Special Topics in Public Policy & Organization: Comparative Public Policy and Administration

This course provides an introduction to topics at the intersection of
comparative public policy and comparative public administration. The focus
is on policy and administration in developed countries, though developing
countries will be considered to some extent.  The basic premise of the
course is that policy and administration are connected in complex ways. 
To explore these connections, the course utilizes a comparative framework.
 It begins by examining how traditional frameworks of comparative analysis
and public policy theory can help us explain cross-national and temporal
variation in public policy and administration.  The course then
investigates how specific advocacy groups, policy entrepreneurs, and
experts shape processes of agenda-setting and policy formation.  
Attention then shifts to the way that various aspects of the state—legal,
fiscal, regulatory, managerial, and professional—affect policymaking and
implementation.  Finally, the course explores the wider context of policy
and administration, including state-society relations, the role of the
third sector, federalism and multi-level governance, and global
governance.  The course will draw on readings from a range of policy
areas, including education, public health, and the environment.