Public Policy
PPL 807
Fall Semester, 2012
Michigan State University
Class Time: Tuesday, 6:10 PM – 9:00 PM
Room: 113 Bessey Hall
Credits: 3
Instructor: Prof. Joshua Sapotichne
Office: 310 S. Kedzie (Hrs: Tues: 8-10)
Email: sapotich@msu.edu
Overview
This course provides an introduction to the study of public policy. We draw from the fields of political
science, economics, policy sciences, and public administration to help us understand the theory and
practice of formulating, adopting, enacting, analyzing, implementing, and evaluating public policy. The
course assumes a familiarity with American government and the institutions of policymaking at the
federal, state, and local levels.
Students with more theoretical interests will find the course useful in providing frameworks for
studying policy processes. Students with more applied interests in particular policies or instruments,
policy areas, policy venues, or specific levels of government will find the course useful in thinking
about how political and structural forces shape the willingness of governments to consider different
courses of policy action.
For much of the semester, we will be moving back and forth between theoretical and conceptual
discussion, and the application of theory to the study and/or assessment of a particular example (or
several examples). Required content will generally consist of one or two chapters in our texts,
supplementary readings that apply and advance the conceptual perspectives covered in the text, and
an assignment or case study that brings the conceptual perspectives to life.
Course Requirements
Grades will be based on a combination of performance on a response paper, research paper, and
contributions to the seminar. Each component will be assessed as follows:
Response Paper:
This will be due the 7th week of the semester (October 16). By then, we will have worked our way
through several aspects of the policymaking process, and theoretical frameworks designed to
capture and explain policy formation, in particular. For this assignment, you are asked to write a
5-to-6-page (double-spaced) response paper that addresses a fundamental question about public
policy processes and the state of theorizing regarding policy formation. The emphasis should be
on your assessment of the frameworks and evidence that we have addressed. This will count for
30 percent of the course grade. More detailed guidelines for the response paper will be provided
early in the semester.
Research Paper:
This will be developed in a series of steps that include: (1) preliminary topic paper due during the
5th week of the course (October 2); (2) refinement of the topic paper and one-on-one discussion
during office hours (week 12); (3) in-class presentation of the research paper during the last two
weeks of class; (4) the research paper itself, due December 15. The combined grade for the
research paper constitutes 50 percent of the course grade. Late papers will be assessed a .5
penalty for every day late. More detailed guidelines for the topic and research papers will be
provided early in the semester.
Contribution to the Seminar:
This is a seminar course. Each and every student is expected to participate in class discussions.
Come to seminar prepared to discuss ALL of the required readings. Your contributions to the
seminar will be assessed with respect to: (1) your involvement in and contribution to seminar
discussion; (2) your involvement in and contribution to the construction of several in-class
assignments; and (3) your research presentations. Each student’s contributions to the seminar
will be evaluated on an overall scale of “stellar contributions” (4.0), “solid contributions” (3.5),
“acceptable contributions” (3.0), or “less than desired contributions” (less than 3.0). A single grade
will be provided for this component and it will constitute 20 percent of the course grade.
Resources
The following four books are required for this seminar:
1. Thomas A. Birkland. 2011. An Introduction to the Policy Process. 3rd Ed. Armonk, NY: M.E.
Sharpe.
2. Kevin B. Smith and Christopher W. Larimer. 2009. The Public Policy Theory Primer. Boulder:
Westview Press.
3. Eugene Bardach. 2012. A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis. 4th Ed. Washington: CQ Press.
4. Lawrence Jacobs and Theda Skocpol. 2010. Health Care Reform and American Politics. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
An array of additional readings – including journal articles, book chapters, handouts, and case study
materials – will be available for downloading from the course Angel website. The site also provides
updates on assignments and requirements, as well as useful research sites. Please check the page
frequently.
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Course Topics and Required Readings
I reserve the right to make changes to the schedule and to the readings. Please stay informed.
* Designates a reading that is posted to course Angel page.
Part 1. Orientation
1. September 4
Introductions and Course Overview
2. September 11
How to Analyze Public Policy: A Morphology
READINGS
 Smith and Larimer – Ch.1
 Birkland – Ch.1 (For information on American politics, read through Ch. 2 and 3, as well)
 * Paul Sabatier. 1991. “Toward Better Theories of the Policy Process.” PS: Political Science
and Politics 24(2): 147-156.
 * Michael Munger. 2000. “Policy Analysis as a Profession and a Process: An Overview.” pp. 3-26.
 * Dipak Gupta. 2011. “The Analysts: Their Role and Their Tools.” pp. 27-45.
 * Aaron Wildavsky. 1979. “The Art of Policy Analysis.” pp. 415-419.
ASSIGNMENT
 Analyzing recent policy initiatives from different perspectives
3. September 18
Foundations: Rationality, Bounded Rationality, and Choice
READINGS
 Smith and Larimer – Ch. 3
 * Charles Wheelan. 2011. “Understanding Behavior: Rational Man and Woman” and
“Understanding Group Behavior: Collective Action.” pp. 69-138.
 * Dipak Gupta. 2011. “Reason, Rationality, and Public Policy: The Puzzle of Human Behavior.”
Pp. 1-26.
 * Charles Lindblom. 1959. “The Science of Muddling Through.” Public Administration Review
19: 79-88.
 * Deborah Stone. 2002. “Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision-Making.” pp. 1-14.
 * Bryan Jones, Graeme Boushey, and Samuel Workman. 2012. Bounded Rationality and
Rational Choice Theory. The Handbook of Public Policy. Pp. 23-29.
 * Bryan Jones and Frank Baumgartner. 2005. “A Model of Choice for Public Policy.” Journal of
Public Administration Research and Theory 15(3): 325-351.
 * Elinor Ostrom. 2011. “Background on the Institutional Analysis and Development
Framework.” Policy Studies Journal, pp. 173-184.
ASSIGNMENT
 Hypothesis testing of decision-making models
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Part 2. Policy Formation and Policy Processes
4. September 25
Early Models of Policymaking: Stages and Typologies
READINGS
 Smith and Larimer – Ch. 2
 Birkland – Ch. 7
 * Randall Ripley. 1985. “Stages of the Policy Process.” pp. 48-55.
 * Peter DeLeon. 1999. “The Stages Approach to the Policy Process.” pp 139-144.
 * Theodore Lowi. 1968. “American Business, Public Policy, Case Studies, and Political Theory.”
World Politics 16: 687-691. And 1972. “Four Systems of Policy, Politics, and Choice.” Public
Administration Review 33: 298-310.
 * George Greenberg, et al. 1977. “Developing Public Policy Theory.” American Political Science
Review 71(4): 1532-1543. [Especially sections up to and including typologies]
 * Peter May. 1986. “Politics and Policy Analysis.” Political Science Quarterly 101(1): 109-125.
[Especially typologies section]
ASSIGNMENT
 ‘P’olicies and ‘p’olicies in taxonomic research
5. October 2 [***TOPIC PAPER DUE***]
Policy Problems, Causal Stories, and Policy Design
READINGS
 Birkland – Ch. 8 (part) – pp. 228-252
 Smith and Larimer – Ch. 8
 * Anne Schneider and Helen Ingram. 1993. “Social Construction of Target Populations.”
American Political Science Review: 334-347.
 * Deborah Stone. 1989. “Causal Stories and the Formation of Policy Agendas.” Political Science
Quarterly 104(2): 281-300.
ASSIGNMENT
 What caused prominent crises and disasters?
6. October 9
Issue Emergence and Agenda Setting Dynamics
READINGS
 Birkland – Ch. 6
 Birkland – Ch. 9 (part) – pp. 297-298; 300-301.
 Smith and Larimer – Ch. 4 – pp. 83-99.
 * Roger Cobb, et. al. 1976. “Agenda Building as a Comparative Political Process.” American
Political Science Review 70(1): 126-138.
 * John Kingdon. 2011. “Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies.” pp. 196-208. And 2001 “A
Model of Agenda-Setting, with Applications.” pp. 331-337.
 * Frank Baumgartner and Bryan Jones. 2009. “The Construction and Collapse of a Policy
Monopoly.” Agendas and Instability. pp 59-82. and 2007 “Punctuated Equilibrium.” In Theories
of the Policy Process. Chapter 6, pp 155-188.
CASE
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
Policy change dynamics in Michigan’s city governments
7. October 16 [***RESPONSE PAPER DUE***]
Transition/Flex: Political Environments and Effective Political Analysis
READINGS
 TBD
ASSIGNMENT
 TBD
Part 3. Political Environments: Theory and Practice
8. October 23
Political Environments, part 1: Subgovernments, Issue Networks, and Advocacy
READINGS
 Birkland – Ch. 4
 Birkland – Ch. 5
 Smith and Larimer – Ch. 4 (part) – pp. 75-83.
 * Daniel McCool. 1990. “Subgovernments as Determinants of Political Viability.” Political
Science Quarterly. 1990: 269-293.
 * Hugh Heclo. 1978. “Issue Networks and the Executive Establishment.” pp. 262-287.
 * Paul Sabatier. 1988. “An Advocacy Coalition Theory of Policy Change.” pp. 339-379.
CASE
 TBD
9. October 30
Political Environments, part 2: Mapping Political Environments
READINGS
 * Peter May. 2005. “Policy Maps and Political Feasibility.” Book Chapter. pp. 127-151.
 * Peter May. 1986. “Politics and Policy Analysis.” Political Science Quarterly 101(1): 109-125.
[Full article]
 * John Kingdon. 2011. “Health Care Reform in the Clinton and Obama Administrations.”
 Lawerence Jacobs and Theda Skocpol. 2010. Health Care Reform and American Politics. Entire
book.
ASSIGNMENT
 Mapping Health Care Reform in the Obama Administration
Part 4. Policy Analysis, Impact, and Implementation
10. November 6
The Practice of Policy Analysis
READINGS
 Smith and Larimer – Ch. 5
 Eugene Bardach. 2008. Practical Guide for Policy Analysis. Entire monograph
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


* Michael Munger. 2000. “Experts and Advocacy: The Limits of Policy Analysis.” 134-161.
* Walter Williams. 1998. “Whither Federal Policy Analysis.” In Honest Numbers and Democracy.
pp 258-282.
* Arnold Meltsner. 1976. “The Seven Deadly Sins of Policy Analysts,” pp. 409-414.
CASE
 Central London’s Crossrail
11. November 13
Program Evaluation and Impact Analysis: OK, we did something … but what, and is it working?
READINGS
 Smith and Larimer – Ch. 6
 * Charles Wheelen. 2011. “Program Evaluation.” pp. 444-475.
 * Bovens, Hart, and Kuipers. 2006. “The Politics of Policy Evaluation”. In Oxford Handbook of
Public Policy, pp. 319-335.
CASE
 The Oregon benchmark reforms
12. November 20
Individual Consultations on Research Papers – Appointments scheduled during the week of Nov. 19.
13. November 27
Policy Implementation, Failure, and Learning
READINGS
 Smith and Larimer – Ch. 7
 Birkland – Ch. 9
 * James Anderson. 2011. “Policy Implementation.” pp. 209-270.
 * Giandomenico Majone and Aaron Wildavsky. 1984. “Implementation as Evolution.” pp. 140153.
 * Michael Lipsky. 1980. “The Critical Role of Street Level Bureaucrats.” In Lipsky, Street Level
Bureaucrats. pp 3-23.
CASE
 Establishing Boston’s DNA database
Part 5. Research Papers and Presentations
14. December 4
Presentations – Round 1
15. December 11
Presentations – Round 2
December 14 [***RESEARCH PAPERS DUE***]
PPL 807 – Fall 2012 – Sapotichne
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No class
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