda despite no appreciable change in the objective issue?; Why did the government choose to do q in order to resolve p, when there appeared to be more equitable and less costly alternatives? 2. Succinct working thesis statement. (i.e. I will argue that 1,2,3 contributed to this outcome.) 3. Conceptualized contributing factors. ! a. By 1 (see above), I mean.as discussed by so and so. b. 2 refers to .(see Smart, 2010) c. Finally, 3 refers to the process of xyz (Wonk, 2008) 4. Identify specific sources of evidence to support your claim/argument. a. I will ascertain the issue (ie. Rise on agenda, decision, etc) by examining the following documents: j, k, g b. I will find evidence of 1 by examining The XZY Commission Report (2002), and the NSW Hansard (2001-2004) c. Evidence of 2 will most likely be available on the following websites: d. To support 3 , I will examine the public comments submitted to lkasjdfaslkdfjiet (2003). In-Class Presentation (Weeks 12&13) (7.5% of mark): You paper will be presented in pairs. You will give your draft paper to a peer to read prior to class. The reader will present the paper, identifying the research question, theoretical approach, thesis statement, and provide HELPFUL comments to aid the author in completing the assignment. The author will have an opportunity to respond and clarify any issues. Members of the class will be encouraged to comment. (Note: Given there is no restriction on class size, I may amend this requirement. If more than 30 students are enrolled in the unit, there will simply not be sufficient time for presentationsin that case, the final paper will be worth 37.5% of the final mark). Final Submission (Due June 24) (30% of final mark)

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Plagiarism: We dont cite we over cite!

First, ideas matters in politics; however, the innovation espoused by (Downs and Mohr, 1976) is no longer seen as a principle factor of policy entrepreneurship despite analyses suggest that it. Mack, Green and Ledlitz (2008: 235, emphasis added) define public entrepreneurship as, any elected official, bureaucratic employee, nonprofit manager, or private citizen who is perceived by his/her colleagues and friends to be instrumental in fostering innovative change to modify the way that public entities operate. However, there are examples of entrepreneurship based on old ideas. Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is seen a policy entrepreneur (Barzelay, 2001: 2) regarding her role in pushing to shrink the size of the British civil service. Yet the idea of civil service reform was not new or novel to the late 1980s (Landau, 1979; Wildavsky, 1966).

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Logistics
1.) Names on assignments. 2.) All students are required to submit a signed statement of compliance with all Work submitted to the University for assessment, presentation or publication. A statement of compliance must be in the form of an assignment cover sheet; certifying that no part of the Work constitutes a breach of this Policy. 3.) 10 Minute bathroom/snack breaks on the hour (6:00pm) 4.) Postgraduate writing support 5.) Administrative Staff - Eleanor - Shoshana/ Maria

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Logistics

5.) Contact details Christopher Neff Unit of Study Coordinator Room 287, Merewether Building christopher.neff@sydney.edu.au Consultation hours: 5:00-6:00pm Mondays

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Disability Services

Website: sydney/edu/au/disability Queries: 8627 8422

Do you have a disability?

You may not think of yourself as having a disability but the definition under the Disability Discrimination Act is broad and includes temporary or chronic medical conditions, physical or sensory disabilities, psychological conditions and learning disabilities. The types of disabilities we see include: anxiety arthritis asthma asperger's disorder adhd bipolar disorder broken bones cancer cerebral palsy chronic fatigue syndrome crohns disease cystic fibrosis depression diabetes dyslexia epilepsy hearing impairment learning disability mobility impairment multiple sclerosis post traumatic stress schizophrenia vision impairment and much more. Students needing assistance must register with Disability Services it is advisable to do this as early as possible. Please contact us or review our website to find out more.
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Getting started: Policies you care about

Today, have entered a class room. In the room the governing constitutions of your native land has allowed for a one time, one minute, one policy power. In this moment, you are the Prime Minister of Australia, President of the United States, etc. You have the executive power to change just one policy. This must be a policy that you are passionate about and find interesting. At the end of this reading you will be asked take one minute and write down this policy. You have the power to change one public policy and it can certainly be relevant to your life. Time starts now!

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Getting into Groups

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Next Week
An Introduction to Policy Analysis: This week provides introduces the policy cycle, alternative analysis frameworks, and an overview of the major theories of the policy process that we will examine in this unit. Focusing questions include: How are the three main theories of the policy process different? Which of the three do I see playing out in policy and whats the example? Where are the gaps in theoretical analysis? Wermer J. and K. Wegrich (2006). Theories of the Policy Cycle in Fisher, et al, eds. Handbook of Public Policy Analysis, 43-62. Paul Sabatier (2007). The Need for Better Theories in TOPP2e (Ch1): 3-17. Weible, C. M., Heikkila, T., & Sabatier, P. A. (2012). Understanding and influencing the policy process. Policy Sciences, 45(1), 1-21.
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