PS 414

My approach to the study of public policy divides the work to be done into three parts. The first could be called something like "policy skills" or "conflict structure" of "seeing the underlying premise." I don't know anyone else who offers this and I think it is a very valuable skill--at least it has been valuable to me.

The second emphasis is on the policy process. How do new ideas or new versions of old ideas get into the institutional mix? That is what "politicizing social issues" is all about and there is a need to dramatize the need for new approaches to international organizations, to pick one end of the scale and for new approaches to cyberbullying to pick the other end. The policy process begins with these new ideas, it processes them, passes them implements them, and evaluates their effectiveness. Every now and then, the just pull the plug on a program.

The third has to so with the public policies themselves. What are policies good for? What effects to they have. On Wildwood Trail, in Forest Park, they try to keeps unleashed dogs off the trail in two ways. They post a sign citing the relevant city code and promise both jailtime and a fine. The second is a much prettier sign asking people PLEASE to staff off the grass. If I took a dog to the trail to run, I'd find that confusing. what is the effect of putting "If you do that, you'll pay"on a post next to "We really wish you wouldn't. Please?"

So how can you offer policy incentives and disincentives that will help clean all that up. That's what we do in 414.

The first third of the course is involved with the mechanics. The second part with process. the third part with the study of the policy documents themselves. It's kind of a sloppy course. The pace varies depending oh just who in understanding what and how soon they can be made ready go on.