Introduction to public policy

Semester: 

Summer

Offered: 

2021

Titles: Instructor. Harvard Summer School (2018-2021).
           Visiting Assistant Professor. Purdue University (2018).
Summary: With political polarization quickly becoming the defining issue of our time, there is a pressing need to develop a more precise understanding of the actions of government and the intentions that determine such actions. In this class, we will develop an in-depth understanding of what public policy is and why we sometimes justify government involvement in solving social problems. We will learn to identify the characteristics of effective and ineffective policies by examining the conditions under which government actions may stifle intergenerational mobility equal opportunity and better social and economic outcomes. We will also examine the environments in which poorly designed public policies may create unexpected consequences and negative outcomes, such as exclusion or political capture. This course will explore many of the paradoxes inherent in public policy research by focusing on the highly controversial topics that animate today's most meaningful public debates, such as gun ownership, homelessness, education, health care, and welfare policies.

Syllabus Public Policy.pdf255 KB