PUBL 601 - Political and Social Context of the Policy Process

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This course is designed to introduce students to the processes by which policy is made in the United States. It introduces students to the policymaking system, including the institutional, structural and political contexts, as well as the policymaking environment. The various stages of the policymaking process from problem definition and agenda-setting to implementation are examined and discussed, and important theories and models of policymaking are presented. Significant concepts relating to the political analysis of public policy are discussed, such as the social construction of problems, group demands, political influence and resources, motivations and incentive for political behavior and political feasibility.
Prerequisite: Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.