PUBLIC POLICY FORMATION (790:305:01)
M/W 2:15 – 3:35 Art History 200
FALL 2014
John Glascock, Instructor
Email: jglascoc@rci.rutgers.edu
Office Hours: 404 Hickman Hall M 3:45 – 4:15/ W 1:30 – 2:00
The study of what we call public policy grew in the mid – to late 20th century
into a formal subfield within the discipline of political science. It focuses on the
behavior of various government institutions, and how those institutions interact
among themselves and the broader political environment to produce laws and other
manifestations of public policy
Thus, the institutions and processes created in the Constitution of the United
States are at the core of the study of public policy, but an understanding of how
governmental institutions are influenced by the contemporary political environment is also crucial to understanding. An impressive body of work has evolved
which attempts to explain not only how policy is created, but also why or why not,
and to what effect. Much to the consternation of many in the current period,
government’s purview seems virtually limitless, as policy deals with every aspect of
American life, and indeed, all of your courses of study at Rutgers. The textbook for
the course addresses both of these aspects of the study of public policy. We will
learn some analytical concepts and tools, and will do a quick overview of the
substance of major areas of public policy. It is my hope that at the end of the
semester, you will have some appreciation for the policy consequences of
constitutional design, and some understanding of how institutional behavior has
changed over time.
One other aspect of the course requires some comment. The essence of the
study of public policy emerged during a period in our nation’s history when there
was a broad consensus as to what government should undertake as policy and how
it should relate to the society. Extreme policy disagreement tended to be at the very
periphery of this broad consensus. In recent decades, and particularly since 2009,
that broad consensus has largely evaporated in our governing institutions. It has
been displaced by politics of antagonism, hostility, and on the part of some, a deep
distrust of the federal government. Because of this, many of the general principles
of public policy formation are often strained in their application to the
contemporary political environment. We will also examine these tensions in class,
and I hope in your questions and observations about contemporary politics and
policy.
Lectures will frequently go beyond the assigned reading, and you will be
responsible for that content on exams. Formal attendance is not taken, but I do get a
good impression of patterns attendance; quite consistently, those with poor
attendance records do poorly with their grades. This class serves a diverse group of
students; some are new to American government and political science, others are
majors with considerable back round in the subject. The course can serve
everyone’s needs if you read, attend, and ask questions and offer opinions. I urge
you to be active in class; it will greatly heighten your experience. Being active in
class also means that you are expected to become abreast of current news about
government and politics, particularly as it pertains to public policy choices. I very
much hope you will bring to class for discussion relevant items from those pursuits.
REQUIRED READING:
PUBLIC POLICY: CONTINUITY & CHANGE, 2nd edition. C. Wilson, auth.
ECONOMICS, POLITICS, and PUBLIC POLICY, 2nd. ed. Gosling & Eisner, auths.
CLASS REQUIREMENTS:
Midterm
Paper
Final Exam
30%
35%
35%
(Due near end of semester; to be discussed in class)
SEMESTER SCHEDULE:
WEEK OF:
September 3
Course Introduction
Read the introduction in Wilson
September 8
Read chs. 1 & 2, Wilson
September 15
Read ch. 3, Wilson
September 22
Begin ch. 4, Wilson
September 29
Finish ch. 4 of Wilson
October 6
Begin reading Part II of Wilson, Redistributive Policy
October 13
Finish reading Part II
October 20
Read Part III of Wilson, Protective and Competetive
Regulatory policy
OCTOBER 22 MIDTERM EXAM ON PARTS I & II OF WILSON
October 27
Read Part IV of Wilson, Morality Policy
November 3
Begin Part V of Wilson, Distributive Policy
November 4
ELECTION DAY
November 10
Finish Part V of Wilson
November 17
Read chapters 1 – 4 of Gosling & Eisner
November 24
Read chapters 5 – 7 of Gosling & Eisner
November 26
NO CLASS - Friday classes scheduled
December 1
Read chapters 8 – 10 0f Gosling & Eisner
December 8
Finish reading
December 10
Last Class, Final Remarks
DECEMBER 12
PAPERS DUE INPOLITICAL SCIENCE MAIL ROOM
Due by 3:00pm
5th floor, Hickman Hall
LATE PAPERS WILL BE PENALIZED
FINAL EXAM
DECEMBER 17
8am – 11am