Spring 2025 Courses
Welcome to the digital hub of my Spring 2025 courses. Here are slide decks, handouts, and other essential resources for two courses:
- POSC 315: Introduction to Public Policy
- POSC 521: MPA Capstone - Public Administration Theory
POSC 315: Introduction to Public Policy Handouts
Week 1-1 Introduction Day
We introduce the course, go over the syllabus and contact information. Basic first day of class.
Slide DeckWeek 1-2 Overview of Public Policy
We get right into the materials covering values of the American political regime and the content of Birkland chapter 1.
Slide DeckWeek 2-1 Policy Process Elements
This lecture brings us to the idea of the policy process, what it is and how we conceptualize it. This presentation covers Birkland chapter 2.
Slide DeckWeek 2-2 Policy Process Theories
This lecture focuses on theories of the policy process, including incrementalism, Kingdon's Three Streams Model, Jones and Baumgartner's Punctuated Equilibrium, and Sabatier's Advocacy Coalition Framework. This presentation covers some of Birkland chapter 11 as well as additional readings
Slide DeckWeek 3-1 Historical and Structural Elements
Here we look at the institutional and structural elements than enable and enjoin policy making in the United States. This presentation covers Birkland Chapter 3.
Slide DeckWeek 3-2 Official Actors in the Policy Process
The focus is on Chapter 4 of Birkland's text. We cover theories of interaction among actors and the offical actors: legislators, executives, bureaucrats, and judges.
Slide DeckWeek 4-1 Unofficial Actors in the Policy Process
The focus is on Chapter 5 of Birkland's text. We cover interaction concepts and the unofficial actors in the policy process, including the news media, interest groups, think tanks, etc.
Slide DeckWeek 4-2 Role of Individuals and MLK's Letter from Birmingham Jail
This lecture focuses on the role of individuals in the policy process, with a special emphasis on Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" as a case study.
Slide DeckWeek 6-1 Agenda Setting
The focus is on Chapter 6 of Birkland's text. We get into theories of the group, problems, agenda and agenda setting, conflict and competition, political power, and preview some change theories.
Slide DeckWeek 6-2 Policy Typologies
Depending on the problem definition and the ability to reach the agenda, policies forged in the policy process emerge as a type. Here we explore these types, discuss their nature, and compare them with an eye on the predicting political behavior.
Slide DeckWeek 7-1 Decision-Making I
This week we cover decision-making. The focus is on rational decision-making theories. We also get into two types of dysfunctional decision-making ideas.
Slide DeckWeek 7-2 Decision-Making II
This week we cover decision-making. The focus is on rational decision-making theories. We also get into two types of dysfunctional decision-making ideas.
Slide DeckWeek 9-1 Policy Analysis I
This week we take decision making a step further by exploring policy analysis and looking through the lens of a policy analyst.
Slide DeckWeek 9-2 Policy Analysis II
This week we take decision making a step further by exploring policy analysis and looking through the lens of a policy analyst.
Slide DeckWeek 11-1 Policy Design & Tools
Here we look at the nature policy design, the tradeoffs that go with it, and how it leads to the questions we ask about the tools used to achive a policy objective
Slide DeckWeek 11-2 Implementation
Implementation is the process of putting policy into action. Here we look at the complex nature of implementation, the tradeoffs that go with it, and how it leads to the questions we ask about the tools used to achive a policy objective.
Slide DeckWeek 12-1 Failure and Learning
Can we every really have a _good_ policy? Why do policies fail? How can we learn from our mistakes? These are the questions explored in this lecture.
Slide DeckWeek 12-2 Evaluation and Science
What is policy evaluation? What is the nature of knowing. This week we explore deep questions about public policy and science. We ask, "Can we ever really know if we have good policy?"
Slide DeckPOSC 521: MPA Capstone - Public Administration Theory Syllabus
Course Bibliography
There is a lot of reading for this course. I have created a bibliography page with proper citations as well as download links for Zotero bibliography manager.
Zotero Library