UPADM-GP 101-001: The Politics of Public Policy: City, Nation, Globe
Wagner School of Public Policy
Summer 2014
Professor Carrie Nordlund
Course Meetings: Monday, Wednesday 9:00-12:30
Waverly Building, Room 667
Email: nordlund@nyu.edu
This course provides an overview of the politics of public policy in a constitutional democratic
system, primarily practiced in the United States, but often in comparative perspective. The first
half of the course introduces students to the models of policymaking and policy analysis. The
second half applies to examines the role of American political actors and applies the models from
the beginning of the semester to specific policy areas.
REQUIRED BOOKS & READINGS:
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Course documents are available on Classes
ASSESSED VALUATION:
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Participation: 10% - includes newspaper articles
Midterm: 30%
Policy Memo (2): 30%
Final: 30%
Late assignments are not accepted. This is not to penalize any one but to create a fair
and equal policy for all students.
Students with disabilities: Any students requiring accommodations should contact me to
make proper arrangements. Please be prepared to share your documentation from the NYU
disabilities office regarding appropriate accommodations.
Academic Honesty: This course follows NYU’s policy on plagiarism. The academic
community regards academic dishonesty as an extremely serious matter with serious
consequences. In short, don’t cheat.
Newspaper Article: Each class students will present for three minutes each on a newspaper
article pertaining to some aspect of policy making. Students will present twice during our 6-week
session. The article must come from the following sources: The New York Times, Wall Street
Journal, Washington Post, or Los Angeles Times. Articles from CNN, MSNBC, Yahoo, or the like will
not be accepted. Newspaper articles from the aforementioned publications represent the best
original reporting in the country. Many of the articles from CNN, Yahoo etc. are wire reports and
often not written by journalists.
Part I: Overview of Public Policy
July 7
What is Public Policy?
July 9
Readings:
Models of Policymaking
Stone (2012) “Introduction” & Ch 2 “Equity” from Policy Paradox
Smith & Larimer (2009) “Public Policy as a Concept & Field of Study”
from The Public Policy Theory Primer
Sabatier (1991) “Toward Better Theories of the Public Policy Process”
from PS: Political Science and Politics
July 14
Readings:
Framing & Agenda Setting
Stone (2012) Ch 7 (“Symbols”) & 9 (“Causes”) from Policy Paradox
Klein & Deitz (2010) “Childhood Obesity: The New Tobacco” from Health Affairs
Elbel, Gyamfi, and Kersh (2011) “Fast-Food Choice/Calorie Labeling” from International
Journal of Obesity
Lawrence (2004) “ Framing Obesity: The Evolution of News Discourse on a Public
Health Issue” from The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics
July 16
Policy Analysis
**Policy Memo #1 DUE IN CLASS**
Readings:
Kingdon (2011) Chapter 8 from Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies
Scott (1993) “From Research to Policy: The Cigarette Excise Tax” [KSG Case
Study]
Savas (1988) “On Privatization” from Fordham Urban Law Journal
Kurlantzick (2009) “The Malwai Model" from DemocracyJournal.org
July 21
Readings:
Assessing Policy Alternatives
Brannon (2004/2005) “What Is A Life Worth?” from Regulation
Portnoy (1994) “ The Contingent Valuation Debate: Why Economists Should Care?”
from Journal of Economic Perspective
Revesz & Livermore (2008) Intro and Ch. 1 from Retaking Rationality:
How Cost-Benefit Analysis Can Better Protect the Environment & Our Health
“Santiago’s Sewage” [Case Study]
Part II
The Politics of Public Policy
July 23
Interest Groups
**Midterm in class**
Readings:
Kingdon (2011) Chapter 8 from Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies
Quadagno (2010) “Interest Group Influence on the PPAC of 2010”
from Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law
July 28
Readings:
American Federalism: The Politics of Pot
Bowling and Pickerill (2013) “State of American Federalism 2012-13” from Publius:
The Journal of Federalism
Pickerill and Chen (2007) “Medical Marijuana Policy and Virtues of Federalism”
from Publius: The Journal of Federalism
July 30
Readings:
Social Movements & Venue Shopping
Burstein and Linton (2002) “The Impact of Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Social
Movement Organizations on Public Policy: Some Recent Evidence and Theoretical
Concerns” from Social Forces
Pralle (2003) “Venue Shopping, Political Strategy, and Policy Change: The
Internationalization of Canadian Forest Advocacy” from the Journal of Public Policy
August 4
Congress
**POLICY MEMO #2 DUE IN CLASS**
Readings:
Binder (2006) “Can Congress Legislate for the Future?”
Packer (2010) “The Empty Chamber” from The New Yorker
Lizza (2013) “Getting to Maybe” from The New Yorker
August 6
Readings:
The Executive Branch
Constitution Article II
Neustadt (1960) excerpts from Presidential Power
Rudalevige (2005) Ch 7 “Tidal Wave: The World After September 11”
from The New Imperial Presidency
“Signing Statements” from University of California – Santa Barbara “The
American Presidency Project”
Part III
New Directions in Public Policy
August 11
Readings:
Can Social Media Influence Policy?
Howard and Hussain (2011) “The Role of Digital Media” from Journal for
Democracy
Shirky (2011) “The Political Power of Social Media” from Foreign Affairs
Dewey, Kaden, Marks, Matsushima, Zhun (2012) “The Impact of Social Media on
Social Unrest in the Arab Spring” read pages 3-11 and 32-45
August 13
Final Exam